*Shallow end, being shocked when grabbing railing*
- Thread starter gamerfan2004
- Start date
What is the water table in your yard?
Is the yard always wet or does it stay dry?
Is the yard always wet or does it stay dry?
through the magical powers of the internet we may have some proofs. OP lives at the end of a block which tucks into the northeast corner of a main intersection. If i drive out of his neighborhood and go to the area-ish behind his backyard, there is a lone electric dip that would serve no purpose where it is, unless it feeds the backside of OPs culdesac. 
Now, once it goes buried, it of course could go anywhere but it gives good legs to my hunch that the power feed, or possibly one of the other utilities crosses OPs back yard. If I ‘drive’ the north side in Google street view I can see where the phones enter the neighborhood through other yards and cross several others enroute to OP. That doesn’t help his backyard but it proves there may be *something* nearby the pool feeding from the opposite way.
We keep looking at transformer to house, but what’s to say said transformer isn’t fed past the pool. OP kills the house power and is still live from the feed. The power co kills the neighborhood and their feed or the cross with another utility disappears. It very well could be the feed from either bleeding into the pool grid. OP lifts them and doesn’t clear the problem.
811 will confirm/deny this.
Now, once it goes buried, it of course could go anywhere but it gives good legs to my hunch that the power feed, or possibly one of the other utilities crosses OPs back yard. If I ‘drive’ the north side in Google street view I can see where the phones enter the neighborhood through other yards and cross several others enroute to OP. That doesn’t help his backyard but it proves there may be *something* nearby the pool feeding from the opposite way.We keep looking at transformer to house, but what’s to say said transformer isn’t fed past the pool. OP kills the house power and is still live from the feed. The power co kills the neighborhood and their feed or the cross with another utility disappears. It very well could be the feed from either bleeding into the pool grid. OP lifts them and doesn’t clear the problem.
811 will confirm/deny this.
*my second guess is my original guess. That the massive road widening behind OPs house on the big + sign intersection had all the poles replaced somewhat recently. Missing or faulty bonds/ grounds is causing otherwise unlikely bleed offs in the general neighborhood.
The water table overall is dry. We live at the top of the cul-de-sac so everything drains west away from our house. Here's an aerial view of where the transformers are on my street; my house has a blue home symbol.
Yup, it was a significant 2-year project that just finished in early Spring this year.
I have crummy cell service at the moment and can’t upload pics of the road / utility work that went on at the time of the Google street view pics somewhat recently. But it’s massive and it looks to go on for miles.
Maybe it’s not the power companies ‘fault’ per se. maybe the pole crew removed all the bonds and the right crew didn’t get the memo to go back and clean up the aftermath. But these things get missed all the time and they cause inductive voltages where they shouldn’t be all the time. I don’t find them in backyards but I do find them in the street.
This may still not even be the issue, but it’s got some much more likely traction now.
Maybe it’s not the power companies ‘fault’ per se. maybe the pole crew removed all the bonds and the right crew didn’t get the memo to go back and clean up the aftermath. But these things get missed all the time and they cause inductive voltages where they shouldn’t be all the time. I don’t find them in backyards but I do find them in the street.
This may still not even be the issue, but it’s got some much more likely traction now.
Are there any bodies of water nearby?
If yes, what is the elevation relative to the pool?
If yes, what is the elevation relative to the pool?
- May 3, 2007
- 18,094
- Pool Size
- 20000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Hayward Aqua Rite (T-15)
That would indicate to me that the railing in the shallow end is probably bonded ok. It is the water that is energized. Even though the pump is bonded, the resistance in the water is sufficient to maintain the voltage difference between the pool and and pump bonding or even the light bonding although the pool shell should be bonded as well. What is the pool surface?
But I agree with the others that the recent electrical work is certainly very significant.
A few earth ground measurements between the pool and that location should quickly determine if that is the cause.
I’m sorry that I can’t always explain it in a way that makes sense to all y’all way smarter than me with EE backgrounds / knowledge. Sometimes my gut just knows before I can prove it.
But I see these type problems 2 ways. Massive roadwork or antiquated stuffs rotting in the streets in front of houses. OP checks both boxes.
*hopefully*. Lol.
*again
I have ZERO need to be ‘right’ here. If my thoughts can help rule stuffs out and help someone else run with it, I’ll be THRILLED that we get OP his answer.
I have ZERO need to be ‘right’ here. If my thoughts can help rule stuffs out and help someone else run with it, I’ll be THRILLED that we get OP his answer.
Having the utility mark all underground lines on the property should be helpful.
For the ground measurements, the deeper you can put a metal rod, the better the reading will be, but don't risk pushing a rod into something underground.
If you can disconnect the ground rod and the bonding grid from the ground wires, then the reading from the earth/ground/dirt to the main ground going to the neutral bar will be better because the voltage won't be able to equalize through the ground rod or bonding grid.
Check current, voltage, frequency and waveform between the ground/dirt and the main neutral/ground at points around the pool.
For the ground measurements, the deeper you can put a metal rod, the better the reading will be, but don't risk pushing a rod into something underground.
If you can disconnect the ground rod and the bonding grid from the ground wires, then the reading from the earth/ground/dirt to the main ground going to the neutral bar will be better because the voltage won't be able to equalize through the ground rod or bonding grid.
Check current, voltage, frequency and waveform between the ground/dirt and the main neutral/ground at points around the pool.
Yes, they added a retention pond next to my house on the east side. The pool is higher in elevation than the pond; by how much, idk.
The pool is vinyl with an ABS/Fiberglass wall.
@JamesW As promised, a legit mapping for logging purposes.
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Sewer easement right past the pool ?!!!!????
I’m getting more and more convinced that we will find stuffs in the backyard which will SO help explain things. Probably not the sewer being at fault, but still ……
I’m getting more and more convinced that we will find stuffs in the backyard which will SO help explain things. Probably not the sewer being at fault, but still ……
*we did agree this was a crappy problem. 
The retaining pond might be saturating the ground with water, which could allow leaked voltage to spread more easily.
It might be worthwhile to dig a few 1.5" holes straight down as deep as the pool to see if you hit water, but don't risk drilling into any lines or pipes.
Then test from the bottom of the hole to the neutral.
I would be interested to see if there are any lines in the red area marked.
Once you have the lines marked, you can put metal rods above the lines to see if the voltage is higher directly above the lines.
The lines should be deep, but be careful not to puncture anything.
It might be worthwhile to dig a few 1.5" holes straight down as deep as the pool to see if you hit water, but don't risk drilling into any lines or pipes.
Then test from the bottom of the hole to the neutral.
I would be interested to see if there are any lines in the red area marked.
Once you have the lines marked, you can put metal rods above the lines to see if the voltage is higher directly above the lines.
The lines should be deep, but be careful not to puncture anything.
Also worth noting in my map looking ats……. Still have crummy service and can’t upload but there was a shed behind the pool abouts where the sewer easement would continue up if it kept going.
maybe the shed has its own CO / electric meter fed past the pool.
maybe the shed has its own CO / electric meter fed past the pool.
My neighbors' small shed near the easement never had electricity to it and has since been torn down. Thanks for thinking of it
We are a thorough bunch !! You loves us.down. Thanks for thinking of it
I love your thinking.....but that's an 8-foot deep hole I would need to dig
Is there a tool that you know of that can dig a 1.5" hole and travel 8' deep?