I recently got a call from a friend who said they were getting shocked when they would touch the pool water . I run over there to see what is going on and find they had a new deck built right up to the pool. They used that trex stuff and , so what was happening was they were getting a static shock when they were walking around the deck then touching the water or pool frame (above ground). Has anyone ever dealt with this ? My next question is does the deck now need to be attached to bonding grid ? How would I go about doing this ? Thanks in advance for any help .
Pool Shock
- Thread starter solo
- Start date
- Status
Oldbull
Member
- Location
- Baltimore, MD, USA
Getting a SHOCK?
Getting a SHOCK?
I am wondering how they are building up enought static to feel a shock on the deck?
Trex is plastic, and should act as an insulator. I have two decks made out of this stuff and have never encountered this kind of problem. The railings are also made from a trex type material.
Maybe you should do some more checking. Did the installer happen to strike an underground feeder or a feed to the pool pump? Its kind of strange, that all of a sudden they are recieving a shock from walking on the deck.:happysad:
If you can't find anything you can always run an AL bond strap around the deck insuring that you screw to every board. . Connect the bond to the pool grounding electrode and all is the same potental. It should work but its very labor intensive.
Its kind of getting carried away with a repair that shouldn't be happening in the first place.
Getting a SHOCK?
I am wondering how they are building up enought static to feel a shock on the deck?
Trex is plastic, and should act as an insulator. I have two decks made out of this stuff and have never encountered this kind of problem. The railings are also made from a trex type material.
Maybe you should do some more checking. Did the installer happen to strike an underground feeder or a feed to the pool pump? Its kind of strange, that all of a sudden they are recieving a shock from walking on the deck.:happysad:
If you can't find anything you can always run an AL bond strap around the deck insuring that you screw to every board. . Connect the bond to the pool grounding electrode and all is the same potental. It should work but its very labor intensive.
Its kind of getting carried away with a repair that shouldn't be happening in the first place.
kwired
Electron manager
- Location
- NE Nebraska
- Occupation
- EC
If it is static charges involved here the fact the material is an insulator is why the static charges accumulate, you need some conductivity to discharge the static energy as it is produced or it will continue to build until a path is introduced or voltage is high enough to overcome the insulation.
One really needs to know just what two objects are creating the static charge in the first place before knowing how to eliminate the problem. Often semi conductive properties of decking are enough to eliminate this from happening, but apparently OP's installation is well insulated and this allows static charges to build up. Spraying the deck down with water may temporarily provide enough conductivity to discharge these static charges. Over time dirt buildup may also change the insulating properties enough to make a difference. Type of materials of shoes or clothing of the users will also determine how fast those people become charged when walking on this deck, not everyone will see the same charge, based on their activity and other factors.
Whether or not the pool is conductive or non conductive material constructed will make some difference as well.
Yes the lady was wearing sneakers while on the deck and I was wearing rubber sole hiking boots and she got a shock as I had my arms resting on aluminum coping with my hands resting in the water and I got nothing, but I was standing beside the pool in the grass. I then went on the deck shuffled around , touched the pool water and got it . i did the same thing then touched pool coping and got an even bigger hit . I did some more looking around and realized they had another guy put low voltage lighting on deck , he mounted the transformer to joist under the deck .
K8MHZ
Senior Member
- Occupation
- Electrician
Do you keep getting a shock if you keep touching the deck or water? Or does it snap you just once and then you are fine for a while?
I don't recall ever hearing of anyone getting a static shock from a wet surface. Usually it's dry conditions that cause static.
kwired
Electron manager
- Location
- NE Nebraska
- Occupation
- EC
Did he say the deck was wet, or dry for that matter? If it is dry the chances of this happening probably do increase.
K8MHZ
Senior Member
- Occupation
- Electrician
Thank you.
That means we should be able to rule out any electrical system problem, as this sounds like static, so the LV stuff mounted on the deck shouldn't have anything to do with the problem.
This is still a first for me. I have never heard a need for a static drain on a pool, no pun intended.
I am interested in how this will be addressed and rectified. Again, no pun intended.
- Location
- Placerville, CA, USA
- Occupation
- Retired PV System Designer
The only solution I can think of would be to apply a semiconductive coating to the deck surface or spray it periodically with a mister.
Or you could provide a discharge point with a 1meg or greater resistance to ground for people to discharge to before touching anything else.
Tapatalk!
Or you could provide a discharge point with a 1meg or greater resistance to ground for people to discharge to before touching anything else.
Tapatalk!
kwired
Electron manager
- Location
- NE Nebraska
- Occupation
- EC
It is not a pool problem - it is a static problem on the deck and would happen if there were something grounded other then the pool nearby.
Not sure just quite what to do either, as it is the person doing the "shuffling" on the deck that is acquiring the charge and not the deck acquiring the charge - I think. But some kind of semi-conductive treatment on the deck will likely help minimize this. Even just dirt and dust accumulation over time will likely help some.
Not sure just quite what to do either, as it is the person doing the "shuffling" on the deck that is acquiring the charge and not the deck acquiring the charge - I think. But some kind of semi-conductive treatment on the deck will likely help minimize this. Even just dirt and dust accumulation over time will likely help some.
mgookin
Senior Member
- Location
- Fort Myers, FL
- Occupation
- Retired inspector, plans examiner & building official
Maybe contact the manufacturer of the decking.
- Location
- Massachusetts
I already suggested to walk bare feet on the trex deck to avoid shock on touching pool. If you insist on wearing shoes, wear antistatic shoes till you reach the pool edge and then remove before diving into water.Do you understand the purpose and function of a swimming pool?
As for your question, I want to answer, ''Not to wash your ass''.:lol:
K8MHZ
Senior Member
- Occupation
- Electrician
Do you have a link for anti-static shoes for children?
K8MHZ
Senior Member
- Occupation
- Electrician
Get some of those wrist bands with a coiled lead that has an alligator clip on them. The kind they use in electronics labs. They to a good job of bleeding off static.
Cut off the clip and permanently mount that end of the wire to the pool coping. You may have to extend the lead to do this, but the idea is to put the wrist band connected to the coping on before the deck is walked on. The band should be able to be removed for swimming without any shock as the electrons have been bled off already.
That is, if you can't find any anti-static shoes that fit and go with your outfit.
:happyyes:
Cut off the clip and permanently mount that end of the wire to the pool coping. You may have to extend the lead to do this, but the idea is to put the wrist band connected to the coping on before the deck is walked on. The band should be able to be removed for swimming without any shock as the electrons have been bled off already.
That is, if you can't find any anti-static shoes that fit and go with your outfit.
:happyyes:
FionaZuppa
Senior Member
- Location
- AZ
- Occupation
- Part Time Electrician (semi retired, old) - EE retired.
if the decking is a insulator capable of taking or giving up electrons, then you can basically become charged simply by walking on it. even a wet deck can allow static charge to build. since the material is acting like an insulator it will be very hard to bond the decking to anything. perhaps a ground rod under the deck and then tied to the deck, and then maybe when you wash the deck down the water will conduct any static charge to the gnd rod....? but a pita to have to wet the deck before using it......
insulators are a pita in this context.
TREX : "an innovative blend of 95% recycled wood and plastic"
insulators are a pita in this context.
TREX : "an innovative blend of 95% recycled wood and plastic"
Last edited:
kwired
Electron manager
- Location
- NE Nebraska
- Occupation
- EC
If they would just put something conductive in whatever they use to bond it all together it may make enough difference that the static charges don't build up very easily.
FionaZuppa
Senior Member
- Location
- AZ
- Occupation
- Part Time Electrician (semi retired, old) - EE retired.
its not all plastic, but insulators are the things that foster static charge build-up. if you leave or pull electrons from the plastic you will be charged. then touching something that allows the charge to neutralize (like pool water) you'll likely get a small quick zap, not much different then dragging your feet on carpet (w/ or w/o shoes).
a wet Trex deck should yield little/no static charge build-up. a dry deck (a dry plastic insulator) will be different.
well, maybe, depends on how the conductive material is used. next is how to convince the folks who make Trex to make a new special product for "pool decking use, anti-static and bondable for safety".
Last edited:
- Status