Electric Shocks

Chris · 21 June 2013, 14:42

When out on the Rib last week fishing, I noticed that when I put my hand in the water whilst afloat on the Rib that I was getting sharp electric tingles... So I guess something electronic somewhere is exposed to the water and is shorting out.

Any thoughts, common causes.

I am going to assume it is either the Bilge pump or the trim tilt on the engine ?

biffer · 21 June 2013, 14:46

My guess is that everything was damp and your boat was using you as an earth, something that was on at the time has a dodgy earth

Chris · 21 June 2013, 14:55

Thanks Biffer, would an exposed positive wire cause this or would it have to be a bad earth?

Nos4r2 · 21 June 2013, 15:19

Odd thing to happen, as electricity will take the path of least resistance and the human body is quite high resistance.
Had something malfunctioned?
Did you have only one of 2 batteries on?
What do your anodes look like?

Maximus · 21 June 2013, 17:03

[QUOTE=Chris;548508]When out on the Rib last week fishing, I noticed that when I put my hand in the water whilst afloat on the Rib that I was getting sharp electric tingles... .

Any thoughts, common causes.

Rheumatism????

mike-m · 21 June 2013, 21:45

Had a similar issue with my old Opti 150. The tell tale supply pipe and one of the HT leads had chafed and melted together, resulting in HT voltage in the tell tale stream! Very invigorating....

biffer · 21 June 2013, 22:56

Usually earth, if you can get it to happen start turning stuff off until it stops and the last thing you turned off is the one that's the problem

wiLlfish · 22 June 2013, 00:02

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris

Any thoughts, common causes ?

Yew cud av ad yor fingir inn a jellyfishis twatt but i fink de mor likliy eksplanushun iz dat crapy onda enjin iz avin a kwiet fizz

I sor wan wunce eet itts owen geerbokks in too daiys

Itts nott naturul.

Downhilldai · 22 June 2013, 08:01

Quote:

Originally Posted by wiLlfish

crapy onda enjin

downt diss de onder dey arr de niw heetec

Pikey Dave · 22 June 2013, 09:32

Quote:

Originally Posted by Downhilldai

downt diss de onder dey arr de niw heetec

Don't worry, the "Onda Messiah" will be along shortly to put 'im straight

Chris · 22 June 2013, 10:04

Thanks for all the useful (and useless suggestions

)

I will give it a try next time we are out and see if I can narrow it down.

Go Honda

ian parkes · 22 June 2013, 12:54

Last year i tried to help a bunch of lads on the beach who had sunk their speedboat , it was full of water with bare bodged wiring and the battery was washing around in the bottom of the boat still conected (proper Chav speedboat), the shocks i was getting trying to pump it out were quite strong and guy looked like he was having a fit trying to disconect the batter , quite funny
No they didn't even have a pump the lesson learned was just how fast speedboats sink ,faster than any pump can move water,you really do need a battery isolator switch
and don't anchor your boat by the stern in small surf DOH !

m chappelow · 22 June 2013, 13:43

No shocks but remember going out to a sinking yacht
When we got to him the water level in the cabin was still rising & was up to our knees so 2 of us helped bail out with buckets whilst the skipper used the manual bilge pump
we were just about to beach it when there was a dull thud just like someone had hit the hull with a blow from a sledge hammer
Remember looking at the battery that was now well underwater and split in half .

Only time I ever got a shock was when touching the plug lead of an outboard whilst it was running thinking that a wet suit glove would insulate me I was in for a shock worst bit was it got me on my wrist . Even though it seemed dry the damp salt must have caused it to track onto me .