[Happyfrenchman]

I moved into this house last year and I would like to meet the guy that wired it up because I would kick him squarely in the jones... but I digress.

My dog was shocked... reaching into our swimming pool. I duplicated it myself when I reached in because I suspected this.

It had just rained very heavily.

I turned off the 100 amp circuit breaker (at the house), that feeds the shop. It also (from the circuit breaker in the shop) powers the pool pump. The pump sits in the open and was being rained on as well.

There is a poorly buried underground line going to my shop that runs within 20 feet of the pool. The ground was wet. I have dug up/pulled up the line to the shop.

I need to cut off the pipe this fellow ran the underground cable to. It was in two pieces with duct tape. So water could get inside it, however I do not know if the integrity of the insulation inside has been breached. (Or if the line is improperly spliced somewhere along the length).

I wish I had checked with a meter before I threw the circuit breaker. I should have first checked it with the pump circuit breaker tripped. That would have told me much. Now that the line is no longer in the ground, I have changed the conditions and it is much drier. My question is, is it more likely that the pump is electrifying the water, causing the shock from the contact with the wet pool deck? Or is it most likely a fault in the wire running to the shop?

I checked with a meter after I pulled the breaker, which tells me little. I think I need to wait for rain and try it again, but I am hesitant and will proceed with my inspection of the underground cable first. Any advice would be appreciated. I have a background in electricity as I was an aircraft electrician in the air force, however house wiring is a different animal.

[tkrussell]

I would think it was the underground line, rather that the pump itself.

But does not matter any longer, you destroyed the evidence.


Be sure to wire the new feeder correctly, and have the pool wiring and grounding checked.

[Happyfrenchman]

Thank you tkrussel. I haven't destroyed anyevidence yet... the conditions have changed though with the weather drying up. My plan, as it stands now... I am thinking I will inspect the cable... I am hoping to find some kind of obvious damage or exposure. If I find that, I will get a new cable and run it. Because an intact cable, underground and even under-water, should not be causing contact volts at the pool.

If I find nothing wrong with the cable, (other than the poor burial job) I will likely leave it unburied, perhaps elevate it on cinder blocks, re-set the circuit breaker, and check the pool with the pump on. I am going to string a known good ground wire from the box to give my meter a reliable ground. I may have to wait for a heavy rainfull if I do not find anything in the dry. I wish I had put the meter in the water while the CB was in and the ground was still wet, but, after my first electrocution, I was focused on finding the circuit breaker and shutting off the juice.

[Happyfrenchman]

I would think it was the underground line, rather that the pump itself.

But does not matter any longer, you destroyed the evidence.


Be sure to wire the new feeder correctly, and have the pool wiring and grounding checked.

The wire would have to have some damage on it that will be obvious from inspection if it is the underground feeder line. I will know more this evening.

[tkrussell]

Instead of ripping out wiring that may or may not be damaged, you should have an electrician come in and do tests on the wiring.

Up to you, you may be removing wiring that is fine.

[Happyfrenchman]

Update... it appears I have found the problem. I got home and threw the breaker to the shop. The pool pump started up.

I got a coil of wire and connected it to the ground rod at the power service connection. I uncoiled the known good ground to poolside... put meter lead in water and other lead to ground... 52 volts...

I put the lead into the earth and read 36 volts.

I went closer to the shop... 56 volts.


I threw the house panels shop breaker to off... no volts in water or earth.
I put the breaker on again, went into the shop and threw the intake breaker to off. So now the incoming feeder is electrified but nothing past the shop box... I read no voltage in pool. No volts in ground. This rules out the feeder cable.

I turned the shop box on again. I had volts in ground and pool, The short is past the circuit breaker panel in the shop.

I turned off the pool pump circuit breaker... I still read volts in pool and ground. The pump is ruled out.

I threw the remaining breakers in the shop. This caused the voltage in pool and earth to disappear. I narrowed it down to one cb... It is for circuit of outlets, mounted on the wall. There is a two wire plug (not three) on the end that was wired backwards. Power to ground side. I do not like two wire plugs anyway so I disconnected the plug and capped the wires... the voltage has gone away.

I haven't fixed it yet. I have the cb pulled. I intend to re-do the whole box, the internal circuits of the shop and to properly bury the feeder line. Something that needed to be done anyway. I am grateful to those that tried to help me with this. (tkrussell) I hope to be of some assistance to someone else as well .

[shuntripper]

Do you have another earth ground(ground rod ) at the shop panel? Does the shop panel have a ground coming from the house? All your ground rods MUST be bonded together.