Intermittent shock from a fluorescent light

Re: Intermittent shock from a fluorescent light

The safest thing to do is replace the old two prong cord with a 3-prong cord and connect the green ground wire to the metal part of the base and test with an Ohm meter that all the metal parts you are likely to touch are connected to the ground on the cord.

You may need to run a ground wire up to the light.

If your shock is from some small leakage the ground wire will carrier it away safely large amounts of leakage will trip the breaker in your panel. Note If you use this light on a GFIC circuit the leakage maybe enough to trip the GFIC.

Walta 

Re: Intermittent shock from a fluorescent light

No suggestions about your shock issues but that paper insulation may well be asbestos in a vintage fixture. Handle with care.

Re: Intermittent shock from a fluorescent light

Having done a fair amount of wiring in a commercial setting, and some residential as well, one thing I don’t like to see is copper sticking out of a wire nut.  Either the nut is not fully seated, or too much insulation is stripped off the wire.  Fix that first.  Sometimes little things like that add up to the big problem.

Jason

Re: Intermittent shock from a fluorescent light

This lamp seems old enough to have cloth insulated cables in the transformer. It may have more more in other places.

Does it look like the lamp in the picture?

I'd suggest you to replace all the cables you can. The flexing motion of the lamp may have worn out the cables internally somewhere and it's touching the metal arms if flexed in just the right way.

Re: Intermittent shock from a fluorescent light

That's a scary thought.  It's gone, now, just in case.

Re: Intermittent shock from a fluorescent light

It does indeed look a lot like that picture.  All the cabling is rubber-coated; I've opened it up enough to make sure there were no worn parts at the joints but didn't pull all the cabling out to check the long, straight runs.

I wrapped the ballast in electrician's tape.  When I next get shocked, I'll pull & replace all the wires.  At that point I'll also pull the ballast, replacing the flourescent bulb with an LED.

Re: Intermittent shock from a fluorescent light

Seems to me you are down playing the shock risk.

Only very small amount of electric current can kill a human if it gets to the right spot.

At the very least only operate this lamp with GFIC protection.

As I said before adding a ground to the lamp is the smart move.

  Walta  

Re: Intermittent shock from a fluorescent light

I agree with adding a ground if there are metal parts. It seems possible that when you rewire for LED you may remove the ballast and its associated wire. That might remove the problem if you're fortunate. I've only rewired 'shop lights' to switch from fluorescent to LED. Removing the ballast in that case removed quite a lot of wire and connections. Some LED fixtures intended for retrofitting do require ballasts so be sure what you choose are 'direct wire'.

Re: Intermittent shock from a fluorescent light

Sorry for any confusion, my earlier comment was focused on the internal wiring (and insulation) only.  I've got a three-prong plug and several feet of new wire on order to replace the lead.  When they arrive I'll re-do the wire caps as Jason recommended, as well.