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1793

Senior Member
Location
Louisville, Kentucky
Occupation
Inspector
In a conversation last night I overheard someone mention that when they touch a makeup light and either the faucet or water they get a shock.

I would like to know if someone could help me locate some threads on "getting shocked when touching bathroom faucets / water".

I'm not sure what type of search criteria I should be using to narrow the search.
 

growler

Senior Member
Location
Atlanta,GA
In a conversation last night I overheard someone mention that when they touch a makeup light and either the faucet or water they get a shock.

I would like to know if someone could help me locate some threads on "getting shocked when touching bathroom faucets / water".

Don't think of the faucets/water in particular just think of them a path to ground.

You have two choices here, one the faucets have become energized and and the case of the make up light is grounded or the make up light case is engergized and the water/faucet is the ground path.

The first thing to check is if the receptacle for the make-up light is GFCI protected and if the GFCI is working.

Energized plumbing can even be an open neutral so check neutral post.But if they are only getting shocked in the bath room I would suspect a bad make up light and no GFCI protection.
 

cadpoint

Senior Member
Location
Durham, NC
I would have stopped them in their tracks and asked why are they carrying on such an experiment!?

You should have said that they were completing a path between two different potinional points of energy, that have did experience this difference in energy points, and stop doing that! To add some drama strecth out your arms and wiggle your fingers then take one hand and trace this outline back outwards to strectch and wiggle your hands again, then take the previous unsed hand and then thump on your chest! :roll:

My thought is that it's an older none grounded chassis and is not bonded.
While glass is very good isolator, it's the humidity and particulates that are
adding up and alwaying this shorting.

It really gets to me! I always have to take a minute and compose myself when I do certain types of electric work.
I always pay attention to the lamp install moment, why someone has to be dribbling one is beyond me...
 

renosteinke

Senior Member
Location
NE Arkansas
Let's not make this more than it is. Just get systematic in your troubleshooting, and stop trying to guess.

1) Where is the power coming from? You determine this by flipping breakers until your meter twlls you you found the right one.

2) Now you disconnect all the loads. Pull out all the plugs, turn off all the lights, on that circuit. Turn it back on at the panel. If the plumbing's not 'hot,' then your problem isb't with the circuit, it's with one of the loads.

3) Start checking the loads until you find the leak. Meggers can be helpful here.

4) Fix / replace the appliance.

The last such call I had, the source was an extension cord the customer had very carefully concealed; I would never have found it just by poking about.
 

steve66

Senior Member
Location
Illinois
Occupation
Engineer
It could also be the make-up light.

And I agree with the systematic troubleshooting.

I would suggest starting with the makeup light, and the receptacle it is plugged into. Is there a two prong adapter? Is the receptacle wired right, with the right polarity?

Next up might be the sink and faucet. See if you have metal piping, and if so, is it grounded anywhere, or is it isolated by some plastic piping.

If you don't find the problem there, then you might go to the main panel or service, and check all the voltage including ground & neutral.

Hopefully, somewhere along this you will have an "aw-ha" moment where the problem becomes apparent.

Steve
 
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