electric shock through the plumbing..?

Question

There's an electric current apparently travelling through the knobs in the shower and the sink, and also through the water that comes through the faucets. It's not too much, but it hurts on any cuts or hangnails, and under the fingernails. It's gotten to the point where I have to change the water temp in the shower by tapping the knob with a shampoo bottle. Does it have any connection with the fact that two outlets and the main light fixture in my room dont work? Professional/educated opinions are appreciated. =\

Answer 1

As the others have said you have a short in the electrical system somewhere. I would suggest turning off the water heater first. You probably have a bad(shorted to the water) heating element. It is highly unlikely that if anything else was shorted it would affect the water in the shower.

I have gone on many calls in the 40 years I have been fixing water heaters and have heard of this happening on several occasions and always found a bad heating element.

The heating element shorts to the water not the water line which is usually grounded. The water provides enough resistance so it does not trip the breaker but you are feeling that current in the shower from the hot water.

Answer 2

If the water supply pipe is metal;

Where the water line is coming in to the house pour some rock salt, or table salt (couple cups worth) around the pipe, now soak the area with water.

The dirt around the pipe has probably dried up, and is not making good contact to the pipe.

This is only a temporary fix untill you can get an electrician out to drive a separate grounding rod for your electrical.

Answer 3

Ok, the old protocol of the NEC (National Electric Code) is to ground everything to the cold water pipes - you have a short somewhere.

The new protocol, at least for LIPA (Long Island Power Authority) is that NOW everything must be grounded to some LIPA fixture, such as the metal conduit for the breakers and/or ground rod.

Answer 4

power is backfeeding through a ground which is connected somewhere in your house to some metal plumbing pipes. The previous inexperienced homeowner was probably screwing around with some wiring. Call an electrician to get it fixed

Answer 5

Sometimes people ground an electric circuit to metal pipes it seems like you have a short somewhere, could be a faulty appliance or a bad outlet like you mentioned. You need to have this fixed asap. to ground something to pipes is a very old school way and ineffective. I hope this helps.

Answer 6

STOP taking showers until you get this checked. The problem is PROBABLY that the main ground for the house has been cut or disconnected and needs to be fixed right NOW! Get an electrician that knows his stuff there right away!!!!!!!!! DO NOT DELAY!!

Answer 7

have an electrician come in and check your ground cable its a copper wire that runs from the panel to either a rod outside in the ground or thru the concrete under the floor maybe this is damaged or frayed and you are not getting a proper ground.

Answer 8

You sound like you definitely have a short. I would highly recommend you to hire an electrician. The only electrician who can tell you how many volts it takes to kill you, is a dead one.

Answer 9

try hitting the breakers one by one to find out where the problem is, when the shock goes away then you have figured out which circuit is causeing the problem, then next step is finding where the problem is.

Answer 10

you most likely have a short in the wiring and the wire is grounding out.