# I found wires under water



## vinpadalino (Aug 27, 2010)

They had wire nuts and electric tape. Why didn't the breaker trip?? It fried a wire..


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## plumberkc (Jun 23, 2011)

Probably cause it's not a GFI.


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## Mississippiplum (Sep 30, 2011)

How clean was the water?

Sent from my iPhone 10.5


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## Airgap (Dec 18, 2008)

Because this is a plumber's forum...


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## vinpadalino (Aug 27, 2010)

It should still trip the breaker though.. Someone would of got jolted if touched the water..


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## Protech (Sep 22, 2008)

Not enough information. When you say the wires were "fried" what do you mean?

Do you mean the insulation was burnt black and crispy?

Was the copper corroded or was it discolored from heat?

Unless that circuit is on a GFCI getting the conductors wet won't trip anything.

It only takes .05 amps or less of current to kill someone but the breaker is set to 15-20 amps.


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## antiCon (Jun 15, 2012)

not sure .. i was working on a house once and the water lines were all buried other than the risers to each fixture (common on old houston homes ) felt no current in the line till i cut it to make a repair.. after galvy line was cut i grabbed it to get my pipe wrench on it and got shocked bad..(till the breaker tripped) i was very lucky... i told the HO about the problem and cut the main breaker to finish my job in the dark... now i wont go under houses if wires are hanging in water and tap them as well 1st b4 i grab them.. cuz you never know...


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## Protech (Sep 22, 2008)

Breakers almost never trip when a human becomes part of the circuit......


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## johnlewismcleod (Apr 6, 2012)

Mississippiplum said:


> How clean was the water?
> 
> Sent from my iPhone 10.5


That's the funny thing about water :yes:


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## deerslayer (Mar 29, 2012)

This doesn't make sense to me either but I find it all the time with submersible pumps


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## rocksteady (Oct 8, 2008)

Here's a funny little story that could have ended with my death. :thumbup:



I was called out to a leak under a house about 10 years ago. One of our plumbers had been dispatched for the same call earlier in the day but because he had already given his 2 weeks notice, he thought he would just decline the call on the basis of him not wanting to get wet. The customer was supper pissed so they called the shop and I was sent. I was feeling the pressure to get the job done and save some face for our shop so I poked my head under. The crawl space was FLOODED. I pulled my shoes and shirt off and dove in. I crawled and swam my way under the house until I started feeling warm water. It got hotter and hotter until I found the cause. A leaking 10 gallon electric water heater that nobody knew was part of the system. It was under the house and bobbing in the lake, still heating water. Obviously, the wiring connections were completely submerged and we all know wire nuts are not water proof. I got a little chill down my spine but figured if I was going to get killed it would have happened already so I disconnected the w/h. and told them to put a pump under there. No idea why all that water and piping didn't conduct the electricity but thankfully it didn't.








Paul


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## deerslayer (Mar 29, 2012)

rocksteady said:


> Here's a funny little story that could have ended with my death. :thumbup:
> 
> 
> 
> ...



You sir are more dedicated than I!:yes:


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## UN1TED-WE-PLUMB (Oct 3, 2012)

rocksteady said:


> Here's a funny little story that could have ended with my death. :thumbup:
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Brave man. Good work!


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## redbeardplumber (Dec 4, 2012)

rocksteady said:


> Here's a funny little story that could have ended with my death. :thumbup:
> 
> I was called out to a leak under a house about 10 years ago. One of our plumbers had been dispatched for the same call earlier in the day but because he had already given his 2 weeks notice, he thought he would just decline the call on the basis of him not wanting to get wet. The customer was supper pissed so they called the shop and I was sent. I was feeling the pressure to get the job done and save some face for our shop so I poked my head under. The crawl space was FLOODED. I pulled my shoes and shirt off and dove in. I crawled and swam my way under the house until I started feeling warm water. It got hotter and hotter until I found the cause. A leaking 10 gallon electric water heater that nobody knew was part of the system. It was under the house and bobbing in the lake, still heating water. Obviously, the wiring connections were completely submerged and we all know wire nuts are not water proof. I got a little chill down my spine but figured if I was going to get killed it would have happened already so I disconnected the w/h. and told them to put a pump under there. No idea why all that water and piping didn't conduct the electricity but thankfully it didn't.
> 
> Paul


Geez dude, you were lucky. 220volts?


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## johnlewismcleod (Apr 6, 2012)

rocksteady said:


> Here's a funny little story that could have ended with my death. :thumbup:...
> 
> Paul


You are officially a member of the Hard-arse Plumber Club :yes::thumbsup:


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## JK949 (Mar 18, 2009)

Had a similar story but instead of burst heater, it was CPVC. My dumb arse hooks a a corded drop light to drag under the manuf. home. I start getting pissed because my light keeps going out and then I realize the tripping GFCI is keeping me alive.

Sharkbites and done.


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## rocksteady (Oct 8, 2008)

redbeardplumber said:


> Geez dude, you were lucky. 220volts?


 
Nah, it was just a little one. :laughing:






Paul


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## johnlewismcleod (Apr 6, 2012)

JK949 said:


> Had a similar story but instead of burst heater, it was CPVC. My dumb arse hooks a a corded drop light to drag under the manuf. home. I start getting pissed because my light keeps going out and then I realize the tripping GFCI is keeping me alive.
> 
> Sharkbites and done.


Actually, JK, we already have a thread going for stories like that one:

http://www.plumbingzone.com/f2/absolute-screw-ups-11647/ :laughing:


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## Mississippiplum (Sep 30, 2011)

johnlewismcleod said:


> That's the funny thing about water :yes:


Pure water is actually an insulator

Sent from my iPhone 10.5


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## deerslayer (Mar 29, 2012)

Mississippiplum said:


> Pure water is actually an insulator
> 
> Sent from my iPhone 10.5


Yes but water in a well or city water has dissolved minerals which make it a great conductor. Very little water in our enviroment is lab qaulity pure, even though it may be potable.


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