Bob Keenan
New member
Ok, so yesterday, I downstreamed soffit and fascia of a small ranch brick house and deck. Then moved on to pressure washing some black off the top of the brick chimney. I have my 16' aluminum ladder, with a stabilizer resting on the shingles, and the ladder is setting on the wood deck, next to chimney.
I've got a 5' wand with a turbo nozzle at the end, and im standing at the gutter line at top of ladder, and the bricks are coming clean, when I feel an ant or something stinging me on my leg under my pants, about mid- calf. I swat my pants, trying to kill it, and go back to pulling the trigger, when it starts stinging me again.... then, I think it's a sharp piece of metal or something from the ladder stabbing my leg....so, hand comes off the plastic gun, and holds the wand in the middle of the metal, other hand grabbing the ladder, and I feel........current passing through me.
Holy schnikees......
I jump off the ladder on to the deck to get away from metal..... First thought is to re-check to see if the ladder is contacting anything electrical.....which it's not... Ladder stabilizer with rubber feet is on the shingles, ladder not even touching the gutter. There is no way the ladder is in contact with any electrical source.... I test grab the wand to see what's up, and, nothing.
I have my helper grab it to see if it's just me.... He doesn't feel anything.... Then I tell him " hold the wand and grab the ladder at the same time."....... And, he gets the jolt!WTF?!!! How the hell is this happening??? I call Paul Kassander in Milwaukee, and he answers, and I tell him what happened.... I have a 12V hot water skid I bought from him in dec. he seems to think that even if there was some sort of short in the wiring in the skid, I should not be feeling the kind if jolt I was feeling... From 12v....
So, to test, i take the ladder and wand around the house to the front yard, and try to shock myself there to see if it my equipment or not.... Actually, I had my helper try it... In the middle of the front lawn.... "ok, now try it Adam, grab the ladder and wand at the same time."..... And, nothing, no shock.... Could not duplicate it.... Luckily for Adam.... Ok, I actually tried it too.... After him.....
Anyway, still can not figure out what the hell was happening!!!!! Paul also guessed that perhaps it was the wet, wood deck that was energized with 120v from the house, with a nail through a wire under the deck or something.... I looked as best I could under it for such a wire, but could not see anything.....
I told the homeowner about it, and that she should have an electrician look at it to see if they could find anything... Called to follow up with her today, but she had not done so yet...So, anyone here have any theories?
I've got a 5' wand with a turbo nozzle at the end, and im standing at the gutter line at top of ladder, and the bricks are coming clean, when I feel an ant or something stinging me on my leg under my pants, about mid- calf. I swat my pants, trying to kill it, and go back to pulling the trigger, when it starts stinging me again.... then, I think it's a sharp piece of metal or something from the ladder stabbing my leg....so, hand comes off the plastic gun, and holds the wand in the middle of the metal, other hand grabbing the ladder, and I feel........current passing through me.
Holy schnikees......
I jump off the ladder on to the deck to get away from metal..... First thought is to re-check to see if the ladder is contacting anything electrical.....which it's not... Ladder stabilizer with rubber feet is on the shingles, ladder not even touching the gutter. There is no way the ladder is in contact with any electrical source.... I test grab the wand to see what's up, and, nothing.
I have my helper grab it to see if it's just me.... He doesn't feel anything.... Then I tell him " hold the wand and grab the ladder at the same time."....... And, he gets the jolt!WTF?!!! How the hell is this happening??? I call Paul Kassander in Milwaukee, and he answers, and I tell him what happened.... I have a 12V hot water skid I bought from him in dec. he seems to think that even if there was some sort of short in the wiring in the skid, I should not be feeling the kind if jolt I was feeling... From 12v....
So, to test, i take the ladder and wand around the house to the front yard, and try to shock myself there to see if it my equipment or not.... Actually, I had my helper try it... In the middle of the front lawn.... "ok, now try it Adam, grab the ladder and wand at the same time."..... And, nothing, no shock.... Could not duplicate it.... Luckily for Adam.... Ok, I actually tried it too.... After him.....
Anyway, still can not figure out what the hell was happening!!!!! Paul also guessed that perhaps it was the wet, wood deck that was energized with 120v from the house, with a nail through a wire under the deck or something.... I looked as best I could under it for such a wire, but could not see anything.....
I told the homeowner about it, and that she should have an electrician look at it to see if they could find anything... Called to follow up with her today, but she had not done so yet...So, anyone here have any theories?