Small amount of electrocution

So today I was cleaning my bulbs in my mother room, I touched one of my hoods and could feel a small amount of electricity running onto my hand. Strange I thought, the only times this has ever happened is in an aero cloner with a submersible pump.

Anyways, even though it’s not a lot of electricity because you can hold your hand on it without a problem. But it scares me. Upon closer inspection I realized my ceiling drywall is sagging a little. I could already tell there’s a small amount of water damage to the drywall. Luckily I have tar and roofing paper but that’s not going to solve the problem.

I’m thinking it’s a wet wire or faulty ground. At first I thought it was a loose bulb or bad ballast. But two of my hoods are doing it. Then I noticed both of my ballast doing it. Both on the same outlet, on the wall adjacent to the occasional drip.

I have a surge plug there. Never flipped.
Also the breaker has never flipped.

Is this because it’s such a low current?

My flower and ac is all ran correctly with new wiring and deticated breakers to everything, except this mother room. As I assumed it’s only 2 400s so no biggie.

I’m assuming I need to fix this tomorrow and keep everything off until I do so. Correct?
I wish I could tell myself it could wait as I was going to harvest this week. But I don’t think it can.

Then there’s the trouble of tearing down drywall, exposed beams, plaster, paint, sanding, dust. O ya, then papering the roof most likely. I just turned the stuff off and went home, I’m dreading even looking at it.

Could the wiring/outlet be getting wet and it’s grounding into my hoods instead of the breaker box?

I think it’s just easier to pop in a new breaker and wire and disconnect that power. But no looking forward to the roof. Luckily it’s a relatively small addition.

Any input guys?
It’s much appreciated,..
Thanks.,..

Know an electrician?

I would think that if you're getting a twinge touching the exterior of the ballast, it would suggest that the ground/neutral has a bad connection back to the distribution panel. Can you check the incoming a/c voltage when everything is on? That will give you an idea if it's developing a voltage drop under load. If the neutral/ground circuit has high resistance, anything connected would give you a tingle...or a zap.

I have all the testing equipment. This circuit is only a 15 amp circuit which was existing. I was thinking I would just harvest a room tonight and move everything in there until the problems fixed.

Now this circuit powers the ceiling fixture light and two outlets. Which Arent having the issues under the zap touch method lol. But there’s blow insulation in the ceiling and come to find out. It’s gonna rain all week. And winters almost here. Totally not cool.

I was just gonna disconnect the circuit Completely and run all new 12-2 on 20 amp. I just need to power 2 400s and 4 t8. Which is a vertical Metal Shelf style. But that’s giving me no zap. So I believe it’s isolated to the one outlet.

Long story short I’m gonna get my testers together and go over there and start testing stuff out. Starting with the outlets. I’ll post some pics.

But I think there’s water on a wire or that outlet from the leak causing the problem I don’t think it goes back to the main panel .

But I’ll test the power draw there and in the room. The numbers won’t lie.

But I don’t have to worry about the voltage drop under 75 feet Right? I was always told it was after a 125’ roll you put that into consideration.

Also I’m done using this place in 18 months or so. Long story.

Also I’m an engineering student so I have good knowledge of electricity.

Any inputs greatly appreciated. I’ll be in touch....

I think you were right. It says hot/neutral reverse. See pic

Now I checked all other outlets and there fine.... so I assume the problems that the oilers wired wrong and it’s not in the panel...

Black to brass, save your ass.

Home grounding well worth checking out. I am going with assumption all your lighting is ETL or UL certification. Ground rods and lugs do fail. Corrosion at contact point ground rod lug to service entrance ground wire worth a quick look (bring a wrench and tighten anyway).
Voltage on a metal frame that should be at ground potential will be a wider problem in your home.
If using a Fluke auto setting meter ensure you are setting the range correctly. MV (millivolt)setting can falsely displays what appears to be significant voltage on frame.
Your comment "hoods plural" would point me in direction ground to home as opposed to loose/corroded ground terminal within a single fixture.
Not a electrician, just field tech seeing electrical issues as part job for decades.

Enjoy your day!

BeCivil2all said:

Home grounding well worth checking out. I am going with assumption all your lighting is ETL or UL certification. Ground rods and lugs do fail. Corrosion at contact point ground rod lug to service entrance ground wire worth a quick look (bring a wrench and tighten anyway).
Voltage on a metal frame that should be at ground potential will be a wider problem in your home.
If using a Fluke auto setting meter ensure you are setting the range correctly. MV (millivolt)setting can falsely displays what appears to be significant voltage on frame.
Your comment "hoods plural" would point me in direction ground to home as opposed to loose/corroded ground terminal within a single fixture.
Not a electrician, just field tech seeing electrical issues as part job for decades.

Enjoy your day!

Click to expand...

Maybe his house burnt down 4 years ago since he hasn’t logged on since?

BeCivil2all said:

Home grounding well worth checking out. I am going with assumption all your lighting is ETL or UL certification. Ground rods and lugs do fail. Corrosion at contact point ground rod lug to service entrance ground wire worth a quick look (bring a wrench and tighten anyway).
Voltage on a metal frame that should be at ground potential will be a wider problem in your home.
If using a Fluke auto setting meter ensure you are setting the range correctly. MV (millivolt)setting can falsely displays what appears to be significant voltage on frame.
Your comment "hoods plural" would point me in direction ground to home as opposed to loose/corroded ground terminal within a single fixture.
Not a electrician, just field tech seeing electrical issues as part job for decades.

Enjoy your day!

Click to expand...

Your input is great but your reply is to a 5 year old post. I will put you in my 'knowledgeable' folder!

BeCivil2all said:

Home grounding well worth checking out. I am going with assumption all your lighting is ETL or UL certification. Ground rods and lugs do fail. Corrosion at contact point ground rod lug to service entrance ground wire worth a quick look (bring a wrench and tighten anyway).
Voltage on a metal frame that should be at ground potential will be a wider problem in your home.
If using a Fluke auto setting meter ensure you are setting the range correctly. MV (millivolt)setting can falsely displays what appears to be significant voltage on frame.
Your comment "hoods plural" would point me in direction ground to home as opposed to loose/corroded ground terminal within a single fixture.
Not a electrician, just field tech seeing electrical issues as part job for decades.

Enjoy your day!

Click to expand...

He's ded

First week posting here. I did not note the post date as I came across it surfing down 2001 page long "grow room design "forum.

Any electrocution bad for the family and the potential negative press bad for public's view of cannabis.

Hope those who viewed my responce have it in back of mind if seeing similar issue.

Thank you for pointing out the posts age (valid thanks I do not do sarcasm). Mindful for next time around.

Enjoy the day!

It could be several things, but most importantly...it's not what he has, but what he does not have...that is GFCI protection on the circuit or devices he is using in his grow room...it would negate this ever happening...but after reading, there are a couple of possibilities...#1 someone at some point could have lost a neutral somewhere and picked it up using the bare ground as a neutral...VERY STUPID...or as he suspected...water damage in the ceiling fan causing the neutral to feed over on the ground...his cold water ground could have been broken or corroded...in any event, in a correct electrical system, this should not happen.

Hopefully the guy is not dead.

There is no such thing as a small amount of electrocution.

lusidghost said:

There is no such thing as a small amount of electrocution.

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Lol...sure there is...I could hook you up to a dimmer and vary the amount of current that you receive through the resistor....it's kinda the same thing.

JeffWix said:

Lol...sure there is...I could hook you up to a dimmer and vary the amount of current that you receive through the resistor....it's kinda the same thing.

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Electrocution = death. "Shock" is the term you're looking for.

lusidghost said:

There is no such thing as a small amount of electrocution.

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You ever touched your tongue on a 9v battery?

I used to win bets that I could hold onto 110v cut and split lamp cord lead for 10 seconds. Trick: Touch one lead to your thumb, and the other to your index finger... It makes the small loop in your hand, and doesn't really sting that bad. Don't try this at home kids!

JeffWix said:

Lol...sure there is...I could hook you up to a dimmer and vary the amount of current that you receive through the resistor....it's kinda the same thing.

Click to expand...

I made one of those in High School electronics class. It was like the old Operation game but more powerful. It had different settings.