electric shock through plastic switch

[Thomas123]

I attended a call out the other day to check the electric after a water leak. I checked it, went to turn lights on and had tingle through the an all plastic switch. i scratched my head in disbelief and touched it again, i had another tingle. My guess is that the rocker has worn down so much that the plastic is wafer thin between the live part and my finger? it looked in pretty good condition mind, no obvious signs of wear.

I said to the tenant have you noticed this before? they said yes my boyfriend has had a few shocks off it. they never thought to report it?? too busy watching jeremy kyle with their flagon of white lightening.

 

[SPARTYKUS]

Static

 

[Jimmy Boy]

We get this a lot at work nurses slopping around in crocs getting all charged up with static well some of them are belters tho

 

[Thomas123]

na it wasnt static, it was more like holding onto the end of an IR tester lol.

it was a constant shock, definetly not static discharge. only if you touch at the bottom of the rocker.

 

[Mr.Ian]

No signs of arcing along the edges of the switch? could be a cheap switch with badly shrouded contacts that's tracked on the plastic

 

[Guitarist]

Did you change the switch and see if it cured it?

 

[Thomas123]

No signs of arcing along the edges of the switch? could be a cheap switch with badly shrouded contacts that's tracked on the plastic

more than likely something like that, i normally dont even touch the switches in the houses as some tenants have been known to snap used needles off in the bottom of them, then when you push the bottom of the switch in the needle sticks in your finger.

 

[Moses]

na it wasnt static, it was more like holding onto the end of an IR tester lol.

it was a constant shock, definetly not static discharge. only if you touch at the bottom of the rocker.

Water ingress in the switch.

 

[Thomas123]

Did you change the switch and see if it cured it?

yeah i changed it. all cured.

 

[Thomas123]

Water ingress in the switch.

no water ingress at all, the water leak was over other side of room.

 

[Guitarist]

Had a shower fault a few years ago which was tripping RCD. Turned out to be tracking across the plastic backbox between line and earth post caused by moisture which had dried and left a greasy film on the plastic.
Glad it's sorted. I'm assuming there was no RCD?

 

[Tris Zanker]

more than likely something like that, i normally dont even touch the switches in the houses as some tenants have been known to snap used needles off in the bottom of them, then when you push the bottom of the switch in the needle sticks in your finger.

has anyone ever seen that done to a light switch i once had it done to the lift buttons in a block of flats ??

 

[Jimmy Boy]

I am lucky not to have to visit such **** holes..but yea I heard most trades turn off switches with a screw driver

 

[Thomas123]

has anyone ever seen that done to a light switch i once had it done to the lift buttons in a block of flats ??

its worrying to think someone is that messed up that they would do that. i've never actually seen it been done (i hope haha) just i've been warned.

 

[Tris Zanker]

we once did a job in some flats removing light switchs and putting in timers becasue they kept putting snaped off needles in to the light switchs. these people make me sick, the stay at home and watch jeremy kyle gang are just as bad.