Shocking downspouts

[kim123]

[FONT=Times New Roman]I got a shock when I touched my down spouts so I put a circuit tester on them and the tester lit up indicating there is current running thru my gutters :confused: How do I eliminate this???

[Electric101]

Could be lots of things, but I do know that this is a very dangerous situation that needs immediate and probably professional assistance. I would begin to look in the area of your electrical service and service equipment. Things like the overhead service drop that may have rubbed through the insulation allowing contact with your down spouts. But I highly recommend you seek a qualified electrician to look at this problem. I know "we" are expensive, but it's worth the cost for piece of mind and a proper repair. Hope this helps ya. :-)

[DIY Guy]

This is a dangerous situation and a pro should probably handle it. You can determine if the problem occurs before or after the main service panel by shutting off the main breaker. If your meter still shows power in the rain gutters, then it is coming from the service entrance or the panel.

If the main breaker cuts the power to the downspouts, then a possible cause is outdoor lighting. If you have security lights or other outdoor service, those are a likely point of failure.

I am not advising you to try to repair this yourself. A pro is probably required.