Getting shocks from metal around the house

[JasonDK]

Hi guys,

I have tried to search for this but I did not know how to word it so that I could yield some results.

Not sure if this is the right place to ask either but it's worth a try.

So here's the issue, for as long as I can remember our house had this thing where you could feel current flowing through certain things.

e.g. Touching any metal in the house that is plugged in (computer case, dvd player, stove etc.)

So now that I have built a little cottage in the back, the electrical shock is now ten times worse. The wierd thing my friend told me to wear shoes around the house and that stopped the shock! When I plug my guitar into my amp, the strings give me a nasty shock. As you can imagine, this is very irritating and uncomfortable.

Is there anything that I could do to stop this? Change something? Call an electrician?

Is this a common problem?

Thanks in advance for any feedback at all.

[Justloadit]

Sounds like you have a dangerous electrical fault, and needs immediate attention.

I had a similar experience in my little bush house up in Limpopo, when ever we had a shower, we would get tingling in the fingers touching the taps. I eventually complained to ESKOM, and after about 6 weeks they managed to track the problem down to one of the houses whcih had the Neutral and earth swapped. Once they fixed that, whala, no more shocks.

Best get a good qualified electrician in to first verify that the installation is good, failing that, you have to get eh municipality involved, and threaten them with the fear of murder, as this is a serious situation, if it is emanating from the public grid.

[JasonDK]

Thanks for your reply Justloadit,

I had a feeling it could be serious but that still scares me.

I have a guy coming in a few days to come and have a look and hopefully give me some sound advice.

I will post on my findings as soon as I have any.

Thanks!

[AndyD]

As per justloadit, I'd also strongly suggest you find an experienced electrician. The type of fault you have could potentially injure you and wearing footwear isn't an acceptable solution. There's no substitute in this kinda case for a full test of both the supply and the installation.

[DieterT]

You have a earth fault on our incoming supply.
Get a registered electrician to come do and earth loop impedance test and also check if your earth leakage is functional and that your earth bonding is properly done.

It is a very serious problem, as you can imagine that when you wear shoes you are insulated from the ground thus not completing the circuit. Just so when you are drenched in water bare feet on the ground, you are a perfect earth and should you handle something conductive that is live it could cause your muscles to converge therefor not being able to release the conductive material that is "live" and so you get electrocuted, suffer heart failure and possible death.

It is a very serious problem which sadly is common as electrical work gets done by DIY "experts" and bakkie brigades and not by professional artisans.

[Sparks]

In all likelihood a loop tester will show the cause, but I am dismayed that a cottage was built and either no or an invalid COC was issued. I also wonder why the problem was not attended to prior to the cottage being built in the first place.