Could Hot Aluminum Fascia Run Power Bill Up?

willworkforbeer

Bumped into a roof corner and got shocked Turned out the neutral wire to security light was hot, hot was hot too and home owner couldnt remember when security light quick working as soffit guys and electrician were close together.

Old 20-30's house with 3 generations of electrical married together, I found the feed to the light and disconnected it, homeowner doesnt need it. Anyway I couldnt shut down the whole house and see if power was bleeding but I wonder. House is stone, didnt check to see what else on the house was hot. HO complained of high bills, wasnt a dead short or would have breaker. Puzzle was why would the switched power work while the neutral stayed hot and the breaker killed both.

What do you think, was this a power drain?

Magnettica

The "neutral" in a 2-wire 120 volt circuit is a current-carry conductor. It carries the same amount of current as the "hot" conductor. Yours seems like a classic example of what happens when someone wires a GFCI ground wire directly to a copper pipe... OR... someone instead of using a neutral at the GFCI, picked up a ground directly from a metal box and used it as a neutral. It's called OBJECTIONABLE CURRENT FLOW and now you know why it's called objectionable - because you shouldn't be getting shocked touching a fascia board.

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willworkforbeer

No GFI's in the house, liscensed electrician had put in a new panel so HO could have new heat/air system and fed existing panel. If I were electrician I dont think I'd do jobs like that. Also fixed 3 outlets hot wrong side, lot of hacks out there.

Magnettica

GFCI or not you have objectionable current flow and it's likely caused by a bond somewhere other than in the main disconnect.


"Also fixed 3 outlets hot wrong side, lot of hacks out there."

that's where I would start looking first.

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willworkforbeer

The feed for the light came off receptacle that was near light, only one wire, couldnt find where the neutral was coming from, light did work at one time. I killed the circuit, checked rest of house, end of story.

What I'm curious of is since the entire fascia and inside perimeter of soffit was hot could it have been a current drain?

HO thought it was funny when I mentioned that he could have been just plugging his christmas lights into the roof.

Magnettica

Yes, what you mean by current drain I really have no idea but yes the circuit was using the aluminum fascia to return current to the source in which it came from. Now that path has been broken and that's why your light isn't working.

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willworkforbeer

I know why my light isnt working, I killed all power to it! The homeowner is fine with it, no problems.

If you dont know what a current drain is I dont know how you could be an electrician.

′kər·ənt ′drān)

(electricity) The current taken from a voltage source by a load. Also known as drain.

strathd

I just got the popcorn going.........

Magnettica

You mean like, "what's the drain level value of that light bulb?"

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willworkforbeer

You Me You after driving in front of me

Magnettica

Breaker off, problem solved.

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willworkforbeer

No , breaker on, problem solved.

Magnettica

How did you solve the problem when you don't even know what you're talking about?

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ampman

i must have got here late

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Magnettica

See if strathd will share his popcorn with you.

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strathd

No problem, getting ready to start the grill too ! I'll be right back, gotta go get a beer.

ampman

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willworkforbeer

I guess that apartment I panel installed and wired last winter wired itself, sheesh. Dude your little wiring stuff is simple technically. Try wiring an entire car from scratch or work on a cars computerized fuel system. I knew more about electronics when I was 13 then you do now.

220/221

No.

Light didn't work.

No power consumed.....until you touched it

Power was going to the light, thru the light and TRYING to get back to "ground" via the metal facia. Path/circuit wasn't complete until you completed it. You must have been grounded somehow.

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Just because it's within code doesn't make it safe.

Just because it's against code doesn't make it unsafe.

ampman

when you showed up on our job and claimed electronics knowledge all you got was the shovel

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