water service danger - Plumbing Zone

user823 · 03-05-2009, 10:37 PM

We've all been there, replace a bad gate valve on a water service and you get shocked. It can be a little scary.
What do you guys do? Do you just wing it and not worry about it when you break it apart, wear rubber gloves, jump it? If you wear the gloves, what kind do you like? The reason I ask is lately I've had a couple of close calls. I started bringing the jumper cables in with me when doing them. Does anyone know if someone makes a smaller jumper link kit, or is it better just to make your own and if so what do you use? I hate electricity!!!!!

Tankless · 03-05-2009, 11:29 PM

I don't see it that often but when I do, I stop and figure out what is causing it. I let the HO know about the hazard and usually sell the troubleshoot and repair. If it is a big job and beyone my scope I'll call my EC and have him walk me through the trouble shoot. If no one is there, I just run a jumper from the panel bonding point to the piping. I have seen this maybe 10 times in my life to the poing where I stopped work. I will say this, it is amazing what stupid people can do when allowed to work on homes. If you fine a shocking situation...make sure you protect yourself. Other peoples stupid homes are not worth getting hurt over.

Protech · 03-05-2009, 11:58 PM

I ground the offending pipe if I can continue to work safely. If not, I stop and HO calls sparky out. I will not fix the problem even though I am very electrically inclined due to liability and licensing issues.

Plumber Jim · 03-06-2009, 12:20 AM

I have never run into that before. I have my mainline cable arc on the CI soil stack, That was fun.

Plumber Jim

22rifle · 03-06-2009, 12:50 AM

I have lost an acquaintance to this issue. I think it should be publicized more.

Redwood · 03-06-2009, 03:54 AM

I use a jumper just in case...
You won't know its there til you cut the pipe.
I have heard the suits suggest latex gloves but they do not have a dielectric rating so they are not proper PPE.
When they wear a suit quite often all plumbing knowledge leaves their mind.

22rifle · 03-06-2009, 08:54 AM

Do you all realize that very few apprentices are taught this?

I had never been taught this until my acquaintance died?

This is one of those issues that just makes my stomach knot up. I could have so easily been killed and never known what hit me.

uaplumber · 03-06-2009, 09:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 22rifle

Do you all realize that very few apprentices are taught this?

I had never been taught this until my acquaintance died?

This is one of those issues that just makes my stomach knot up. I could have so easily been killed and never known what hit me.

This is a first for me. I have never been shocked by a service line, yet.

The voltage would be measurable with a voltage meter would it not?
I will probably add that to the training for my guys today.

user823 · 03-06-2009, 09:24 AM

Thanks for the replies. It seems to be a problem in my area for some reason. I think I'll be using the jumper cables for now on.

22rifle · 03-06-2009, 09:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by uaplumber

This is a first for me. I have never been shocked by a service line, yet.

The voltage would be measurable with a voltage meter would it not?
I will probably add that to the training for my guys today.

There are some real horror stories out there about this. I never heard them until my acquaintance died from it.

Like you, I had no idea it was a potential problem. The deaths from it seem so needless and senseless.

03-05-2009, 10:37 PM	#1
user823 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 1,595 My Photos	water service danger We've all been there, replace a bad gate valve on a water service and you get shocked. It can be a little scary. What do you guys do? Do you just wing it and not worry about it when you break it apart, wear rubber gloves, jump it? If you wear the gloves, what kind do you like? The reason I ask is lately I've had a couple of close calls. I started bringing the jumper cables in with me when doing them. Does anyone know if someone makes a smaller jumper link kit, or is it better just to make your own and if so what do you use? I hate electricity!!!!!

03-05-2009, 11:58 PM	#3
Protech ٩(͡๏̯͡๏)۶ Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Polk County, Florida Posts: 8,159 My Photos	I ground the offending pipe if I can continue to work safely. If not, I stop and HO calls sparky out. I will not fix the problem even though I am very electrically inclined due to liability and licensing issues. __________________ Plumber, Repiping, Replumbing, Leak Detection, Solar Water Heater, Drain Cleaner, Pipe Leak, Polk County Plumber, Lakeland Plumber, Winter Haven Plumber, Haines City Plumber, Bartow Plumber

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03-05-2009, 11:29 PM	#2
Tankless Always Something Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Santa Barbara / Ventura Posts: 1,348 My Photos	I don't see it that often but when I do, I stop and figure out what is causing it. I let the HO know about the hazard and usually sell the troubleshoot and repair. If it is a big job and beyone my scope I'll call my EC and have him walk me through the trouble shoot. If no one is there, I just run a jumper from the panel bonding point to the piping. I have seen this maybe 10 times in my life to the poing where I stopped work. I will say this, it is amazing what stupid people can do when allowed to work on homes. If you fine a shocking situation...make sure you protect yourself. Other peoples stupid homes are not worth getting hurt over.

03-06-2009, 12:20 AM	#4
Plumber Jim Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Colorado Posts: 1,849 My Photos	I have never run into that before. I have my mainline cable arc on the CI soil stack, That was fun. Plumber Jim

03-06-2009, 12:50 AM	#5
22rifle Master Plumber Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 1,066 My Photos	I have lost an acquaintance to this issue. I think it should be publicized more.

03-06-2009, 03:54 AM	#6
Redwood Certified Lunatic Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Connecticut Posts: 12,345 My Photos	I use a jumper just in case... You won't know its there til you cut the pipe. I have heard the suits suggest latex gloves but they do not have a dielectric rating so they are not proper PPE. When they wear a suit quite often all plumbing knowledge leaves their mind.

03-06-2009, 08:54 AM	#7
22rifle Master Plumber Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 1,066 My Photos	Do you all realize that very few apprentices are taught this? I had never been taught this until my acquaintance died? This is one of those issues that just makes my stomach knot up. I could have so easily been killed and never known what hit me.

03-06-2009, 09:24 AM	#9
user823 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 1,595 My Photos	Thanks for the replies. It seems to be a problem in my area for some reason. I think I'll be using the jumper cables for now on.