shock on frig

[jimbo123]

A buddy had some painting being done in his kitchen and when the painter moved the frig he complained of getting a shock .
I plan on checking the plug and cable on frig for a defect cable or bad connection , then check recept/box and if nothing is found put in a gfci. The recept and box is wired with bx cable. This is in a multi family building, each apartment has a small panel maybe 6 circuits {FPE} main is in basement but not sure.
Does anyone have any other idea on the cause of this complaint ?

 

[kwired]

I'd check for missing or compromised equipment grounding conductor, both in the premises wiring and the appliance cord. Any ground fault in the appliance along with no EGC will energize the appliance frame.

Bootleg an EGC from neutral can also raise voltage on the appliance frame even when there is no ground fault in the appliance, the voltage rise is going to be equal to voltage drop on the neutral.

 

[winnie]

Either there is leakage in the fridge and the frame is not grounded, or the frame is properly grounded and something nearby is energized.

I'd suggest that in addition to checking the fridge, you check for improper bonding of adjacent appliances. For example you could have an oven with the frame bonded to neutral, and if this returns to a subpanel or the neutral is high resistance, then the frame of the oven could be energized.

-Jon

 

[mgookin]

I'd start with a cube tester and follow from there.

 

[mwm1752]

Same thing happened when I was a kid -- we had metal cabnets & the 2 prong plug was inserted backwards creating the frame to be energized -- reverse the plug position in the receptacle to change polarity -- you would get shocked raching for a glass in the cabnet & having your hand on the frig handle -- what is the shock path?

 

[jumper]

I'd start with a cube tester and follow from there.

Seems kinda drastic, but I suppose it could be useful somehow........


View attachment 14949

 

[Besoeker]

A buddy had some painting being done in his kitchen and when the painter moved the frig he complained of getting a shock

I'd beware of anything that's a frig.

 

[mgookin]

Seems kinda drastic, but I suppose it could be useful somehow........


View attachment 14949

Surprising to see that come from a sparky. You got me.

So what's nomenclature on here for the plug in "ice cube" tester that has 3 lights on it and tests for polarity, open ground, etc.?

 

[jumper]

Surprising to see that come from a sparky. You got me.

So what's nomenclature on here for the plug in "ice cube" tester that has 3 lights on it and tests for polarity, open ground, etc.?

Plug in tester. I never heard them called ioe cube tester before. May be a regional thing though.

 

[mgookin]

Plug in tester. I never heard them called ioe cube tester before. May be a regional thing though.

That does yield good search results in Google.

I never heard of a meter "pan" until joining this site. Around here it's a "can". In code its an "enclosure".

Regional indeed.

 

[jumper]

That does yield good search results in Google.

I never heard of a meter "pan" until joining this site. Around here it's a "can". In code its an "enclosure".

Regional indeed.

I have learned a ton of new terms on this site. I still have to ask all the time.

 

[kwired]

Surprising to see that come from a sparky. You got me.

So what's nomenclature on here for the plug in "ice cube" tester that has 3 lights on it and tests for polarity, open ground, etc.?

You initially just said "cube tester" so we got a picture of a "cube tester".

 

[drcampbell]

I've worked in central Ohio and Detroit and never heard it called a "cube tester", either.

Some of them aren't at all cubical:

Sperry Stop-Shock testers will detect a high-impedance ground.

Neither style will detect a bootleg ground.

Installing a GFCI carries the risk of interrupting the power without notice and spoiling all the food. I recommend not doing that.

 

[kwired]

Installing a GFCI carries the risk of interrupting the power without notice and spoiling all the food. I recommend not doing that.

Sometimes there is no choice, but what are the alternatives?

Would you rather throw out some spoiled food that can be replaced or bury your friend or loved one that was electrocuted just because you didn't want the food in the fridge to spoil?

They do make GFCI receptacles with audible alarms that sound when tripped, P&S does anyway, or they also make alarms that can monitor the fridge temp if it is that important to you.

You could lose refrigerator full of food for reasons besides a GFCI tripping also.

 

[iwire]

Installing a GFCI carries the risk of interrupting the power without notice and spoiling all the food. I recommend not doing that.

We have a frig that is currently giving shocks, food would be the last of my concerns.

However I would not go the GFCI route only because that is not fixing the problem.

 

[drcampbell]

... I would not go the GFCI route only because that is not fixing the problem.

That's what I meant: If you don't remedy the underlying problem, the GFCI will probably shut off every time somebody touches the fridge, and if you do, the GFCI won't be necessary.

 

[jumper]

We have a frig that is currently giving shocks, food would be the last of my concerns.

I am gonna say typo.

 

[K8MHZ]

Plug in tester. I never heard them called ioe cube tester before. May be a regional thing though.

We also call them ice cube testers.

 

[jumper]

We also call them ice cube testers.

Yeah, but you fellers seem a bit odd since I heard you all play in 55 gallon barrels when it rains. Rumor has it that you ground them against lightning also.

 

[K8MHZ]

Yeah, but you fellers seem a bit odd since I heard you all play in 55 gallon barrels when it rains. Rumor has it that you ground them against lightning also.

We only ground them against lightning when we make wood stoves out of them.