current on water line

[Smash]

Re: current on water line

Old BX cable tyraped to someone's hot water heater 5 houses down can have the same effect. It's also one of the reasons two ground rods are required. Plumber installs all new Plastic pipe its non conductive he also whacks off that wire that was in his first way now the neighbor with the BX has no ground at all. Happens a lot in older power areas like Boston and Phila

 

[kwired]

Old BX cable tyraped to someone's hot water heater 5 houses down can have the same effect. It's also one of the reasons two ground rods are required. Plumber installs all new Plastic pipe its non conductive he also whacks off that wire that was in his first way now the neighbor with the BX has no ground at all. Happens a lot in older power areas like Boston and Phila

AC cable sheath is an EGC - really old AC cable sheath maybe not as good but still is.

Possible removal of metallic piping is reason a supplemental electrode is required for a water pipe electrode - the supplemental electrode can be any qualifying electrode, rod(s) are common though if there is no other electrodes present.

 

[macmikeman]

Any time I meet new plumbers around jobsites I talk to them about this issue. Most of em have not heard of it , some know there can be current on water pipes but they don't understand why. What I always tell them is to clip on a set of jumper cables around the cuts they make in existing copper feeder lines to prevent themselves from completing an open circuit thru their bodies. I have never attempted to make any kind of a video, or to get one onto youtube, but this subject and it's importance to plumbers is something that certainly merits the attempt at such a task.

 

[ptonsparky]

I remember a remodel on an old motel converted to long term living units. Plumbers went to cut the water line and the current burnt the teeth off the saw blade at first touch. Their grounded sawzall was fed from a Unit that had a good neutral return to the transformer. I was surprised they had an intact EG but it was a brand new sawzall. They did not come back to the job until we found the problem and guaranteed a fix. Whimps.

 

[mtfallsmikey]

Any time I meet new plumbers around jobsites I talk to them about this issue. Most of em have not heard of it , some know there can be current on water pipes but they don't understand why. What I always tell them is to clip on a set of jumper cables around the cuts they make in existing copper feeder lines to prevent themselves from completing an open circuit thru their bodies. I have never attempted to make any kind of a video, or to get one onto youtube, but this subject and it's importance to plumbers is something that certainly merits the attempt at such a task.

I got nailed real bad in a situation like that years ago when tying in new copper water lines to old ones, was super hot that day and I was sweating like a pig... worst 120v. hit I ever felt.