Electrical Engineering - Electric Shock in Apt

Author

Electric Shock in Apt

Matt Silberstein

2007-04-01, 1:25 pm

I live in a 100 or so year old apartment building. They are doing some
major renovation work in the basement. For the last few days I have
been getting lots of electric shocks when I touch various things, from
the microwave to the water faucet. The air is not particularly dry and
we don't have any wind, so I don't think the weather is the problem.
Is it possible that the construction caused this problem (I know that
they have accidentally cut many wires along the way) and, if so, what
kinds of actions could cause this problem?

TIA.

--
Matt Silberstein

Do something today about the Darfur Genocide

http://www.beawitness.org
http://www.darfurgenocide.org
http://www.savedarfur.org

"Darfur: A Genocide We can Stop"

**THE-RFI-EMI-GUY**

2007-04-01, 8:25 pm

It is very possible that they have disturbed the protective ground or
neutral in the building when remodeling. For example, in a lot of
installations the electrical panel and major appliances are bonded to
the mettalic cold water pipes in the expectation that a mettalic bond
exists out to the water main. If the workers cut through some water
pipes and either removed them or replaced them with plastic, this could
occur.

If you have access to a volt meter, you might want to measure the AC
voltage potential between various appliances and the water faucet.
Anything over a half volt AC is suspicious. I doubt a 100 year old
building has three prong outlets, but if it does, you can buy a $15 plug
in light tester that will check the proper wiring of the ground, neutral
and hot wiring. Still you could have a ground that is floating above the
earth ground (water system).

Advise your landlord at once, and ask him to report to you his
electricians findings. If he does not respond, call the local gov.t
building inspectors to have them inspect this potential safety issue.
It wouldn't hurt to spend some time reviewing and taking notes from the
building permit in the sight of the landlord. He will get the point.

Matt Silberstein wrote:

>I live in a 100 or so year old apartment building. They are doing some
>major renovation work in the basement. For the last few days I have
>been getting lots of electric shocks when I touch various things, from
>the microwave to the water faucet. The air is not particularly dry and
>we don't have any wind, so I don't think the weather is the problem.
>Is it possible that the construction caused this problem (I know that
>they have accidentally cut many wires along the way) and, if so, what
>kinds of actions could cause this problem?
>
>
>TIA.
>
>
>

--
Joe Leikhim K4SAT
"The RFI-EMI-GUY"©

"Treason doth never prosper: what's the reason?
For if it prosper, none dare call it treason."

"Follow The Money" ;-P

MassiveProng

2007-04-02, 3:25 am

On Sun, 01 Apr 2007 18:38:33 -0400, **THE-RFI-EMI-GUY**
<rhyolite@nettally.com> Gave us:

>It is very possible that...

You are nothing more than a goddamned top posting retard!

**THE-RFI-EMI-GUY**

2007-04-02, 1:25 pm

PLONK

MassiveProng wrote:

>On Sun, 01 Apr 2007 18:38:33 -0400, **THE-RFI-EMI-GUY**
><rhyolite@nettally.com> Gave us:
>
>
>
>
> You are nothing more than a goddamned top posting retard!
>
>
PLONK

--
Responded in DSB to plcate the KOOKS.
Joe Leikhim K4SAT
"The RFI-EMI-GUY"©

"Treason doth never prosper: what's the reason?
For if it prosper, none dare call it treason."

"Follow The Money" ;-P

TimPerry

2007-04-03, 3:25 am

"Matt Silberstein" <RemoveThisPrefixmatts2nospam@ix.netcom.com> wrote in
message news:fctv039ol1esj8jeokebskr96j6nfssccv@4ax.com...
> I live in a 100 or so year old apartment building. They are doing some
> major renovation work in the basement. For the last few days I have
> been getting lots of electric shocks when I touch various things, from
> the microwave to the water faucet. The air is not particularly dry and
> we don't have any wind, so I don't think the weather is the problem.
> Is it possible that the construction caused this problem (I know that
> they have accidentally cut many wires along the way) and, if so, what
> kinds of actions could cause this problem?
>
>
> TIA.
>
> --
> Matt Silberstein

Matt, you need to determine for sure whether this is static or not.

if you have carpeted floors you might consider putting some fabric softener
in a spray bottle and squirting it around the carpet. there are commercial
products like 'Staticide' but Downey or something like it is easy to come
by.

i'm going to assume you are just touching the things you mentioned and not
grounding yourself in any other way.

sure electrical safety is important, but if you are just getting a brief pop
that goes away almost instantly it's just static.

if the effect continues until you release it time to take action.

you might mention the problem to the lead electrician or foreman. most
likely he will make at least a cursory examination.

Matt Silberstein

2007-04-03, 1:25 pm

On Mon, 2 Apr 2007 23:33:45 -0400, in alt.engineering.electrical ,
"TimPerry" <timperry@noaspamadelphia.net> in
<l4idnYBDYsqEVozbnZ2dnUVZ_vqpnZ2d@adelphia.com> wrote:

>
>"Matt Silberstein" <RemoveThisPrefixmatts2nospam@ix.netcom.com> wrote in
>message news:fctv039ol1esj8jeokebskr96j6nfssccv@4ax.com...
>
>Matt, you need to determine for sure whether this is static or not.
>
>if you have carpeted floors you might consider putting some fabric softener
>in a spray bottle and squirting it around the carpet. there are commercial
>products like 'Staticide' but Downey or something like it is easy to come
>by.
>
>i'm going to assume you are just touching the things you mentioned and not
>grounding yourself in any other way.
>
>sure electrical safety is important, but if you are just getting a brief pop
>that goes away almost instantly it's just static.
>
>if the effect continues until you release it time to take action.
>
>you might mention the problem to the lead electrician or foreman. most
>likely he will make at least a cursory examination.

It am pretty sure it is static, but we do not have any carpet at all
in the apt and, as I said, the weather was not particularly dry and we
had no wind. It seems to happen when I am bare footed and with shoes.
It would not bother me all that much except my toaster oven lost its
LCD display with a shock.

BTW, thanks to all who responded, I have read them all and find the
information useful.

--
Matt Silberstein

Do something today about the Darfur Genocide

http://www.beawitness.org
http://www.darfurgenocide.org
http://www.savedarfur.org

"Darfur: A Genocide We can Stop"

TimPerry

2007-04-04, 3:25 am

>
> It am pretty sure it is static, but we do not have any carpet at all
> in the apt and, as I said, the weather was not particularly dry and we
> had no wind. It seems to happen when I am bare footed and with shoes.
> It would not bother me all that much except my toaster oven lost its
> LCD display with a shock.
>
>
> BTW, thanks to all who responded, I have read them all and find the
> information useful.

i used to work with a DJ who favored heavy wool sweaters. static in the
studio became a problem where machines would start by themselves. the
problem was eventually localized to a Hall effect switch grounding issue.

if you attach a 10 megohm 1/8 watt resistor to each item you have trouble
with, then a small metallic conductor to the resistor.

touch the conductor for a bit before touching the problem item. this bleeds
off the charge you body has developed without the sudden spark.

phil-news-nospam@ipal.net

2007-04-06, 5:25 pm

On Sun, 01 Apr 2007 19:59:48 -0700 MassiveProng <MassiveProng@thebarattheendoftheuniverse.org> wrote:
| On Sun, 01 Apr 2007 18:38:33 -0400, **THE-RFI-EMI-GUY**
| <rhyolite@nettally.com> Gave us:
|
|>It is very possible that...
|
| You are nothing more than a goddamned top posting retard!

Top posting might be be all that appreciated, but attitudes like yours
are best left out of the internet altogether.

--
|---------------------------------------/----------------------------------|
| Phil Howard KA9WGN (ka9wgn.ham.org) / Do not send to the address below |
| first name lower case at ipal.net / spamtrap-2007-04-06-1641@ipal.net |
|------------------------------------/-------------------------------------|

2007-04-14, 8:25 pm

On Apr 1, 11:10 am, Matt Silberstein
<RemoveThisPrefixmatts2nos...@ix.netcom.com> wrote:
> I live in a 100 or so year old apartment building. They are doing some
> major renovation work in the basement. For the last few days I have
> been getting lots of electric shocks when I touch various things, from
> the microwave to the water faucet. The air is not particularly dry and
> we don't have any wind, so I don't think the weather is the problem.
> Is it possible that the construction caused this problem (I know that
> they have accidentally cut many wires along the way) and, if so, what
> kinds of actions could cause this problem?
>
> TIA.
>
> --
> Matt Silberstein
>
> Do something today about the Darfur Genocide
>
> http://www.beawitness.orghttp://www....savedarfur.org
>
> "Darfur: A Genocide We can Stop"

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LinkBot