swimming pool voltage

[buggsy]

pool users reported getting shocked on the hand rail upon investigation found 1.5 volts between hand rails to pool water.

We have checked the bonding of all the hand rails and all associated pumps and everything appears to be bonded,however voltage is still present. Tried to eliminate it by shutting off pumps etc until the whole panel was shut off and the voltage decreased to about .6 to 1 volt but not 0 volts.

there is a kiddie pool that shares the same water,pumps and bond with the bigger pool but if you test between hand rails to the water there is 0 volts?? how can this be if it is effectively the same pool ?? please advise on what else to check

 

[pierre]

Re: swimming pool voltage

Last week we ran into almost an identical situation.
Turned off the power at the service and still had the same voltage at the pool.

The POCO came to the house and cut the service at the pole, still voltage at the pool. The homeowner noticed that as he climbed out of the pool, he was getting shocked when he had one knee on the deck and his other leg in the pool.

After 2 days of investigation the POCO found a bad primary neutral in the neighboring complex was traveling through this property.
They had to dig it up and replace the transformer underground feeder. The problem went away.

Maybe you should contact the POCO.
The pool was surrounded by pavers (no concrete, and no metal under the pavers). I suggested to the homeowner to lift some of the pavers and run a bare 8AWG solid conductor around the pool paver area and bond it to the pool pump. I do not know yet if he has.

Pierre

 

[don_resqcapt19]

Re: swimming pool voltage

Pierre,

I suggested to the homeowner to lift some of the pavers and run a bare 8AWG solid conductor around the pool paver area and bond it to the pool pump.

I don't see how this will help much. The pavers and the earth have too high of a resistance to create an equal potential plane. The bonding of the rebar in a poured pool area provides an equal potential only because the conductive steel is on 4" to 6" centers.
Don