BobKittel
New User
- Location
- Long Beach, California
- Occupation
- retired general contractor
I am investigating why my electrical bill is 2 to 3 times what it should be. To start out the water utility company replaced the water meter. when the copper water line was disconnected the mechanic received and electrical shock. He asked that I turn off the power at the house electrical circuit box and he finished his work. The house meter is bonded/grounded with a UFR in the foundation and a copper rod driven into the earth. I suspected that there was enough stray curent going to earth that when the water line was separated the current hit the water meter service person. I have a moderately good digital multimeter and a marginal clamp meter but I trust the reading that I would get on the clamp meter. When I clamp the shielded ground wire, ground rod or water pipe near the ground connection I read as high as 13.5A and sometimes as low as 2V. This varys and I do not know why. I have not checked for V yet and that is my next test. I will drive a second ground rod and then check for voltage. In doing the math I believe that the 13.5A is 5V, I do not know if either 13.5A/5V is significant or worrysome. In checking to try to isolate where the 13.5 is coming from I clamped the meter to the ground rod and had all circuits to off position. I then would turn each on then after a minute to off watching the clamp meter for the amperage. Most circuits when on show less than 1A at the ground rod. I identified 3 circuits that may bring the amperage to 6.5 at the ground rod. That is the only rudementary test I can think of. Next I would check inside the house at each receptical however all I can think of is checking for a loose neutral but would that not cause many times more than just 13.5A? What am I missing, what should I be checking and am I worrying about nothing? In my checking I went to the neighbors house and clamped on their ground rod. They had some lights and a washer dryer running. Their ground showed .5A constant. What is different or correct in their meter and what is incorrect in mine?
