For several weeks now, every time I touch either dog outside, I get an electrical shock. Over and over and over again, it never stops or "uses up" like indoor electrical shocks. I live a few blocks from the beach in southern CA, in a mobile home park. Our streets are blacktop on a mountain of sand. The same thing happens when I leave park, but am on nearby blacktop city streets. It rarely rains, there has been no wet conditions.

How do I find out where this electricity is coming from? I have an outdoor surfer's shower that I usually bathe the dogs in, but am afraid to use it since this has started. We have a city wifi tower about 100 yards south, and now Time Warner put up a larger signal tower about 100 yards north, which when completed is about the time the shocking started, but I do not know if this could even be related, as there also is new homes being installed.

Isn't this dangerous? I do not know what to do and thought maybe some of you professionals could steer me in the right direction.

Thank you for your attention to this (serious?) matter!

 

As the sensation of current does not get "uses up" as you say then I agree it does not sound like a static electricity phenomena but a real stray potential issue.

I read about one of these several years back concerning some farmers who were literally loosing livestock to stray potential shocks. In that case it was an open in some high tension lines nearby causing current to literally run through the ground instead of the wires it should have been on.

Goggling "stray voltage problem" turns up lots of relevant hits, including reminding me of a 2004 case where a woman (Jodie S. Lane) was killed in NYC while walking her dog when she stepped on a plate in the sidewalk.

I don't have any specific recommendations other then to keep looking for help, it sounds to me like you have a serious problem.

 

At the very least, register a complaint with the public utility authorities. If no one complains, they won't know there's a problem until someone gets injured or killed.

 

Years ago i worked on directional drilling outfit installing underground utilities and i can tell you quite often the conduit would get hot on the back ream causing stretching.
Stretching isn't a issue until they come blow through the "birdie" and start pulling cable, then it can cause small tears and leaks.

Something you can look for the next time it rains,alot of dead worms(if you have worms where you are) closer you get to the problem, the more dead worms on the surface.
Hop around on one foot next time you are outside,shouldn't have issue w/shocks only confused neighbors =)

 

Years ago i worked on directional drilling outfit installing underground utilities and i can tell you quite often the conduit would get hot on the back ream causing stretching.
Stretching isn't a issue until they come blow through the "birdie" and start pulling cable, then it can cause small tears and leaks.

Something you can look for the next time it rains,alot of dead worms(if you have worms where you are) closer you get to the problem, the more dead worms on the surface.
Hop around on one foot next time you are outside,shouldn't have issue w/shocks only confused neighbors =)

Yea but what if they're 'earth' worms

 

Let me get this correct. You get shocked from your dog? Is your trailer grounded? If not it should be.

 

Stretching isn't a issue until they come blow through the "birdie" and start pulling cable, then it can cause small tears and leaks.

 

Hahaha, my shepherd would knock me over too fast on one leg.

Yes, my trailer is grounded. I upgraded the electric when I moved in and put in a new ground. Before the grounding pole was installed, I got a shock every time I turned on the water outside! That was probably 10 years ago, and when that cleared up is when I had the surfer shower installed.

I do have quite an extensive potted garden, including tomatos, which are still growing as we are having a mild winter, but do not seem to have more dead worms than usual. I did see many after the last rain (and figure that is where I keep getting them from) about a block away on the little stretch of city street going to Pier Ave from the park, where there is the end of the new recycling drain water system for city park watering needs manholes and a new big electrical huge metal covered area for the new street lights installed when that system was (all underground wiring, drain canals). The lights did blow the whole town's electricity for about an hour the first time they turned them on. lol It did a BIG BOOM too! You may have heard about that drain water system, they are winning all sorts of awards (stimuli project funds). I was more inclined to believe it might be the new wifi tower, as it interferes with my clicker, microwave, and cell phone service, but maybe it is that city project. The dogs won't walk on any of the metal covers in that stretch.

I will call Edison tomorrow, and see what they have to say.

Thanks for the input! And the laugh!

 

Take the two probes of an AC volt meter and stick them in the ground a few feet apart. Should show very close to zero. If not, you (or the power company) have a BIG problem

 

Are there any overhead high voltage lines?

 

I will call Edison tomorrow, and see what they have to say.

If they don't give you the proper answers or consideration, let them know that you have been discussing this on-line and many people are concerned. Also, let them know your next step is to contact local reporters/investigators to start digging into this concern you have.

The threat of bad publicity, and the public knowledge/proof that they had been warned of a problem will compel them to act quickly and decisively. If someone is hurt after they know about the problem, their liability and culpability goes much higher.