Why does the boiler get an electric shock from tap water? Causes and solutions to the problem

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Few houses or apartments will not have a boiler in the bathroom. It's practical and convenient; there's no need to wait for hot water in a kettle or pan on the stove. However, it is necessary to become familiar with the problems of the device in advance, and not as they arise. For those who have already encountered the problem or want to know the solution now, we have prepared an answer to a frequently asked question: what are the reasons for the boiler to shock through water? The problem is quite strange to hear, but very popular.

Causes of electrical leakage in a water heater

Believe it or not, the classic “neighbors are stealing electricity again” will not apply here. The situation is quite common and requires intervention in the water heating system itself or in related elements.

The first thing we do when the water begins to shock is to turn off the power to the device, wipe our hands with dry towels and call an electrician if we cannot figure out the situation ourselves. If you do not have knowledge in the field of electricity or are simply afraid to touch a faulty device, do not do anything so as not to complicate the situation for a specialist. But for a knowledgeable person or master, information is needed about how the boiler generates electricity. You need to look for the problem in two places:

1. the boiler is electrocuted by the water heater,
2. the boiler produces an electric current through the water.

When current is transmitted through water, the sensation occurs instantly. And if the problem is inside the device itself, then identifying it is not so easy. Let's look at everything in order.

Why does tap water give me an electric shock?

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We assure you right away that this problem does not affect the operation of most devices and does not harm humans. Therefore, do not be afraid to install the device after a problem occurs or after reading this article. Even the manufacturer took into account all the points, so if the boiler gives an electric shock, it does not harm anyone.

So, if you feel that the water from the boiler is electrifying while taking a bath, shower, or when you simply open the tap, then you need to immediately look for the problem. There are several of them:

Incorrect installation. Characterized by the incompetence of the technician installing the boiler. However, this can arise not only due to “crooked hands”, but also when using low-quality components. For example, the cheapest wires were purchased, or the cross-section was damaged. If the problem of the boiler, which produces current through the tap, looks like just poorly connected wires, turn off the power and use a screwdriver to firmly secure the bundle of wires together.

Damage to the heating element. All equipment requires additional maintenance and replacement of components. Don’t think that you installed the device for at least 10 years and forgot about it. This attitude will one day come back to haunt you, and in a very unpleasant way. This is especially true for those houses where hard water flows from the tap, creating a lot of scale (you can track it by the kettle: if there is a lot of rust and red scale, then this is your situation). The heater gradually loses its protective mechanisms and shells, beginning to come into contact with current. This is the reason why the water heater emits current through the water.You can get rid of the problem like this:

1. Turn off the boiler.
2. Drain the water and turn off the taps.
3. Remove the cover of the device and find the heating element.
4. Remove the old one and replace it with another one. It is advisable that the part be from the same manufacturer as the equipment.

As you can see, there is nothing supernatural in setting up the device, you just need a little patience and effort. But still, you shouldn’t refuse the services of an electrician.

Improper fastening of the electrical part of the boiler can also cause the water heater to discharge current through the water. It’s not at all difficult to get confused about where “zero” is and where “grounding” is, even for a professional. To eliminate the problem that the boiler is electrocuted through water, it is necessary to reverse the wiring connections. Basically, the grounding cable is yellow-green in color. After installation, check the entire system for the problem. If nothing has changed, return the wires to their places and look for the problem in another area.

Water flows from the water heater

In this situation, it all depends on the location of the fault:

1. Poor grounding. This design is responsible not only for the safety of all electronics, but also for saving electricity consumption. Believe it or not, even less scale will appear! Therefore, we look for grounding (if there is one) and correct it. Well, or install it (how did you even live without it?).
2. Damage to the inside of the boiler. What to do in a situation where the boiler is electrocuted? Just call a specialist. You can dig into every bolt yourself, at least until next year.

Installing additional protection

If you nevertheless called an electrician or the installation was carried out by professionals, then they must have installed an RCD - a device for automatically turning off the power.It is needed so that if the water heater experiences an electric shock, the system will automatically turn off, thereby signaling a breakdown and the need to correct it.

In the future, installing such a small but very necessary part will protect both you and your device from heavy loads in a broken state. In such matters, do not save money, because your own condition is much more important than some kind of electronics.

These are all the main problems associated with why the water heater is shocking through the water. We talked about the basics of their solution and possible solutions to the situation. Finally, one piece of advice: electricity is a very dangerous undertaking even for an understanding and knowledgeable expert, so be careful and follow all safety rules.

Write in the comments if you have encountered the fact that the boiler produces an electric current through the tap or housing, and also how you were able to solve the problem.