Shock-Guard

[Kermit]

Have any of you used this or know anything about them? My son-in-law wants me to install one at the lakehouse dock before my grandson goes swimming. My electrician checked everything yesterday and said he would swim there and allow his family to swim there. But he also agrees there's no such thing as being too safe. What say y'all?

http://safewatersystemsinc.com/unit-details/

 

[Johnb]

Kermit,

My first question would be is your set up the only one that is bringing electric power into that area. If it is and you are protected by a tested GFCI and there is nothing by passing the GFCI then you can feel safe.

If yours is not the only source of power then I would not allow anyone to go swimming there even if that unit was installed. First it only trips one GFCI and even if your set up is clean what about others? Second, any system can go from safe to unsafe anytime and the alarm may be too late.

That said I think there is merit to the unit, but I would wonder how big a "zone of protection" it would provide.

Off topic but rant about GFCI's. The first is when they have trips caused by lightning strikes, transient current spikes, intermittently marginal equipment or whatever and people decide they are just a nuisance and remove them. That is one of the dumbest, most ignorant things anyone can ever do. Second, I don't know of anything that makes any system more safe for less effort/money than a GFCI. If you (properly) install one and it trips find out why.

 

[Kermit]

Here are the perts I left out. This is a family-owned dock with a lift for our 2015 pontoon boat. No other dock is attached although there are two other docks in the vicinity but they don't have power. The boat was in the water next to the slip. My grandson was sitting on the lift dangling his feet in the water and then came running up to the house saying he had felt something sharp hit his feet. (Could have been one foot. I don't remember for sure.) After reading the threads and news reports about ESD I naturally assumed he had felt and electric shock. But at 10 years old I don't even know if he had ever felt an electric shock. I called the electrician who installed the wiring several years ago who told me to immediately shut off the power to the dock from the house. He came up and checked everything he possibly could. All 4 motors are grounded along and all the wire cables that support the lift are bonded to the system. He found no stray current at all. I even took my shoes off and dangled my feet in the water while holding onto the metal part of the lift. I asked him every tough question I could think of. He wasn't offended at all by my questioning and agreed I should do everything possible to keep everyone safe. My son-in-law (not the father of the 10 year old) found the Shock-Guard and wants it installed. He even offered to pay for it. The electrician read the Shock-Guard website and said it might actually be a good thing. He still insists that the breakers on the distribution box will offer complete protection but the Shock-Guard certainly would add another level of peace of mind. My brothers seem to agree it's a good idea to install this but I wanted to see if anyone had any experience with this unit.

One more thing. The day before this I swam just outside of the slip installing a new depth transducer on one of the pontoons. I never felt any shock or anything sharp. Plus I lived through it.

On 2nd thought, maybe I should have asked @Maine Sail his opinion on this. Any thoughts, Maine?

 

[Tom]

can you get another son-in-law?

 

[Johnb]

He still insists that the breakers on the distribution box will offer complete protection

The breakers on the distribution box will not give protection against small stray currents. That is a job for a GFCI. Do you have a GFCI in the feed to the dock?
I would not accept any substitute for that protection.
Bye the way, the prices on GFCIs have come way down recently

 

[Johnb]

can you get another son-in-law?

Quite possibly but the grandchild is most likely unique

 

[Gunni]

I have GFCI breakers for electric service to my outside circuits that are in contact with water. They kick out very reliably whenever a motor is dying and shorting - sending amperage to ground. And if your ground is compromised it will take the lake, and a salty human as an alternative.

 

[uncledom]

I think the key here is "are the motors on GFI breakers?". Your electrician can easily change out the breaker feeding the lift to GFI and as John mentioned there is no such thing as a nuisance trip only a person too lazy to look for the cause.

I don't see an issue with installing a free stray current alarm in any event.