small shock from light switch

[ample current]

I have just had a call form a lady who said her and her son have both had a a small shock from a light switch, I dont have any other info right now, ( I dont know if its a metal plate or not) but does any one know where to start wth this.

Should i check for voltages at the conductors at the switch and light to see first or diconnect the circuit and check for continuity and IR.

Any pointer would be appreciated

Thanks

 

[Des 56]

If its metal,check voltage with known earth potential,if all is well
Check for nylon carpets and bare feet:smile5:

 

[Inteificio]

Carpets was my first thought too.

If metal I would check voltage on the front plate first. Then isolate and check wiring behind the socket.
Then continuity/insulation & RCD tests.

 

[joe j]

What code for nylon carpets?

 

[chris-]

here here

Carpets was my first thought too.

If metal I would check voltage on the front plate first. Then isolate and check wiring behind the socket.
Then continuity/insulation & RCD tests.

 

[Top Cat]

When my father was getting on a bit he used to shuffle round the lounge in his slippers on a nylon carpet, i can still remember the sparks that shot from his fingers to earth. I thought it was funny but he didn't!

 

[richy3333]

What code for nylon carpets?

C1 - bad taste. Dangerous soft furnishing faux-pas and must be replaced immediately!

 

[mark ju]

When my father was getting on a bit he used to shuffle round the lounge in his slippers on a nylon carpet, i can still remember the sparks that shot from his fingers to earth. I thought it was funny but he didn't!

Similiar thing; got called out to a house few years back, big new place, old fella shuffling around. Complained of getting shocks, knew it wasn't, turned out to be static. his wife said that when he reached inside the dumb waiter, the flash lit the inside of it up.

I thought...."wish I'd seen that"!

 

[Guitarist]

Agree with others. Even some old plastic switches will conduct the kind of HV static puts out, so not confined to metalclad.

 

[Top Cat]

Very difficult to say to someone "if you get a shock off that switch, touch it again, if you don't get a shock the second time it's static" Oh and by the way if you do get a shock the second time it may kill you!

 

[Guitarist]

Very difficult to say to someone "if you get a shock off that switch, touch it again, if you don't get a shock the second time it's static" Oh and by the way if you do get a shock the second time it may kill you!

It is a tricky one. All you can do is test to make sure that the installation is sound. You could ask the owner if they are wearing certain clothes when it happens.
Let us know what you find

 

[Moses]

It is a tricky one. All you can do is test to make sure that the installation is sound. You could ask the owner if they are wearing certain clothes when it happens.
Let us know what you find

Or ask them to wear insulated gloves?????

 

[ample current]

plastic switch, parquet flooring, 2 way switch 2 loose conductors one end, one loose one the other end and run in 2 2core cables and the spare conductor was conected to all the neurtals in a 3 gang switch and the one that gave the shock the spare conductor was loose int the back box, had 50v between the spare conductor and the loose line,I retightened every thing both ends and lo and behold no stray potential.

 

[Moses]

Nice work!!!!!

all barking up the wrong trees???

including me!!!!!

 

[ample current]

Nice work!!!!!

all barking up the wrong trees???

including me!!!!!

To be fair I had no info when i did the original post