[HELP] Electric Shock from Shower

[JordanFern]

Not sure where else to go (so please don't get mad), our family electrician has run out of ideas so turning to forums for any help.

Had a new central heating cylinder fitted which allowed me to have a new mains shower fitted (replaced an old electric shower).

Every time i touch the wall (provided its wet), or the body of the shower its self, i get a 'mild' electric shock. (See video, 57V)

So i immediately called the plumber (as it didn't do this before he replaced the shower) he had no clue... so the electrician came round and earthed everything he could find (see pictures below). Removed the old electrical shower power, and did a full sweep to ultimately become stuck.

What do i do? No one seems to know the answer and I'm stuck here getting shocked every morning i shower...

[video=youtube_share;cGQgyhz9RWw]https://youtu.be/cGQgyhz9RWw[/video]

[video=youtube_share;cJSLpt63_mg]https://youtu.be/cJSLpt63_mg[/video]

[video=youtube_share;ANIRS0HTjio]https://youtu.be/ANIRS0HTjio[/video]

[video=youtube_share;uuhMQOjtIkc]https://youtu.be/uuhMQOjtIkc[/video]

 

[Farmelectrics]

Well for starters stop using the shower unless you want to die Lol. Get the problem sorted a good electrician would be able to determine were this voltage is coming from

 

[Octopus]

Its all very well adding earth bonding, but has anyone checked the continuity of the earth back to the fuseboard?

 

[jackhammerJIM]

For starters turn off your mainswitch isolating all power in your property . conduct the test with mainswitch off . report back with findings .

 

[snowhead]

What amazes me is the "Family electrician " has walked away left a dangerous situation.
Did he not advise to stop using the shower or recommend he disconnected the circuit causing the problem until it was sorted?

Earthing everything won't fix it if it's a live cable end buried in the wall or with a screw though it.

 

[Octopus]

The last one I saw like this, I discovered the frame of the shower cubicle was at 230 volts......Barry the bathroom fitter strikes again!

 

[Marvo]

Last one of these I got involved in 30 hours of on site investigation and a hole in the garden and driveway large enought to bury a car in I swore never again. http://www.electriciansforums.co.uk...lations/70467-shocks-bath-tap.html#post688922

 

[JordanFern]

What amazes me is the "Family electrician " has walked away left a dangerous situation.
Did he not advise to stop using the shower or recommend he disconnected the circuit causing the problem until it was sorted?

Earthing everything won't fix it if it's a live cable end buried in the wall or with a screw though it.

I just checked with a multimeter, its outputting 0.007mA, which whilst isn't alarming, he did say its all linked back to the RCD's at the fuse box, so no risk to life. (I'm told)

He thought the plumber could have wired the pump up incorrectly (e.g. live and neutral mixed I'm guessing).

How can i test everything with the mains off? what am i specifically testing?

 

[Octopus]

I just checked with a multimeter, its outputting 0.007mA, which whilst isn't alarming, he did say its all linked back to the RCD's at the fuse box, so no risk to life. (I'm told)

He thought the plumber could have wired the pump up incorrectly (e.g. live and neutral mixed I'm guessing).

How can i test everything with the mains off? what am i specifically testing?

You need a competent spark with proper test kit!

 

[JordanFern]

So my next question - can anyone recommend an electrician in Derby :smilielol5:

Part of me thought it could be the drain, but thats all plastic, or does that not matter?

For a laymen like me, i assumed earthing all the pipes would 'fix' the problem? Yet the pipes are clearly earthed yet i still get a shock. (i know earthing doesn't solve the problem, it just hides the effect it causes)

 

[snowhead]

he did say its all linked back to the RCD's at the fuse box, so no risk to life. (I'm told)

Cars have Airbags , but it's normal to have working brakes and use the Airbags as a last resort.

STOP USING THIS SHOWER

 

[JordanFern]

I understand completely, i won't use it till its fixed.

Im more trying to speed that process up by posting on here though

sorry if I'm coming off abrupt, typing on an iPhone isn't a strong point

 

[Marvo]

Whilst bonding generally reduces the likelihood of getting shocks there are certain cases where bonding can cause a touch voltage to occur that wouldn't be present without bonding.

Given the hazardous location ie bathroom zone 1 and the fact there's a known shock hazard that's highly likely to get worse and cause injury I'd strongly recommend you firstly cordon off the shower to prevent it being used, secondly isolate the supply of the circuit causing it if possible by tripping the MCB or pulling the fuse and thirdly get an experienced electrician to come find the problem.

 

[JordanFern]

Had never thought of it like that, he's coming back round tomorrow to take another look.

Im not sure how i can isolate the circuit? There isn't any power going to the shower? its all mains fed, which is from the tank (which powers all my central heating etc).

 

[telectrix]

locate the fused connection unit (fused spur) feeding the shower pump, switch it off and remove the fuse

 

[Resu]

locate the fused connection unit (fused spur) feeding the shower pump, switch it off and remove the fuse

Edit: he didn't say if the pump mentioned was for the shower or was part of the heating system.

 

[telectrix]

ah. thought it was a power shower with pumped feed.

 

[JordanFern]

The pump is part of the heating system, its an unvented cylinder off the water mains.

Not sure what else i could isolate without turning the entire heating off

Safer (and easier) just not to use the shower.

Will report back tomorrow

 

[HandySparks]

If you want to try a bit of investigation yourself, turn off each circuit breaker one at a time and see if it makes any difference to the voltages you're measuring.

The fault may be nothing to do with the pump. It could be cable damage to an unrelated circuit.

 

[Leesparkykent]

TJ Anderson is a member of the forum, from Derby and knows his stuff..could be worth sending him a PM.

http://www.electriciansforums.co.uk/members/85632.html