Got Shocked

[jimr]

hi all I recently got a 16' kenzie kraft bass boat and yesterday when i took it out I grabbed the railing on the dock while touching the engine control handle and i got shocked when i let go of the railing it stopped so i tried it again and got it again(guess i wanted to make sure ) it wasn't bad just caught me by suprise I was wondering if this is normal? if not what should i be looking for don't know if it was 12v or from the coils

 

[crazy charlie]

Re: Got Shocked

Try it again with a lightbulb in your mouth and see if it lights up.Does not sound normal to me.Possibly incorrectly grounded.Charlie

 

[18rabbit]

Re: Got Shocked

Jim – you became the path of least resistance between your boat and the dock. When you are not that path, something else is. If that is an aluminum boat you have, I’d keep her out of the water until I knew what was going on.<br /><br />You might try posting this down in the Electronics fourm.

 

[Maximerc]

Re: Got Shocked

Keep the boat dry .. should fix the problem

 

[ED21]

Re: Got Shocked

I would be concerned that there is a stray current(shorepower) coming from someplace. Or maybe the rail is being used as a ground. If it's at a marina I would let them know so they can resolve the problem. I've never known 12 volts to cause a sensation. If the coils were grounding, the motor wouldn't run.

 

[jimr]

Re: Got Shocked

its a fiberglass boat and the carpet was wet it had rained the night before. there isn't any shore power around so i don't know. I will check all the grounds on the engine I have rewired most of the boat. I may have missed something still getting the bugs worked out of it. I am a mechanic by trade and setup police cars just never have worked on boats much before

 

[ED21]

Re: Got Shocked

Is somebody using the metal railing as a ground for pier lighting?<br /><br /> I'm thinking a shorted wire might be trying to find ground through a rail that's not really grounded until you complete the circuit.

 

[kenimpzoom]

Re: Got Shocked

Was your engine running at the time or not? Put a volt/amp meter on it, and see what the readings are.<br /><br />I have been shocked by 12v before, not severe, but you will notice it.<br /><br />When you are sweaty, put one hand on one battery post and the other hand on the other, it will smart a little (ask me how I know )<br /><br />I also have been shocked on my boat, my wire loom had a bunch of shorted wires, it was energizing the throttle handle, and grounding through my feet in the salt water.

 

[ZmOz]

Re: Got Shocked

It's definately not from a 12v system. 12v is not enough to go through the resistance of your skin - even wet.

 

[BMDODGE]

Re: Got Shocked

stick a 9v battery to your tongue - you'll feel it

 

[ZmOz]

Re: Got Shocked

I don't think this guy was sticking his tongue on the boat. Stick your hand in water then touch a 9v, does it shock? Nope...

 

[jimr]

Re: Got Shocked

there is NO shore power anywhere near the dock so it is coming from the boat somewhere the only things i haven't rewired is the lights,bilge pump and live well pump but none were on. i do think who ever wired them switched the ground and not the power. the motor was running at the time so i am heading in the direction of poss. leaking coil/wire looked at them and one looks new and the other not too hot. will check them out tommorrow night after work with meter just got repair manual. And yes if conditions are right 12v will light ya up not as bad as 115v I have been hit pulling a steering wheel in a blazer before it gets your attention

 

[18rabbit]

Re: Got Shocked

I had a dive light flood once during a dive. The light took 4 little “c” cell batteries. When I got back on the boat I popped the case open and stuck my fingers in the saltwater to get those 4 little batteries out. Big mistake. It was beyond tingle…it was just down right painful!!! And a lot of it!!!

 

[mred 2436]

Re: Got Shocked

zm since twelve volts won't shock ya...next time yer in a pet store try out one of those pet control collars with the two 4 volt batteries in 'em...lemmee know how it turns out? i'm betting on the plug wire myself.

 

[ZmOz]

Re: Got Shocked

Yes, there ARE conditions when 12v can shock you, but someone just touching the boat with their hand and the dock is not in those conditions. It is extremely difficult to be shocked by 12v. <br /><br />mred 2436 - Those have a step up converter...they are NOT shocking anything with low voltage.

 

[jimr]

Re: Got Shocked

I pulled the top coil off last night and the old sealer that insulates the body of the coil looked like it had been melted out a little bit new coil at NAPA was about 25 bucks.checked all grounds and kill switch and all look ok. will put it in the water hopefully this weekend and try it and let you know if it works.

 

[jimr]

Re: Got Shocked

ok I took the boat out today and got up to the dock and grabbed the railing and got shocked again it was a quick trip the boys wanted to go out. when i got home i took the bottom cover off engine control box and all looked ok then pulled the tether switch out and someone had used a scotch lock and a couple of but connectors to hook it in. i removed all of the crappy wiring and did away with the switch for right now to try it again. i am getting ready to go out and run it on the hose and check some other stuff any ideas unless the other coil is bad but it looks new. I'll keep everyone posted. Jim

 

[eurolarva]

Re: Got Shocked

If the dock you are touching is wet then it is grounding to to lake. This would mean you would be able to recreate the shock by reaching out and touching the water. Fiberglass generates a lot of static electricity, however that would be a quick discharge. Can you take a volt meter and attach some wire to it and touch your wet deck and the post and see what you get? You may have to check it for ac and then dc volts. If you take a screw driver and short out your marine battery you can create a pretty good welder. A marine battery especially a cranking battery can kill you if you get across it when you are wet. Does this shock happen only when the motor is on?

 

[jimr]

Re: Got Shocked

yup only shocks when running i have the following voltage at the handle<br />1.7 VAC key on engine running 0 VAC KOEO<br />142 VDC Key on engine running -10mv koeo<br />if i touched the handle with my snapon test light it would flash if you just touch a ground wire to it it kills the motor checked the wires on the key switch and all look good. did i mention its a 55hp evinrude

 

[eurolarva]

Re: Got Shocked

Hope you mean 14.2VDC instead of 142VDC. YOur motor is metal and in the water. Somehow this is grounding to the rail on the dock and when you connect arm to arm from your motor to the dock you are completing a circuit. Check your grounds on the motor with an ohm meter and verify the motor is grounded. Sounds like parts of your motor are not grounded. Check with an ohm meter that the handle is grounded to the chasis.