Swimming Pools

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mike5456

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Good morning, What is the best way to check for stray voltage in a swimming pool? The homeowner feels a tingling near the skimmer, I could not reproduce it.
 
I would first measure the voltage where the homeowner feels it. Then I would start cutting off circuits to see if the voltage is affected by the service for the house. If not then there may be a power company issue leaking to ground.

You also need to check if everything is properly grounded.
 
Dennis Alwon said:
I would first measure the voltage where the homeowner feels it. Then I would start cutting off circuits to see if the voltage is affected by the service for the house. If not then there may be a power company issue leaking to ground.

You also need to check if everything is properly grounded.
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Thank you for your reply, what would your recommended procedure be? Amp meter? Analog meter like a Tripplett? One lead to the water the other to the perimeter ground? Thank you again.
 
I looked for Uncle Mikes video on this subject. I think he may have taken it down. Perhaps it was to dangerous.
But their are good videos on this subject.
 
mike5456 said:
Good morning, What is the best way to check for stray voltage in a swimming pool? The homeowner feels a tingling near the skimmer, I could not reproduce it.
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Make sure there is an equipotential bond for the pool. Use your meter on continuity, you may have to make a long lead for it, and check all equipment, metal objects, such as ladders, handrails, diving boards, etc. Check from each to the bond ring/grid. There is more you can do, but this will be a good start. Also, make sure there is a water bond. You said "tingling near the skimmer" so the bond may be missing to the water.
 
Measuring Neutral to Earth voltage at different locations of the pool will verify the lack of equal potential bonding. Mike has a good video on YouTube how to do this. At least he did…..
 
One item not bonded to the equipotential bonding system or that has a compromised bond, is all it takes to have a hole in the EBS, that can expose a pool user to voltage difference between the service grounded conductor and true earth ground or at least a portion of any difference there.

Know the difference between grounding and bonding, they are not the same thing.
 
mike5456 said:
Good morning, What is the best way to check for stray voltage in a swimming pool? The homeowner feels a tingling near the skimmer, I could not reproduce it.
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digi volt meter I would assume. ;)
probe between various points.
probe various points in water to EBC.

everything being bonded at the pool, does not eliminate stray voltage potential, if such bonding has resistance between points.
 
RAKocher said:
Test the GFCI's,. Everything should be on a gfci, except possibly a heater, if one.
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Why would testing the GFCIs help to find where the stray voltage is coming from?

The pool user knows where the stray voltage is at because he felt it. Measure it there. Then turn off the main power to the house. If the stray voltage is gone you know it is coming from the house. If it is still there, it is probably coming from the utility or a neighbor, and you will probably need to get the utility involved to fix it.
 
I was probably 15 the first and last time I replaced a switch only to find out the bulb was burned out.
Until a stray voltage in the pool water can be observed/measured without taking a dip, allowing other troubleshooting methods to occur, in the meantime I would check, test the integrity of the pool equipment and devices.
 
ActionDave said:
What? Everything is bonded at the pool to effectively eliminate resistance between points.
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And when one bonding wire/connection comes loose, corrodes, breaks off, [add a reason here], then bonding becomes not 100%, which can then cause the volt meter to have a reading. ;)
 
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