ELECTRICITY in the water! What could be causing it - how to stop it?

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LordX2

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Jun 11, 2011
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My pool water has somehow become electrified! My daughter started dipping her feet while holding onto the metal handrail, and was complaining of feeling a shock run through her. Sure enough, I tested my wetting my hands, putting one hand in the pool, and holding onto the handrail. Felt like when you put a 9V battery on your tongue!
What can I do here? I tried to run a test where I turned off the breaker to the pool light, and then tripped the GFI breaker on my house that feeds to the pool pump. So theoretically all electricity in the vicinity of the pool should have been turned off. STILL the water felt this way. Can water RETAIN electricity? I am lost, and frustrated! Any help is greatly appreciated!
 
Stay out of the water till you get a licensed electrician that understands pools and bonding.it could be as simple as a disconnected bonding wire or stray voltage from a local underground source.
 
Do you live in a rural or semi-rural area?

If the shock continues even after turning off all the equipment breakers, it could be neutral to earth voltage (NEV). It is more common in rural areas.
 
mas985 said:
Do you live in a rural or semi-rural area?

If the shock continues even after turning off all the equipment breakers, it could be neutral to earth voltage (NEV). It is more common in rural areas.
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Thank you for the idea - but no - good ol' subdivision living.

Is there any combination of pool chemicals that can cause electrification to occur? I know my pool guy recently dumped in some baking soda to help the PH balance. Just curious if there is any combination of random things that could possibly do that....
 
LordX2 said:
Is there any combination of pool chemicals that can cause electrification to occur? I know my pool guy recently dumped in some baking soda to help the PH balance. Just curious if there is any combination of random things that could possibly do that....
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No. You have serious issue. If the shock continues even after turning off all the equipment breakers, it could be neutral to earth voltage (NEV). It is more common in rural areas. Call your electrical supplier.
 
Believe us, the second you call your utility company and tell them you’re feeling a stray voltage shock in your pool, they will have a crew out there before the end of the day. The last thing they want is a lawsuit based on something related to faulty equipment. They will obviously only check their end of the supply - from the pole or distribution box to your panel meter. Everything after the meter is on you. But you should at least get their certification that their equipment and buried lines are good.
 
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Finding stray voltage sources take a lot of detective work. Here are two threads to give you ideas of what you are looking for:

Here is a thread that has been going on for 6 years trying to find the source of a tingle - A Slight Shock.

Here the voltage source was a streetlight connected to the house power line Bonding Issue In A Pool.
 
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How old is the pool?

Can you show pictures of the pool and the system?

Are there utility lines near the pool?

Can you see transmission lines from your property?

Did they put wire mesh or rebar into the deck?
 
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I don't see a bond wire at the system.

Do you have a bond wire?

Check the voltage and frequency of the electricity from different points around the pool.

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JamesW said:
I don't see a bond wire at the system.

Do you have a bond wire?

Check the voltage and frequency of the electricity from different points around the pool.

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full
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Wow - I must have posted these years ago!

By a bond wire, do you mean the number 8 solid ground wire that gets attached to the pump? If so, the wire is still there, but not hooked up. I guess this will be the first thing I get to. It was hooked up on the old pump, but then things moved, and it didn't reach.

There are two ground wires it looks like (or this was possibly a loop that broke).
 
JamesW said:
Yes.

Can you show the current system?
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Here is the current pump, the the ground wire that is there. I remember on the old pump, the ground wire was bolted in where I show the arrow pointing. Looks like these WILL reach the area I have an arrow pointed to.

Does anyone offhand know the size of bolt I would need? Would like to hook this up and see if it helps!

PS - would this be 'instant'? Like immediately the water is better? Or will it take a while for built up charge in the water to dissipate?

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The bond wire should be #8 bare solid copper.

You can use a DB (Direct Burial rated) copper split bolt to connect bond wires or extend a bond wire.

I suspect that the issue is going to be a lot more complicated than a disconnected bond wire.

Check the voltage, frequency and current of the electricity between different point especially where you feel a shock.
 
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Was there any major construction work in your subdivision or was the power company recently around doing any kind of work? Did any neighbors close by do any major renovation work or add something new to their home like a new AC unit?

My guess is the power company will likely find that their equipment is operating within spec and everything up to and including the meter is fine.
 
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LordX2 said:
Here is the current pump, the the ground wire that is there. I remember on the old pump, the ground wire was bolted in where I show the arrow pointing. Looks like these WILL reach the area I have an arrow pointed to.
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If/when they replaced the old pump, they forgot to reconnect the bond wire, that could explain why the shock has recently occured. A well bonded pool can still be safe even when there is NEV present as it should keep all the items near the pool at the same potential.
 
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