Hey all...might need some help directing this question to the right people: Does the following story mean I have a potential bond/electrical problem?
I noticed today while I was checking pool levels and such that every time I walked over to the pool ledge to empty out my test tubes I'd get a little "static shock" from the pool water. Upon some experimentation, this seems to only happen in one specific area in the pool (you might even have to be standing on a specific coping tile - trying to determine for sure) and also seems to only happen if you build up some "static electricity" ... as in drag your feet across the ground. I tried doing this in other areas around the pool and didn't seem to happen. I also haven't noticed this before today, but my routine wasn't really any different - in fact I typically go to this same spot in the pool to empty out / rinse test tubes.
My wife was also able to replicate.
Now, the pool is brand new mind you and the bond wire was inspected. I remember visually checking the bonding wire myself - it went all around the gunite shell with several anchor points, and back to the equipment pad and attached to each piece of equipment. I remember confirming the bond wire with the project manager, and the inspector when he came out. That doesn't mean there's not a bond problem, I'd just be surprised if there was. I don't know how the water gets bonded
- I think I see the water bond at the equipment pad - there looks to be a small wire leading to what looks like potentially a metal probe that goes into a PVC pipe. Has to be either a water bond or a temperature probe. This wire goes back to the OmniPL box though, so might just be a thermometer. Edit: yeah,
it's just the Omni PL thermometer that I'm seeing
I'm a "novice" when it comes to electricity, but since this "shock" only appears to happen when I build up some static electricity, I believe this problem means that there's
probably not a voltage leak elsewhere, but that it could be a bonding problem?
The area of the pool this seems to happen is near the light niche that was damaged and replaced. I ASSUME the new light niche was bonded (if it's supposed to be) - the electricians were the ones that installed the new light niche and it was one of their more senior people doing the work. But I didn't check myself, and I don't even know if the niches are supposed to be bonded themselves or not...since they're all plastic.
Lastly, I did take a multimeter and tried attaching one end to the ground, as well as the metal hide lids, and the other into the water. I would get around 0.1v but not consistent...jump around. 0.1v was the peak. But clear increase in voltage anytime it touched water. But not sure if this is just interference?
Happens regardless if lights are on or off. Haven't experimented with rest of equipment yet.
Is this a valid concern, or am I just going paranoid due to the myriad of other problems we've had?