Expert: Lynn bellay Date: 6/20/2008 Subject: mild shock from swimming pool light.
Question QUESTION: I recently felt a mild shock from my pool light in our inground pool. When I put my hand within 4 inches of the submerged light I felt tingling. I confirmed there is between .4-1.6 volts of ac when the positive lead of the voltmeter touches the light. I had my electrician check the ground, it was a piece of rebar and we replaced that, no luck. He grounded the box for the pump/light/outlet to the main box, no luck. The electrical system is 4 yrs. old and the light does have a 15 amp test breaker on it. The weird thing is even when all 3 switches are shut off and there shouldn't be any voltage going through the system, there is still the low ac voltage coming through the darn light. We can't think of anything else, the deck was redone 4 yrs ago also, everything was bonded and grounded. I am seriously considering hooking the light up to my solar panel/marine battery/ ac-dc inverter and get it off this weird line.... Thanks for any advice!!!
ANSWER: First you can't feel 1.6 volts about 30 or 40 it would take,you said the power was off and you still got this voltage???I would shut off all breakers at the distribution panel,it HAS to go away.Find out which one is supplying voltage.Check all circuits going near the pool,When the gfi trips does it have any leak through voltage?Are their any capacitors in the circuit?I would look at these 3 switches are they exposed to weather?Lynn
---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------
QUESTION: Thank you for your help. Yes, all 3 switches for the pool box are off and the voltage is still leaking from the light. The gfi has not ever tripped on the pool light, and the light still functions normally. There are no capacitors in the circuit. The 3 switches in the dist. box are located outside in a standard power box, the box isn't completely waterproof. The other variable could be the junction box from the light to the power is underground behind the pool, we have had a lot of rain this spring in St. Louis, I do have some bamboo plants growing around this box also. My certified electrician and I are scratching our heads over the fact that the voltage is still there when the 3 switches in the pool distribution panel are off and the current can still be felt by the pool light. I did shut the power off to the house and the voltage was gone. When I check the ground on the pump it fluctuates from 0 to 1.7 volts ac constantly. We did check all the wiring in the box and everything was connected properly and this problem just showed up this spring after 4 years. Maybe the light froze and cracked after a cold winter? It seems the 15 amp fuse on the pool box would switch it off? Thank you again for your thoughts!
Steve
Answer You should be able to isolate the 1 circuit thats giving that 1.7 volts.Did you check to see if voltage is leaking through 'the switch'you mean breakers correct.I would check ,evidently one of these SWITCHES is bad and leaking voltage.The 15 amp breaker would not trip because 1 or 2 volts would not pull 15 amps. it is a high resistance leak.I believe dampness whether it be in the switches or J-Box or light box is your problem.If your sure all breakers or switches are off the leak has to be their.Thats where I would start and work downstream.Lynn Let me know what you find.
