Shocks from wet cutter......

[merlecollins]

Not sure if anyone can help out here?

On Friday, when I was cutting with my DeWalt D24000 wet cutting machine I was getting electric shocks when touching any of the metal parts with wet hands . Not massive belts, I hasten to add, but definite surges and jumps like when you lick the end of a square battery

It was awful, but I persevered with the thought that it might have got dampness in somewhere and it would dry out over night

Went back in yesterday and the exact same thing was happening . I put some vinyl gloves on and it stopped (obviously) but I was still catching it if I hit the metal with my elbow or arm

Now this machine is only about 6 weeks or so old, so I'm hoping it's not that Could it have something to do with the electrical system in the house as it's still a building site??

The joiner got a bit of a jump off the tube off the metal hoover pipe on Friday as well, but we put that down to static......

The house i'm working in is a brand new build, but I assume we're working from a temporary supply as it's a single fused trip switch and not a multi fuse distribution board.

I would be extremely grateful of any assistance in this matter as I've got to go back in the morning and don't really want to go up in a blue flash if I can avoid it

 

[nickblake]

Getting shocks and you carried on , was the cutter plugged into and RCD protected socket , doesnt sound like static not when it was wet sounds like the machine has got water it where it shouldnt , get the socket tested where it was plugged in, people always plug into a socket we never know they are safe just assume they are

 

[merlecollins]

Cheers Nick, the machine has an RCD built into the power lead and it held fine.

If it has got water where it shouldn't (not sure how that could have happened!) will it dry out and be OK?

 

[mogga]

IMO if id payed £600plus for a bit of kit and it "is giving me shocks" Id be taking it back or phoning help line and getting a rep out Pronto and stoping using it

if the house your working in has faults get it checked out (Even temp instals have to conform to regs)

 

[merlecollins]

if the house your working in has faults get it checked out (Even temp instals have to conform to regs)

Cheers Mogga

TBH the spark thats doing the job is first class so I would be amazed if he's dropped a clanger or left a site unsafe

If there has been dampness in the motor or anywhere else, will it dry out and be OK? Just with it being a wet saw I would have thought that anything electrical would be well and truly sealed

 

[Dave]

Kev.. i have had similar on my Dewalt saw.. but only my son has felt this slight tingle shock and we both use the saw.. i will email Roy from Dewalt and see what he says..

 

[merlecollins]

Kev.. i have had similar on my Dewalt saw.. but only my son has felt this slight tingle shock and we both use the saw.. i will email Roy from Dewalt and see what he says..

Ahh, thats great Dave, thanks a lot for that You know how much i LOVE my D24000 and it really takes the shine off it when I'm nervous about using it

 

[Dave]

OK.. emailed Roy, will wait for reply.

 

[Dave]

Just wear some gloves for now mate..

 

[merlecollins]

Just wear some gloves for now mate..

And a long sleeve rubber top...LOL - Like the only gay in the village.....LOL

 

[Dave]

I can just see you now....

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IwrtXZnFJXU]YouTube - Rubber suit gloves hood[/ame]

 

[merlecollins]

You been on your 'specialist' websites again Dave??

 

[Dave]

Yea.. Utube.

 

[alarm man]

am i right in assuming two people got shocks off 2 different bits of equipment? or the same bit of equipment, sounds like a circuit or supply fault. it may be a small site but big or small the work should stop till the faulty equipment or circuit is fixed.imo
re- the spark,your only as good as your last job..

alarm man

 

[merlecollins]

am i right in assuming two people got shocks off 2 different bits of equipment? or the same bit of equipment, sounds like a circuit or supply fault. it may be a small site but big or small the work should stop till the faulty equipment or circuit is fixed.imo
re- the spark,your only as good as your last job..

alarm man

Cheers Alarm Man

Yeah I was getting surges all day off my wet cutter - almost a slight numbness which went half way up my forearm and also nippy shocks to my finger tips

Then I noticed the joiner jump when he was hoovering up his shavings - when I asked him what had happened he said he had got a bit of a shock off the metal tube on the hoover I pretty much dismissed that as static

The mains cable comes into the house and is currently wired up into a single fuse RCD unit that has approx. 4 double sockets coming off it supplying all the extension leads for the various trades........

I wouldn't have thought my wet saw would have anywhere that water could cause a problem.....

 

[Sintra]

Get the spark to check the operation of the RCD ASAP and check Ze, Zs etc as it might not be coincidence that you were both recieving shocks in the same property.

It is a possibility that the RCD is defective and needs to be replaced.

 

[alarm man]

id stop using any equipment right away,get the spark to check it out,as you say he's a top man but more than likely somethings happend he doesnt know about,little shocks now,what happens if the shocks get worse..needs sorting asap

be safe..

 

[merlecollins]

Get the spark to check the operation of the RCD ASAP and check Ze, Zs etc as it might not be coincidence that you were both recieving shocks in the same property.

It is a possibility that the RCD is defective and needs to be replaced.

Cheers mate
Whats Ze and z's Sintra?

If the RCD was defective would I not be getting blown across the room??

 

[Sintra]

Cheers mate
Whats Ze and z's Sintra?

If the RCD was defective would I not be getting blown across the room??

Ze & Zs are the earth loop impedance readings basically lets you know if the installation has a good earthing system or not.

As for getting blown across the room the RCD should protect you but if it is defective then you are relying on the main earthing system to protect you. If this is not adequate then you may recieve some voltage to earth without disconnecting a protective device.

 

[eskimo39]

If you look at an old post of mine you will see that a customer of mine had a problem where his wife was getting shocks of the sink and washing machine. When I went around to test I was getting around 100v between the sink and neutral.

After a bit of searching I found a live conductor had come out of the back of a socket and was touching the galvanized back box effectively making earth live throughout. And for some reason it wasn't tripping the MCB.

I upgraded earthing, bonding & replaced the MCB - Re tested and everything was fine.

Why not ask the sparky if he can put his tester on the exposed metal of your Dewalt and test across the sites circuits?

 

[merlecollins]

Cheers Eskimo39

I've got the lads number but don't want to come across as dramatic and a moan Certainly don't want him to think I'm picking holes in his work

 

[eskimo39]

Honestly mate, any real electrician would rather double check their work and find it to be o.k, than have anything happen because it wasn't. Give him a bell and explain, tell him about the chippy and I am sure he will want to come double check to ease his own mind more than anything.

 

[Sintra]

Agree 100% sure they will want to check it out.

 

[Mark_Burgess]

Maybe ask the spark to PAT check your dewalt as your are getting shocks, if all is okay, which probably might be, his own curiosity may check the socket, especially when you mention the hoover shocks also.

 

[merlecollins]

I'll make a point of telling the builder in the morning - let him ring the spark. Probably more his place to do that than mine.

 

[Graeme Harrold]

Maybe ask the spark to PAT check your dewalt as your are getting shocks, if all is okay, which probably might be, his own curiosity may check the socket, especially when you mention the hoover shocks also.

Was working my way through the pages wondering why no one mentioned PAT earlier. Get someone to stick it on a load test and measure the touch current.........

 

[merlecollins]

Can an everyday spark do that??

What I mean is do they need any special PAT testing equipment?

 

[Graeme Harrold]

If they have the kit then yes. Worst case is to run the machine and use a DMM on the current setting and test between the cutter body and an accessable earth pin........

 

[alarm man]

I'll make a point of telling the builder in the morning - let him ring the spark. Probably more his place to do that than mine.

he wont,unless you tell him no electrical check,no work...

 

[merlecollins]

unless you tell him no electrical check,no work.

Sod that, you haven't seen the size of him I'll get him to stick his wet hands on my cutter first

 

[Sintra]

Just out of interest have you tried the cutter in another property? If so are you still receiving shocks from it?

 

[alarm man]

[QUOTE I'll get him to stick his wet hands on my cutter first[/QUOTE]

wrong forum mate..

 

[merlecollins]

Just out of interest have you tried the cutter in another property? If so are you still receiving shocks from it?

Yeah Sintra mate, never had probs with it before

 

[merlecollins]

[QUOTE I'll get him to stick his wet hands on my cutter first

wrong forum mate..[/QUOTE]

 

[Dan]

Any more news on this Merle?

 

[merlecollins]

Went back to the job today, but no sparky
Anyway, got stuck in with something else and low and behold who should turn up off the lunchtime ferry - the sparky
Nailed him straight away (in a nice way!) with a triple barreled gun
1. I need a heated towel rail electrical point moved in the Master EnSuite
2. I need you to look at wiring in a new central heating system in my Mother In Laws house
3. My freeking hair stands on end every time I use my wet cutter

So after he composed himself, he checked the mains DB
And......

...... it's not my DeWalt - The earth had never been connected at the DB

He reckons I would have been getting about 100volts going through me and was very lucky to still be here to moan about it

Thanks very much for everyone who helped me on this one

 

[Graeme Harrold]

Glad you're still with us........

Thanks for the update

 

[Sintra]

Problem sorted, happy days.