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Posted By: magic electrolosis - 09/22/03 03:38 AM
I have a electrical/ plumbing business, and my plumber has a job in which he had to replace a main water line due to a leak. the problem is that it had been replaced 5 times prior in the past two years. The water department says that it is due to electrolosis and that the water line ground from the service should be removed. When he made the repair we checked voltage at the water meter and got around .3 volts. We have since replaced the service, and after 2 weeks the water line was leaking again. Has anyone ever heard of this or have any answers. Thanks.
Posted By: ElectricAL Re: electrolosis - 09/22/03 02:47 PM
Have you tried a clamp on ammeter on the pipe to determine the current flow in the pipe?

Are there other occupancies connected to the same PoCo transformer that supplies the new service that you installed?

Sounds like there is an open neutral somewhere on the load side of the PoCo transformer.
Posted By: sparky Re: electrolosis - 09/22/03 11:54 PM
Al's onto what could also be a hazard, careful breaking that like again..
Posted By: Admin Re: electrolosis - 09/26/03 03:39 PM
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We dug this 2" copper line up, Nope, I checked the backfill, it was actually pretty good with no sharp objects around. You can pretty clearly see the pinhole near the top of the pipe and the only reason I can guess from it is an electrolytic action. This was the 3rd repair made to that line in a year.

Solution............ PVC of course.

George (Corron)
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