DonL
Jack of all trades Master of one
I hate to say, But you know me. It is obvious that you do not know what you are doing.
You should call the Man.
Good Luck.
You should call the Man.
Good Luck.
Tell us more about that. What are you measuring and how? Are you measuring the current with a clamp ammeter on a wire going directly to a ground rod or plumbing? That doesn't sound right to me.
I am no expert on this, but I think more info is needed.
What voltages do you have across your 120 VAC outlets under those conditions?
I hate to say, But you know me. It is obvious that you do not know what you are doing.
You should call the Man.
Good Luck.
At any rate current on an electrode should always be called to the attention of the utility company instead of trying to figure out what the problem is by yourself. If the power company gives a clean bill of health then start your trouble shooting but without knowledge it is like peeing into a fan.
Harsh! Thanks you!
First there is no such thing as leaking voltage. Voltage is a difference in potential or the amount of pressure that pushes electrons through a conductor. Amperage or current is what flows, this is how we measure the amount of flowing electrons.
Current is always seeking it way back to the secondary of the utility transformer. If there is current on the grounding electrode be it a pipe or rod then there is a problem with the neutral of the system. If the water system is a public utility then it problem could be with someone else’s neutral and the current is seeking it path back through the electrode and the neutral of the house that the problem is detected.
At any rate current on an electrode should always be called to the attention of the utility company instead of trying to figure out what the problem is by yourself. If the power company gives a clean bill of health then start your trouble shooting but without knowledge it is like peeing into a fan.
You are Welcome.
I just don't want to see you get hurt.
That House should have the power Cut Off, Until fixed.
This answer has my vote. Be safe.The amount of current on the grounding electrode conductor will be the result of the voltage being applied and the resistance of earth between the grounding electrode and the grounding electrode of the secondary of the utility transformer.
If there was 7 amps at 120 volts then the resistance of the path is ~ 17 ohms and sounds as though a neutral somewhere has failed and using the water piping as the return path. If there is no difference in the voltage at the main with appliances in the house running then it will be someone else’s neutral that is the problem and therefore the utility needs to be involved.
Something wrong there. Did you compare current on the neutral to the ground and the hot?I found as many as seven amps running down the ground cable toward the plumbing and the ground rod in the front of the house.
I took the pressure regulator apart and found a 45v potential across the joint, so there was definitely enough there to get your attention, especially with wet hands.
The tenant's washing machine stopped running and suddenly the amps pouring down the ground dropped to 0.3.
I ran the (gas) dryer as well, and it caused the leak on the ground (at the panel) to go up to nearly 4 amps, same as now the washer was doing.
I would not be doing that.Then I released the grounding cable from the plumbing, and then from the ground rod. And found essentially nothing. Less than three volts. And I could not recreate the 45v I had moments before.
Something wrong there. Did you compare current on the neutral to the ground and the hot?
I would not be doing that.
Amps go out, amps go back, all of them should be on the hot and the noodle and should read about the same on each when measured individually. Amp clamp around the hot and the noodle together should read close to zero. Are you reading 7A on the hot at the washer? Are you missing 7A on the neutral at washer? The washer may not be the problem, but it is worth checking out.
You have a bad neutral somewhere. The water pipes and grounding electrode system are now the neutral or at least part of it. Break the connection and on one side of it and you have voltage above ground. Good way to get a nasty shock. Also a good way to cook somebody's fridge, washer, stereo system.......
Granted, there could indeed be an issue with the power co's neutral. That is my next step.
I have 2 Amprobes and a Bell current gun, so does that mean I am qualified? I have no plasma suit, so I am definitely not.
I don't see all the amps going down the ground. It shows only 0.3 amps when the washing machine is not running. The house is pulling more than that out of the city at any given moment. Granted, there could indeed be an issue with the power co's neutral. That is my next step.
If each leg is pulling roughly the same amps, there will be no amps on the neutral. THis is sparky 101...