question about improper neutral-to-ground connections

[ronaldrc]

57

Did you tell hers her loose neutral caused the problem to start with.

Anyway if you watch Mikes free videos you will see one where this very problem has caused houses to catch on fire even with the power off in that house.

 

[e57]

Did you tell hers her loose neutral caused the problem to start with. ~ caused houses to catch on fire even with the power off in that house.

Did tell 'em but they were convinced all constrution workers are in cahoots....

Oh yes, this one of the few problems that I won't attemp to schedule. "Shut of the Main - I'll be right over."

With the main off there is no circuit voltage to do the hokey pokey.... However, this should be differentiated from 'Shut everything off', which to most people means they shut the appliances off, many of which still draw power in control circuits. Electronic power supplies and transformers in most consumer products.....

Had a friend make this call to me during a storm.... Other than the laundry list of appliances that immediately let the smoke out, the coffee maker ignited the butcher block table it was on. It was smoke of this that clued them in to something being wrong - it was lucky that they were home, AND awake.

 

[ELA]

But remember Plumbers are a slightly different animal than we... They connect copper with both hands - bare - and usually wet. Add a knicked finger or two in to that, and I would say a plumber would have much lower resistance and higher sensitivity to electricity than most humans.

I think that if he were wet and especially if he had an open wound that a (few volts / 500-1000 ohms) could equal as much as 1 -2 milliamps, which can be felt by many.

 

[jrclen]

I think that if he were wet and especially if he had an open wound that a (few volts / 500-1000 ohms) could equal as much as 1 -2 milliamps, which can be felt by many.

Many years ago I managed to become the neutral path on a 277 lighting circuit. Just from my hand to my elbow. That was way more than a tickle, and convinced me never to do it again. Dry hands and no wounds. I can assure you all, I felt it. The master who was with me laughed so hard he spilt his coffee. I'd have put an amp clamp around the plumber's wrist but I couldn't get the him to hold the two ends of the pipes again. I will tell him the whole thing was only in his head though. :grin:

If anyone wants to suggest that I go back and look for another problem I am all ears. This is a regular, good customer who sends many service jobs my way. After I removed the water pipe bonds, I measured no voltage across the pipe gap and saw no other symptoms of trouble.