Grounding boat in Boat yard

[catmandoo]

Got a little tingle the other month when putting my hand on the hull on the hard with boat connected to shore supply .
Discovered tide in med had come in and wet the shingle I was standing on .

looks as if the voltage drop through the shore earth was greater than that through the hull . probably not enough leakage current though to trip the RCD on the boat . Couldn't find an RCD on the shore though

Looked around and discovered other boats earthed to ground rod via bolted on cable at prop shaft so did likewise immediately

One cant be too careful

 

[Leighb]

That used to happen if I leant on the garage wall if it was raining when I was a child! The wall was mildly live from a power socket inside /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

It was not as much fun as seeing how long you could hold on to an electric fence though /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[oldharry]

More likely there is a fault in the shore earth. However you have done the right thing and made it safe.

 

[bazobeleza]

got a tingle cleaning the prop out of the water, we were connected to a dodgy shore supply.

measured it at 25v

 

[VicMallows]

Re: Grounding boat in Boat yard / Waterbeds

Just another 'earthing' situation to ponder ........(OK, NB)......

I can feel a distict 'buzz' when lying in my waterbed and touching the (earthed) bedside lamp. The waterbed heater is necessarily 2-wire (where would you put an earth?). Plenty of bedding, all bone-dry so think we can rule out leakage in the usual sense.

This has to be capacitative coupling as far as I can think. Doesn't bother me, but explaining to others /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif (I will discount the option of un-earthing the lamp).

Vic

 

[alan17]

Re: Grounding boat in Boat yard / Waterbeds

Are you on your own Vic?!!

 

[oldharry]

Re: Grounding boat in Boat yard / Waterbeds

Hmm waterbeds ... well thats one way of keeping your sealegs when you cant be aboard I suppose. But I think there may be something not right, and you may be in for a bit of a shock.

Seriously Vic, I should get an electrician to check things out to be on the safe side. That should not be happening, and you may actually have a fault in the earth bonding of your house wiring, and that is dangerous.

Unless its the company you keep thats giving you the tingle..... /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

 

[catmandoo]

Could be static . When in Canada in the Holiday Inn the middle of winter and leaving early to go to work I bent over the bed to kiss the wife goodbye . Hots lips could not describe it. More a blue flash and a painful experience

. What if it had been something else that touched her . Can't bear thinking about it

 

[lenseman]

Very worth while having this piece of kit in your toolbox to check unknown shore power when you connect for the first time. If you don't get all three neons alight, I would either go elsewhere or run on batteries. /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

http://info.maplin.co.uk/module.aspx?C=S...s+Socket+Tester

 

[oldharry]

Static discharges in a single flash - as you found - painful! It doesnt come in AC, which is what gives the 'tingle', and will give a measurable steady voltage.

You are going to have to watch tha 'magnetic' personality of yours Catmandoo! /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

 

[catmandoo]

[ QUOTE ]
Static discharges in a single flash - as you found - painful! It doesnt come in AC, which is what gives the 'tingle', and will give a measurable steady voltage.

You are going to have to watch tha 'magnetic' personality of yours Catmandoo! /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

Sorry I was thinking about the guy in his water bed generating a charge by rubbing etc

 

[bilbobaggins]

Re: Grounding boat in Boat yard / Waterbeds

Recalls to mind, from another century, the 'sparkiest' of girlfriends - who is also the only woman I know to have burst a waterbed in use.....
..in Doha, Qatar.

Here's to her, wherever she is now.

/forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif