Barmy I know, but shocks?? from plastic switches?

[uksparks]

Hi,

A customer called to say she has experienced small shocks from three different light switches in her house.

The hall, the lounge and the kitchen.

This has happened on three occasions over the last couple of days.

I said, I assume they are metal faceplates...

Nope, 100% plastic...

Ok, so I said, well I am firstly not concerned as to my knowledge a Class II fitting is that for a reason and plastic doesn't conduct electricity.

I said are you sure it wasn't static? I asked is they had new slippers or shoes? new carpets etc? different clothes?

They said no, nothings changed.

I said, well ill pop round on Wednesday to take a look, but doubt ill be able to find anything as they are all plastic.

Any thoughts on this? I cant see how its possible.

She hadn't got wet hands either, switches has not got wet on them, all dry, 10 year old house too, nothing untoward.

I went round there last week to swap a couple of toilet fans, but thats it, house is in good order.

Just looking for any thoughts on what she may be experiencing?

 

[Darkwood]

On a slightly different issue, I had to close a 3rd of a schools power down as I received a shock off a cable, it was a supply cable VIR with cotton wrap singles in a conduit, the rubber was still flexible and no evidence of breakdown, but it was hovering about 200v PD to earth - Yes the insulation no longer did its intended job, its seems the cable had enough resistance though to limit current flow to the steel conduit or enough to take out the fusing. It was an headscratcher at first, not often a dry insulation is tested as live or expected to be.

The school ask if I could leave it on until it was sorted as they had no power in part of the school, I said well I suppose the fire it may cause is contained in a steel conduit ...(Is that a yes then?) - NO!