Water Pipes Live - How To Trace Fault In The Walls ?

The other day the water in the bathroom became "live". To say my husband got a surprise when he went to wash his face would be an understatement  ! ! !

My first taught was our aging boiler, but PHEW ! Its not the problem ! After checking, it seems that the bathroom electrics have some how come into contact with the water pipes. I suspect mice are to blame.

I have switched off the electrics for this part of the house at the consumer board. So we are now washing in safety in the dark !

How do I trace the point of contact / fault without attacking the bathroom walls ( tiles ) ?

I have a vague idea that there is some sort of gadget I could use . .  money is a bit tight at the moment, so I'ed rather avoid calling out a professional electrician. I have reasonable Diy electric skills.

Many thanks in advance for any advice. 

If your pipe work was capable of becoming live then you have a serious problem with lack of bonding. Do you know where the water bond is? It may have become detached.

What is the water bond ? ? ?

It is the safety connection that is designed to prevent your pipe work from becoming live. You really need to call an electrician I am afraid. Far too much risk involved here.

wow... so your electrics are that bad someone got a shock, yet your main concern is you dont want to get a professional out to find the fault and check the system is safe for use because money is tight?!

next time it may be more than a little surprise, and a funeral will probably cost more than fixing the problem...

I suggest this is not a DIY fix and you need an electrician immediately.

The water pipes are supposed to be bonded to earth very close to the main stopcock, you should see a thick earth wire clamped onto  the pipe there. If that was present then a live wire coming into contact with the pipes would have tripped the circuit breaker or blown the fuse.

I'm guessing it's an old house and there is no earth bonding in place.

If it's an old type fuse box I also suggest you consider getting it upgraded.  A modern consumer unit with RCD protections would probably have tripped when the pipes became live anyway even without the earth bond.

If you are adamant to have a look most likely in the loft space or under the floor, but it really could be anywhere, but even if you find the problem what are you going to do to fix it?  Are you going to install the earth bonding cable? are you going to upgrade the fuse box?

ProDave said:

I suggest this is not a DIY fix and you need an electrician immediately.

The water pipes are supposed to be bonded to earth very close to the main stopcock, you should see a thick earth wire clamped onto  the pipe there. If that was present then a live wire coming into contact with the pipes would have tripped the circuit breaker or blown the fuse.

I'm guessing it's an old house and there is no earth bonding in place.

Click to expand...

doubt its got any RCD's either

As has been suggested alreadty, you have a serious fault, along with a latent defect in the installation. This could be potentially fatal and difficult/destructive to identify & remedy.

As Essex has suggested you first need to remedy the issue with the bonding to the water.

Unfortunately there is a great deal more to electrical installation than changing a socket.

Okay, but why was it ok after I switched off the bathroom electrics at the comsumer board ?

The water is supply is not live now

Yep old house

it was OK after turning it off because there was then no power at the fault... for the pipework to become live you have a serious fault that you may well be able to identify if you look hard enough, but you will not have the knowledge or experience to know if the installation is then safe for continued use after you have removed the fault, and it may end up happening again

Viola said:

Okay, but why was it ok after I switched off the bathroom electrics at the comsumer board ?

The water is supply is not live now

Yep old house

Click to expand...

It is not "okay"  You have merely disconnected the source that was making the pipes live, you have not fixed the fault or cured the deficiencies in the installation.

I can see the bonding to the water pipes, but after it goes thru the wall who know . . . .  And can't find an RCD

Thank-you for all advice and I am happy to now understand the issues. Though " happy " is probably the wrong word given the seriousness of your warnings.

It isn't the case that I don't want to get an electrician and I do appreciate that there is a lot more to electrics than changing a plug. Its just that I don't expect you ( electricians ) work for free.

Many Thank everyone

Will now go talk to my electrician.

Hum...... last time I saw something like this, Barry the bathroom fitter had put a screw, holding the shower frame in contact with the switched live - so the shower cubicle frame was at 230v when the lights were on, he had also not connected the cpc's ..........thankfully the elderly customer hadn't held the shower frame and the radiator at the same time.... (there was RCD protection!)