Tingling sensation in salt water pool

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chem geek
Pool Industry Leader
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Joined: Thu 21 Jun, 2007 21:27
Location: San Rafael, California

Postby chem geek » Sat 03 May, 2008 21:40

There's long thread about SWG pools and potential corrosion issues here with the first post linking to a (very one-sided) blog that has other links on stray current corrosion, but don't be too scared by that.

The PG&E link I gave earlier is better about stray voltage in general. If the voltage isn't too high, then you could talk to your electrician and/or pool builder about adding a sacrificial zinc block attached to the bonding wire. That should have the zinc corrode in place of any metal attached to the bonding wire and may also reduce the potential for shock. If you have any aluminum attached to the bonding wire, then the block must be magnesium instead of zinc.

Richard


Ricki

Tingling sensation in salt water pool

Postby Ricki » Thu 05 Apr, 2012 19:11

WE are going thru the same thing with getting a tingling sensation in our pool. The voltage is none to low. The electrical power company can not do much more for us. They have monitered the pool. We believe the pool is bonded properly. If this is true they will have to dig up the pool deck and see if it is not bonded.
ANYBODY OUT THERE - have you had your pool grounds dug up to see if if was improperly grounded? That is our next step! Please reply
Nancy from Michigan

Tingling sensation in salt water pool

Postby Nancy from Michigan » Wed 11 Jul, 2012 12:03

I also have a problem with a fiberglass pool and salt chlorinator that is driving us crazy. I have another electirician coming today. I have heard something about sacrificial anodes and a bond in the skimmer. I will try almost anything. It is not enough of a jolt to trip the gfi but little kids feel it more. My 6 year old grandson howled and said his hands and feet hurt when he jumped in. Seems to be ok when everything is shut off.
Linda H

Tingling sensation in salt water pool

Postby Linda H » Thu 30 Aug, 2012 09:38

We are having same problem with 1 year old pool, contractor says pool is bonded and grounded with wires going to four grounding rods around the pool. We cannot find the rods, he is non-responsive to coming out and showing us where they are. Does anyone know if rods should be above ground and visible? Or, is this even the correct way to ground the pool? Electric Co. says no stray voltage. Pump/equipment are grounded correctly according to electrician. No lights in pool.

Final questions are, does anyone know how much voltage must be in the water to cause a tingling sensation? And, what level of voltage is considered dangerous? Thanks for any info you can provide. Linda
larry h

Tingling sensation in salt water pool

Postby larry h » Fri 31 May, 2013 14:32

We have had the same tingling issues as mentioned by others. Our pool was intalled 11 years ago. All wiring from the house to the pool has been replaced and the grounds were checked by an electrician. The pool contractor and an independent electrical contractor claim the pool was properly bonded but all acknowledged the elecrical code has changed since the time of install. The power company in St. Louis MO stated the stray voltage is common throughout North America. Our electrician was getting voltage readings between 0.8 and 1.0 volts from the pool water to the concrete deck. The elecrical contractor states the salt water in and of itself is a conductor of electricity. Upon researching this I learned that salt water does indeed electricty as the sodium ion and the cholorine ion carry opposite positive and negative charges and therfore are much more conductive of electricity than normal tap water. Our options at this point are to remove the salt water cholorinator and reinstall a cholorine sytem, about $250 or tear out the concrete decking and rebond using a equipotential grounding mat in the concrete, which is the preferred method, causing several thousands of dollars. We are opting to try removinging the salt water. Since the power company will not do any more to determine the source of the stray voltage, my hope is by removing the salt water, we not be conducting the electricy and no longer be shocked.
TSH Tech

Tingling sensation in salt water pool

Postby TSH Tech » Sat 01 Jun, 2013 15:57

larry h wrote: Our options at this point are to remove the salt water cholorinator and reinstall a cholorine sytem


Bravo to you sir! :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup: Bravo! I am a pool industry professional and I do not like with a passion Pool Salt Chlorine generators, with this problem being one of the many reasons for my strong dislike. I will not sell them or install them.


Yes, you are correct, salt water is very conductive of electricity. Factoid - It's nearly a century old technology, but lake reservoir/river management along the Pacific coast states of the USA have been using a salt water conductive technology to keep ocean sea water at bay. As fresh water flows down the many rivers, the high tide of the ocean will push back on the rivers. To prevent salt water from contaminating the fresh water areas, electrical current sensors installed at opposite ends of the river shore line send a small voltage 24/7. When salty sea water reaches the sensors and electrical current is made, it sends a signal to the Dam Management facilities to let more water out of the Dam to push back the sea water. Now you know!
Lifevest

Tingling sensation in salt water pool

Postby Lifevest » Tue 03 Sep, 2013 11:15

We have the same problem in our 11 year old pool. We actually just bought the beach house with pool and the management company says that this is the first year of this problem. The electrician has been working hard to resolve the tingling and the tingling seems to come and go. The electrician has now ordered a part that actually taps into the water via the pipes and grounds the pool water. Of course we have a salt water generator too.

Where are you up to on resolving your tingling larry h? I hope you have resolved it.
davey

Tingling sensation in salt water pool

Postby davey » Tue 09 Sep, 2014 07:16

Tingling sensation in fiberglas pool w/saltwater system, even when all electricity to place shut off by power company at main power pole at least 50 ft away from pool.

That seems like an awfully long way for "stray electricity" to travel from the pole, especially since none could be detected in the ground nearby. An independent electrical engineer checked, and so did power company.

Only thing we could figure is that the rusty red iron-rich soil surrounding the old, leaky pool, got together with the salt water & acted like a battery. Not a pleasant sensation, and also quite disconcerting, since it doesn't take much electricity in water to interfere with a person's breathing or heartbeat.

We fixed it once and for all, though. Had the old pool filled in! No more pool! Yes!

Shocked and Frustrated No More!!!! :lol:
faz
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Re: Tingling sensation in salt water pool

Postby faz » Thu 04 Jul, 2019 18:31

Solved for me. Had same issue. If touched water and puddle on deck you get tingling shock. Also would get shock at water spicket attached to house if did the same thing. My electrician came over and put one side of volt meter in pool and other in puddle. It read 9v. Then went to breaker box in house and turned them off one at time until meter dropped to like 4. We kept that breaker off and no more shock. The breaker was for the peak lights on the roof of my house. Yes the driveway does reach to the concrete pool deck. So for now we have breaker off until we fix those lights. But my issue was not even pool related. The current can make it that far. In my case I say 50ft. You can probably turn one breaker off at a time until dont get shocked.

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