Why does the shower stall produce electric shock?

If you notice that you are receiving an electric shock while bathing in the shower, then you should not hesitate. And even if the tingling is mild and does not cause severe pain, the problem must be understood and solved. After all, if you do nothing, the situation will worsen, and the electric shock may become more significant, even fatal.

Why is the booth electrocuted?

Both the tap itself and the water from it can cause electric shock to your fingers. If it hits once, and after repeated touches the faucet no longer shocks, this is ordinary static. But if you get a light electric shock every time, you should look for the cause either in your apartment or in the apartment of your neighbors.

The shower stall may receive an electric shock if:

• the washing machine or dishwasher, as well as the water heater, are not grounded;
• damage is observed in the wiring insulation, and electricity leakage is transmitted through wet walls, floors, pipes, and metal taps;
• The heating element of the water heater has failed.

In the first case, it is imperative to ground electrical appliances connected to water. In the second, identify the location of a wire break in hidden electrical wiring by ringing with a special device. If the heating element malfunctions, it will be the water that is electrified. Moreover, the more it heats up, the more noticeable the tingling will be, and as it cools, the pinching will be less. A multimeter or indicator screwdriver will help identify this malfunction.

Neighbors can cause headaches, too, and if their water heater breaks, the water from your faucet may sting you instead. Try unplugging your boiler to check the voltage. If nothing has changed after turning it off, you will have to visit your neighbors and ask them to check their boiler. If their heating device is faulty, then after it is turned off, yours will stop pinching too.

It happens that neighbors ground their washing machine with a PE cable to the riser. And although they will leak current, the current will flow in your bathroom. Some unscrupulous people, in order to save electricity, connect the neutral wire by throwing it on water pipes. This gives them the ability to rewind the electric meter, but the current passing through the pipes in your apartment may give a weak charge to the tap.

What to do?

First of all, carry out grounding. And if it is installed, check whether the circuit is intact - to do this, measure its resistance (it should not exceed 4 ohms).

Next, check the serviceability of the washing machine, dishwasher and water heater. Unplug these devices one by one and check whether the shower stall continues to generate electricity. If the problem has disappeared, troubleshoot these devices; if it remains, start looking for flaws in the wiring. Check whether the sockets and switches in the bathroom and throughout the apartment are working properly, as well as the integrity of the wiring, using a special tester.

It is more advisable to install switches outside the bathroom, and sockets inside should have a degree of protection of at least IP44.

If you are sure that everything is in order with your washing machine and dishwasher, and the boiler is working, feel free to make complaints to your neighbors.Apparently, the cause of the tingling sensation in your cubicle should be sought from them. Moreover, problems can be caused to you not necessarily by your closest neighbors from above, but also by those living several floors above or below.

If they steal electrical items, file a complaint with the electricity supply company. If their grounding is installed incorrectly, invite an electrician from the housing office and have them double-check everything.

Warn and neutralize

This advice is suitable for those who are planning to do renovations. Be sure to allocate an expense item for a residual current device that will monitor current leakage and turn off power to the house if necessary. For a bathroom, choose an RCD that will switch off at 10 mA.

There is also such a useful thing as a water leakage protection system. If a pipe breaks or you forget to turn off the tap, it will immediately shut off the water supply to the apartment. This system will also be able to protect you from electric shock in a puddle from under the washing machine, because the water will be shut off in a timely manner.

It would be great if you have an individual potential equalization system installed in your home, combining all the pipes, sink and shower stall into a grounding system. In high-rise buildings, a common building potential equalization system is usually installed, so make sure that it is present and in working order.

Advice from experienced people

After listening to the experts, we could not ignore the opinion of ordinary people who were faced with a problem when the shower stall was electrocuted. And here's what they advised:

• ask an electrician to equalize the potentials of the cabin and the water supply using a copper wire clamp that is attached to a steel pipe;
• the problem may lie in the fact that when installing the shower stall, the fittings or wiring were accidentally touched;
• turn the shower plug upside down;
• be sure to install a separate RCD for the shower cabin;
• ask your neighbors above and below if they are being electrocuted, and if the problem is common, solve it together.

There may be many reasons why a shower stall is electrocuted, but you should never turn a blind eye to this disgrace, lest you end up in even greater trouble. So proceed according to the plan we have indicated!