Damaging Effects of Electrolysis on Plumbing Systems

[copper123]

http://www.drilleronline.com/CDA/ArticleInformation/features/BNP__Features__Item/0,3643,25610,00.html
I read this article and am confused. Could somebody please help me out? The article talks about electrolysis on the mechanical portion of a home and gives the bonding to the water pipe as the main culprit. Where would this stray voltage be coming from? From my electrical classes, it is known that electricity will take many points back to ground, so are they talking about small voltages that are traveling through the water pipes that should be going to ground via the nuetral through bonding or down to the well casing? Also, I have heard that well drillers dont want to see water pipe grounding because it is hurting the submersible pumps in the well. Does anybody else have experience with this? I was blown away when it says in the article that a good way to stop the electrolysis problem in plumbing pipes is to install a piece of plastic pipe at the area where the water pipe enters the home. In effect, causing isolation of of the grounded well casing and the mechanical system. And also maybe cutting out the grounding electrode.

 

[bphgravity]

Re: Damaging Effects of Electrolysis on Plumbing Systems

Everyone would like to blame the electrical system. It is convienent and most people accept it because they don't understand how electric current flows and what grounding and bonding is really for.

The only reason electrical current flows to ground is because the source is grounded, which is commonly the utility transformer. Most current takes the grounded neutral conductor but some will always flow over the grounding electrode system as Earth provides a path to the the source. Ohm's Law takes over and the voltage on any one part of the system can easily be determined.

My opinion is simple. The true source of electrolysis over the plumbing system is from the plumbing system itself. The voltage present on metallic pipes could pose a danger to persons in contact with them, however it is highly unlike the voltage will exceed 40V or so if proper grounding is performed at the service equipment.

The electrolysis comes from the dissimilar materials being used in the plumbing system. That is, the metal pipe and the mineral rich water. Some system even introduce chlorine and salt. Water flowing in a galvanized pipe with trace amounts of mineral, salt, and chlorine is effectively a battery and several potentials can exist between the watewr and the pipe and between sections of the pipe along the entire system. Isolating the electrical system won't get rid of this problem. However, avoiding metallic piping will.

When its all said and done, I think most of the real damage is from lightning strikes and age.

 

[stew]

Re: Damaging Effects of Electrolysis on Plumbing Systems

Id like to know how grounding and bonding affects submersible well pumps other than protecting them. Thats why well drillers arent electricians.

[ July 01, 2004, 01:48 PM: Message edited by: stew ]

 

[hbiss]

Re: Damaging Effects of Electrolysis on Plumbing Systems

Any of the wells I have ever seen, unless they are very old, use poly pipe at least from the well to the house. Most have it run down the well and support the pump as well.

The purpose of bonding with wells is to bond the metallic plumbing system in the house since the buried well piping is unreliable or nonexistant as a grounding electrode.

As was stated, the most common cause of pump failures is old age and lightning which will follow the pump wiring to ground through the pump.

-Hal

 

[tom baker]

Re: Damaging Effects of Electrolysis on Plumbing Systems

I looked at the link in the first post. It has many inaccurate concepts relating to grounding. I have a study done by the american water works association on grounding of electrical services to pipes and water quality, and the link between grounding and water quality problems can not be shown. They built a test house and injected various amounts of stray current to see the results on the plumbing.