Anybody else catch stray electrical currents while reefing with no shoes on
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I always thought it was a very poor conductor?
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I mean dry concrete anyway.
I've been shocked by current coming up through concrete before, with me in bare feet completing the circuit by touching a metal hose bib. Seems counter intuitive (to me anyways) that electricity would travel thru concrete.
Happened when the main electrical line coming into the house developed a voltage leak under the patio right where it connected to the meter. Construction debris had worn thru the insulation, and voltage was leaking out under the concrete patio and coming up thru the concrete. The area where the wire had oxidized in the main line was a good 2 inches thick, where the line is probably 1/3" normally. White, powdery aluminum oxide everywhere.
Happened when the main electrical line coming into the house developed a voltage leak under the patio right where it connected to the meter. Construction debris had worn thru the insulation, and voltage was leaking out under the concrete patio and coming up thru the concrete. The area where the wire had oxidized in the main line was a good 2 inches thick, where the line is probably 1/3" normally. White, powdery aluminum oxide everywhere.
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With wire mesh, rebar and moisture in the mix no doubt it will house conductors. I don't think concrete itself is a good conductor though. there are actual test being done where concrete is purposly being made to conduct better with the addition of metal fibers. It is then being electrically charged and because of it's resistive nature will heat up and prevent icing.
Yes concrete is like water. A poor conductor. But add impurities and it becomes a very good conductor. The National Electrical Cored requires 3 items be used to establish the ground (grounding electrode) if available, 1. Metal water pipe with at least 10' in contact with earth, 2. the steel structure of the facility and 3. a concrete encased electrode (20' of steel imbedded within concrete that is in contact with earth. If no steel is imbedded you can encase a bare CU conductor. The ground rods you all see outside of your homes are required but are actually a "supplemental grounding electrode" and can only serves as a sole means if none of the others are available.
Code further requires greater "working clearance about live electrical parts" if there is concrete on the opposite side.
Bet you guys didn't know pure water is an insulator did you? But....good luck finding and keeping water pure.
Code further requires greater "working clearance about live electrical parts" if there is concrete on the opposite side.
Bet you guys didn't know pure water is an insulator did you? But....good luck finding and keeping water pure.
Yup...I am always rinsing out buckets, reef related stuff, etc., in the area. Forgot about rebar as well. Georgia Power finally spent $25,000 running a new line in PVC conduit from the street to my meter after their two previous repairs did not last a year each.
Ions yes. But the best conductor,gold, has no ions either. The true determining factor is the number if electrons in the outer most ring. The inner ring wants 2. All the remaining want 7. If there are 7 in the outer ring it is hard for an electron to be added or taken away. If there are 3 or 4 it is much easier. The former would be a good insulator while the latter a good conductor. After all, electricity is the flow of electrons from one atom to another.
Voltage, is the force that move an electron from one atom to another. With low voltage, anything under 4160 volts, plastics and rubbers work well as insulators. With medium or high voltage, other rubber and plastic composites or even glass must be used because the force (voltage) can overcome the strong atomic bond and current will flow thru it.
But in the case of your patio Dave, it is hard to explain. Why, because all of this is theory based on observation and cannot be proven as fact. When it comes to electricity you have to accept that 99999 times out of 100000 it will do what you expect but that 1 time.... Well that's when fireworks start. LOL
If I had to explain your situation I would base it on the fact that current flows thru the path of least resistance. But not all of it does. It is split proportionally thru all paths in proportion to the amount of resistance. While the direct path to ground took most of it, you had a low enough resistance to a very good conductor (water in a pipe) that at least some of the current flowed thru you.
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This brings back memories. In the Northland; we called them shells; not rings. The rings must be a OutWestern term. :yes: :lol2:
Wannabee
Not to split hairs but actually silver is the best conductor, followed by copper then gold. Silver is expensive though, so it's not used too much
It corrodes easier as well i think. I guess like others said, since concrete can hold moisture, it becomes conductive. I definitely would wear shoes while I was troubleshooting the stray voltage issue!
It was a pretty good jolt the couple of times it happened. I thought initially the shock came from the spigot. It did not come to light until we lost power to the higher amperage draw stuff in the house, although stuff like table lamps still worked. Then Georgia Power came out and found the leak and fixed it, at least for a while, until it happened again, then again, then they replaced the entire line to the house on the third issue.
Dapperjman;989008 wrote: Not to split hairs but actually silver is the best conductor, followed by copper then gold. Silver is expensive though, so it's not used too much
I guess like others said, since concrete can hold moisture, it becomes conductive. I definitely would wear shoes while I was troubleshooting the stray voltage issue!
Couldn't remember if Gold or Silver was #1 for certain but I am pretty sure both are better than CU. cu is more widely used because it is more plentiful, cheaper and much easier to smelt and mold. Aluminum is also widely used again now that they have improved the alloys to reduce the expansion and contraction properties. It was a huge issue in the late 70s and early 80s which has given it a bad name but now days it is a great option if some properly. For reference, on say a 1000 amp service from a utility transformer to a building, you could save up words of $10k for a 100 foot run by changing from CU to AL. It takes a lot more AL but the reduce cost more than offsets it.
