Strange

[Thewiz]

Hello,

got it a few very strange problems....

1) the customer is saying the hall way light is randomly coming on at around 9pm and then turns it self off at 9:05.

As as soon as we get to the property all the lights in the whole house work fine. It's a new supply but the switch wire is the same. The switches have been replaced with Hamilton led stat and a toggle. I have since replaced both switches and they still state it is coming in with out them act silly turning it on.

We have turned on all other switches and none of them turn the light on.

2) the customer complain of electric shock on the taps in the morning.

me and the plumber have been there nearly every morning this week, as soon as we get there nothing happens. All earth bonding is in place and cross bonded at the boiler ect. Customer said its only the 1st floor bathroom that it happens to. The bathroom has been re plumbed in plastic pipes. We have tunrned on every single light, boiler, pump, cylinder, stat you name it we have turned them on. Still we could not feel any voltage on the taps. Again this morning the customer claims it was happening again. Oh I for got to say it only happens when she touches it with her Elbow not her fingers ????


I cant cant explain why this is happening any ideas ??? I'm lost for words.....


its not possible for the light to turn on and off on its own.... With out someone turning it on??

 

[davesparks]

The answer to 2 might be humerus

 

[amlu]

number 2 may be static charge when they walk on some fluffy carpet? and thicker skin on the fingers than elbows.

 

[kevin.bl]

I agree static will be the bathroom lol. Lookimg at the times of the light going on and off there might just be a timer there someware. Maybe on the light contorls dont know for sure not familier with them but if there times are that exact deffo a timer

 

[Thewiz]

There is no timer on the circuits we have rewired the top floor. She has just sent a email stating she is now getting a shock from the down stairs table lamp and down stairs toilet taps.

The light is very odd... I don't know if I believe no one is turning them on. There is no way it can turn in by its self ??? There are no loose connections and switches have been replaced.

 

[malcolmsanford]

Is it a terrace house or a semi detached?

Seen all sorts of "knicking" feeds between neighbours, so you might find that the next door neighbour is going to bed at that time and is switching lights on and off.

Are you getting a voltage on the earth? Sometimes if there is a shared phase such as the house 3 doors up is on the same phase, and they have a fault, that fault can work its way back through the bonding. But if the pipes are plastic this would not be the problem, but if the gas is metal then you could get some jump across somewhere.

 

[Midwest]

Thewiz, you'll have to back to basics on this, don't know what you have done at this property in terms of work, but did you carry your tests in order for the EIC or MWC? If work was carried out in the properties bathroom, was additional protection afforded by RCD, if required. Any extraneous pipework in there? Sort out the possible cause of 'electric shock', then worry about the light coming on after.

 

[Richard Burns]

Since all your testing and observation is working out OK are you sure it is not just a customer wanting someone to come round the house so they are not bored?
Just a thought.

 

[Thewiz]

Rcd protection on the top and 1st floor. Yet to do any work to the ground floor. I've disconnected the switch live for the light for the weekend.

im sure it's a static shock from the taps.... Only thing is, is how to overcome this problem. The customer thinks it electric shock but she keeps testing it with her elbow... If it was electric they wouldn't keep testing it.

all pipes in the bathroom are plastic the only thing mental are the taps that's it.

 

[ruston]

Since all your testing and observation is working out OK are you sure it is not just a customer wanting someone to come round the house so they are not bored?
Just a thought.

That is my thought too.

It might be worth making the trip and getting there at 8:55pm.

 

[Deleted member 72666]

Since all your testing and observation is working out OK are you sure it is not just a customer wanting someone to come round the house so they are not bored?
Just a thought.

....Or that she has a 'crush' on him!

 

[HappyHippyDad]

That is my thought too.

It might be worth making the trip and getting there at 8:55pm.

I think that's exactly what I would do, as it does sound rather odd!

 

[Marvo]

Sounds like completely unrelated problems so I'd be looking for separate faults not one fault that covers both issues.

1) the customer is saying the hall way light is randomly coming on at around 9pm and then turns it self off at 9:05.

Is it exactly the same on and off time each day? Does it happen every day, most days or just occasionally? Have you done all the usual circuit tests? Have you tested for crossed neutrals or borrowed live with all the other circuits? Is it a circuit with 2-way wiring and or switches? Was it ever a 2-way system in the past?

2) the customer complain of electric shock on the taps in the morning......

......All earth bonding is in place and cross bonded at the boiler ect. Customer said its only the 1st floor bathroom that it happens to. The bathroom has been re plumbed in plastic pipes. We have tunrned on every single light, boiler, pump, cylinder, stat you name it we have turned them on. Still we could not feel any voltage on the taps. Again this morning the customer claims it was happening again........

.....Oh I for got to say it only happens when she touches it with her Elbow not her fingers ????

Elbows will be more sensitive to elevated voltage and especially so maybe for old people with thinner skin so this doesn't surprise me, in fact it adds credibility to her story for me. I'm not a big fan of the static theory either, static would give one short sharp shock and not a prolonged tingling sensation. It might only take a few milivolts potential difference to be detectable as a tingle.

I know it sounds a bit 'Cockburn' but just for the hell of it I'd run a bonding wire underneath the sink just between the hot and cold tap if they're metallic construction and if it can be done easily and see if it helps. Also continue the wire to the drain/plug fitting as well if that's also metallic. She's detecting a very small potential between two different points, if you can get all points that are within the area of the sink at the same potential there's a chance you might get rid of the problem, if you don't then that only leaves the potential difference being between the bonded objects (taps etc) and the ground path through her feet in which case revisit the bonding wiring and maybe even lift floorboards in front of the sink (if there are floorboards) and check for a nail through a cable along with a bit of dampness perhaps.

 

[Deleted member 72666]

Rcd protection on the top and 1st floor. Yet to do any work to the ground floor. I've disconnected the switch live for the light for the weekend.

im sure it's a static shock from the taps.... Only thing is, is how to overcome this problem. The customer thinks it electric shock but she keeps testing it with her elbow... If it was electric they wouldn't keep testing it.

all pipes in the bathroom are plastic the only thing mental are the taps that's it.

Was that a 'Freudian slip'?

 

[Doomed]

I had an old boy that started calling me once or twice a week, very quickly realized he was lonely and made an effort to pop in for a cup of coffee when in the area after work - he then bought a PC for me to teach him how to use in the evenings (impossible task, did the same thing every week), went on for about 6 months until he died.
Found out his son lived close by but never went to see him unless he needed money.

 

[Tidy Max]

Sad isn't it, i pop round to an old dears near my house. I heard it was her birthday so rang her up to wish her well and it made her week!

 

[Dave OCD]

I was called once to a house where the kids were getting 'tingles' off the bathroom wash basin taps and they thought it funny ! On checking I found a full 240v across the hot and cold pipes - and this with the entire installation off !! This area is all TT earthing so it may have been someone elses fault in the street or even something to do with the overhead supply network ?
Wearing rubber gloves I fitted earthing straps to each pipe and connected a 10mm earth wire, there was a small blue flash and the problem disappeared- maybe a device disconnecting elsewhere in the street, it was all very odd and a bit unnerving. :smile5:

 

[Englishman]

its not possible for the light to turn on and off on its own.... With out someone turning it on??

On that note, about 6 months ago, my daughters light came on at about 3 in the morning and wouldn't turn off, I have no idea why, took the lamp out at the time and tested the following day and there is literally no reason why it could have happened. Just thought I'd add.

And I'm missing my stalker, dillb, since he's been banned. Although he stopped following me when I started mention in a stalker.

 

[DPG]

Sounds like completely unrelated problems so I'd be looking for separate faults not one fault that covers both issues.


Is it exactly the same on and off time each day? Does it happen every day, most days or just occasionally? Have you done all the usual circuit tests? Have you tested for crossed neutrals or borrowed live with all the other circuits? Is it a circuit with 2-way wiring and or switches? Was it ever a 2-way system in the past?


Elbows will be more sensitive to elevated voltage and especially so maybe for old people with thinner skin so this doesn't surprise me, in fact it adds credibility to her story for me. I'm not a big fan of the static theory either, static would give one short sharp shock and not a prolonged tingling sensation. It might only take a few milivolts potential difference to be detectable as a tingle.

I know it sounds a bit 'Cockburn' but just for the hell of it I'd run a bonding wire underneath the sink just between the hot and cold tap if they're metallic construction and if it can be done easily and see if it helps. Also continue the wire to the drain/plug fitting as well if that's also metallic. She's detecting a very small potential between two different points, if you can get all points that are within the area of the sink at the same potential there's a chance you might get rid of the problem, if you don't then that only leaves the potential difference being between the bonded objects (taps etc) and the ground path through her feet in which case revisit the bonding wiring and maybe even lift floorboards in front of the sink (if there are floorboards) and check for a nail through a cable along with a bit of dampness perhaps.

Agree with Marvo re the static theory. Plus the several kilovolts of static electricity will certainly get through slightly thicker skin - bear in mind it jumps through several millimetres of air! Daz

 

[Deleted member 72666]

Couldn't all this be down to the 'poltergooses'and what have you?!

 

[UKMeterman]

This case shows why all services need to be bonded, if 240V with some current behind it is still there with the installation off a call to the DNO may be in order.

 

[mojorebel]

"Oh I for got to say it only happens when she touches it with her Elbow not her fingers ????"

is it the left or the right elbow? and has she tried other parts of her anatomy?

 

[dansk]

Does the property have any electric underfloor heating?

 

[Pete999]

Who are you going to call? Ghostbusters

 

[dansk]

dang! i really should note the dates on the thread :-(