Current question


  #1  
Old 10-27-17, 06:56 PM
J
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Missouri
Posts: 28
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes on 0 Posts
Current question

From the bathroom sink with water running and cover plate screw at power switch I get 115 volts from meter. Gangbox has 3 switches. I did this check because many years ago My uncle's house did the same but from running water to the heat register..
 
  #2  
Old 10-27-17, 07:24 PM
CasualJoe's Avatar
Member
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: United States
Posts: 9,871
Received 185 Upvotes on 166 Posts
hmmmmm do get a shock when putting your hands in the water? Do you have an electric water heater?
 
  #3  
Old 10-27-17, 07:33 PM
PJmax's Avatar
Group Moderator
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Jersey
Posts: 64,935
Received 3,950 Upvotes on 3,543 Posts
That could also happen if you don't have a copper or metal water service.

You've checked the bathroom sink.... try another sink like the kitchen sink.
Ultimately what needs to be determined is if your plumbing is hot or your electrical ground is not ground.
 
  #4  
Old 10-28-17, 07:16 AM
J
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Missouri
Posts: 28
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes on 0 Posts
No gas. Bathroom has 2 light switches and 1 fan. One switch has to be wired hot to ground terminal. Had work on bathroom in 2009. Has to be something worked did. I have not removed cover plate yet.
 
  #5  
Old 10-28-17, 09:50 AM
T
Member
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: USA
Posts: 1,569
Received 74 Upvotes on 69 Posts
Could be serious, could be slightly alarming. If you put a 15 watt test light where the meter was, does it light up? If yes, then this is serious.

On the other hand, if this is an old, ungrounded system, then you could see over 100V on a digital meter from a metallic, ungrounded box to the plumbing system. OR, as mentioned, could be a faulty water heater, also ungrounded, also serious.
 
  #6  
Old 10-29-17, 10:20 AM
CasualJoe's Avatar
Member
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: United States
Posts: 9,871
Received 185 Upvotes on 166 Posts
I think I would begin troubleshooting by systematically turning off one circuit breaker at a time to try to isolate the fault to a particular circuit. Have you tried this yet? Also, check to be sure that the metallic water piping system is properly bonded to the Grounding Electrode System.
 
 

Thread Tools
Search this Thread
 
Ask a Question
Question Title:
Description:
Your question will be posted in: