Just over a week ago, my family was swimming in the pool for about an hour. My wife got out near the therapy jets and sat on the edge with legs hanging in the pool. She immediately said “ouch, I feel like I’m getting stung.” She got her legs out and stuck her hand in and the same sensation. Regrettably ignorant, we said just jump back in to avoid the sting. About an hour after swimming, I sat on the couch and recalled I also felt a stinging sensation when reaching into the skimmer earlier in the week. It was so sharp I pulled my hand out and looked at my finger. After seeing nothing, I stuck my hand back in to get the basket and felt it three more times. After talking with my kids, turns out they have often felt the sting along with many other kids that have swam (unreported to us).
I reported to my builder that night and they came the next morning. We were unable to reproduce the stinging sensation at that time. I did get a positive read on DC voltage – 0.25 volts in the pool (which did not seem like the culprit). Later, I decided to mirror how my wife was sitting with my multimeter, one probe in the pool and one on the pool deck, that showed positive AC voltage around 1 volt. Even after measuring, I could not feel the stinging.
After reading through the forums, I asked the energy company to come and check the grounding at my meter. That check passed. The sales rep for the pool equipment came out and looked at a few things and decided to swap out the SWG and control box. This weekend, the equipment was replaced. Yesterday, I took my multimeter with the black probe in the pool and red on the deck every four feet around the pool and get positive AC voltage except when touching the handrail and ladder (I documented in a drawing attached).
Continuity testing – I performed a continuity test around the pool by connecting to the exposed bond wire just outside of the gate. When touching the handrail (closest point) I get a positive solid tone indicating continuity. When touching the ladder on the opposite side of the pool I also get a positive solid tone indicating continuity. The only other metal exposed are the bolts for the slide. The back 4 bolts give a static-like sound. The front 4 bolts give no sound. After talking to my builder, he said they installed the bolts/slide after the concrete went in.
Need help trying to figure out what's going on:
Any helps/thoughts are appreciated!
I reported to my builder that night and they came the next morning. We were unable to reproduce the stinging sensation at that time. I did get a positive read on DC voltage – 0.25 volts in the pool (which did not seem like the culprit). Later, I decided to mirror how my wife was sitting with my multimeter, one probe in the pool and one on the pool deck, that showed positive AC voltage around 1 volt. Even after measuring, I could not feel the stinging.
After reading through the forums, I asked the energy company to come and check the grounding at my meter. That check passed. The sales rep for the pool equipment came out and looked at a few things and decided to swap out the SWG and control box. This weekend, the equipment was replaced. Yesterday, I took my multimeter with the black probe in the pool and red on the deck every four feet around the pool and get positive AC voltage except when touching the handrail and ladder (I documented in a drawing attached).
Continuity testing – I performed a continuity test around the pool by connecting to the exposed bond wire just outside of the gate. When touching the handrail (closest point) I get a positive solid tone indicating continuity. When touching the ladder on the opposite side of the pool I also get a positive solid tone indicating continuity. The only other metal exposed are the bolts for the slide. The back 4 bolts give a static-like sound. The front 4 bolts give no sound. After talking to my builder, he said they installed the bolts/slide after the concrete went in.
Need help trying to figure out what's going on:
- The stinging feeling is only repeatable usually after swimming for some time with one foot in the water and one on the pool deck. Perhaps due to lowered resistance on our skin? Is there anyway to determine the significance of this charge? Until further notice we plan to stay out of the pool, but the only way to test if it’s fixed is by swimming it seems.
- AC voltage present – when a probe is in the pool and on the deck, is that expected? It appears there is more AC voltage near the slide 1.5 volts vs the part closest the entrance 0.13 volts.
- DC voltage in the pool – 0.25 v is that normal?
- Continuity test – what do you make of the static sound on the 4 slide bolts. To me, it seems that drilling in the concrete intercepted the bonding wire and perhaps broke the entire wire producing a static sound.
Any helps/thoughts are appreciated!
