Tingling sensation in Hot tub water

1. Measure the voltage.
2. Turn off the main house breaker and measure again.

If the voltage is low and doesn't change, it's probably primary neutral voltage (which to some extent is normal).
 
kwired said:
That's what I asked one my HVAC friends when he mentioned getting tingling sensation in the shower. I asked him if his wife was also in the shower whenever this happened.
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It has been noted that women and children seem to be more sensitive to the small voltage variants that are mentioned as a "tingle" than men, so it is advised to not dismiss a report of such nature. As mentioned proper EP bonding can eliminate or at least mitigate a small variant, but any report should be taken serious and checked out thoroughly.
 
Fred B said:
It has been noted that women and children seem to be more sensitive to the small voltage variants that are mentioned as a "tingle" than men, so it is advised to not dismiss a report of such nature. As mentioned proper EP bonding can eliminate or at least mitigate a small variant, but any report should be taken serious and checked out thoroughly.
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I did not dismiss it. It was someone I knew pretty well, we happened to meet someplace besides his home and it came up in discussion as something he wanted me to take a look at when possible. But in meantime had a little fun in the conversation.
 
In a rent house we lived in many years ago there was a frosted aluminum framed window over the tub in the shower. We very quickly learned not to touch the window frame while we were showering and standing ankle deep in water. It was more than just a tingle; I measured 120V with a DVM between the frame and the water spigot. I checked the arcing capability with a length of wire and I got a small spark - nothing like a direct line to ground short would have produced.
 
winnie said:
I would not advise anyone to attempt voltage measurements by the 'feel the tingle' method.

But I agree, the first measurement to take is water to deck with the breaker off. This might require the deck boards to be wet, or a large area electrode in contact with the wood.
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Is this really an industry standard? I don't recall ever seeing a listed lug for bonding wood. TBH, I have little experience with hot tubs as well, but this just struck me as odd. You are looking for the difference of potential from the wood to the water, it would appear.
 
Chris Hollinshead said:
Is this really an industry standard? I don't recall ever seeing a listed lug for bonding wood. TBH, I have little experience with hot tubs as well, but this just struck me as odd. You are looking for the difference of potential from the wood to the water, it would appear.
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I don't know if it is an industry standard.

IMHO if a person experiences a concerning shock, the first test is to use some instrument (which won't get injured) to measure what the person felt. If someone feels a shock from wood to water, then IMHO the first test is to measure the voltage from wood to water.

Now the _problem_ might be a lethal potential difference between soil and hot tub water, which is showing up as a minor but annoying voltage between wood and water because the wood is acting as a pretty good insulator. But the first step would be to measure from wood to water, and then trace from there.

-Jonathan
 
I worked for a contractor who was called out for the same reason tingling when touching the deck. He found a point where the neutral and ground were tied together. Separated the neutral from the ground and eliminated the problem. Not saying that is the same problem, but a possibility.
 
Gene B said:
1. Measure the voltage.
2. Turn off the main house breaker and measure again.

If the voltage is low and doesn't change, it's probably primary neutral voltage (which to some extent is normal).
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Yes, as long as the US uses the Multiply Grounded Neutral scheme, primary neutral offset to ground, causing GES to remote ground offset, is likely to happen. But proper Equipotential Bonding can eliminate or mitigate its effects on pools and hot tubs.
 
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