Electrical Shock from Pool Water

[venicebeachvillas]

[Split by moderator (jblizzle) from electrical-shock-from-my-pool-water-t48616.html]

Hi to all that have been replying to this post. Not sure if this should be a new post or not.

I have a similar problem, only my shocks are only at the water when reaching in to clean the basket. It has happen randomly, but recently more frequently. I had an issue with the impeller loosing up, when fixing it there showed some water leakage from shaft seal. This might be why it has increased in frequency. This pool is very old, 1940's or 50's, it does not have a bond wire to the motor casing or access to any re-bar or grid or pool bonding connection, everything surrounded by lots of very thick concrete. I see 22 stray volts at the pump when turned off.

I want to bond the casing and need guidance what to connect it to. This pump is in a separate concrete block room about 30 feet from the pool, but there is a surge tank in the room. I have easy access to the water in the surge tank, copper water supply lines that are buried parallel to the pool (about 15 feet) and I can put a grounding rod inside the room fairly easy.

Can one of you guide me to the best and most practical way to bond this pump?

Thanks soooo much.

 

[Bama Rambler]

The first thing you need to do is make sure you don't have a power problem. Do you measure voltage if you turn all the power off?

 

[venicebeachvillas]

Yes power was off at a switch for pump.

 

[JohnT]

22V is a lot. I would start with verifying that there are no power problems such as a loose or damaged neutral.

 

[venicebeachvillas]

This is a 240V motor. I will check some ground and neutral connections between the panel and pump, but I have seen a stray voltage in other areas of the building and its not practical to debug the entire building at this point. In May/June I am having my entire feed, meters and panels replaced, at that time hopefully this issue will come to light with more clarity. Until them I want to create the best bonding to the motor and heat pump. Any idea's?

 

[venicebeachvillas]

Water bonds below are some possible solutions. Maybe this tied to an earth ground??

www.cmiwebsite.com/html/stray_voltage__ ... nding.html

waterbonder.com/

 

[Bama Rambler]

Since you have copper pipes your water will be bonded if you just hook the bond wire to the piping. I would run a wire from the piping to every conductive piece you can find and see if that helps. Without access to the rebar, it's going to be hard to bond the decking. You may be able to sawcut a kerf in decking and run a wire in it and then bond that. You'll have to use conductive material to fill the kerf once the wire in in it.

 

[venicebeachvillas]

Your advise is inline with what I have been thinking. But the copper water supply line isn't feed directly to the pool it empties from a garden hose valve above the surge tank water.

 

[Bama Rambler]

Sorry, I thought you meant the pool plumbing was copper. Any of the water bonds will work. You can even make your own with a stainless steel coupling and a bonding lug.

 

[venicebeachvillas]

Thanks for your help and advise. I will try the SS coupling for the water bonding, tie it to my heater and pump casing, possibly rebar to the pool deck. Do you think tying in into the copper water line that goes underground and/or a grounding rod would be wise or not. Again I appreciate the advise.

 

[Bama Rambler]

Bonding usually isn't grounded. It's not required, but not necessarily prohibited by the NEC, so you can if you want to.