Corrosion from mild water leakage maybe magnified by dissimilar metals?

Galvanic corrosion, and may be related to a ground issue as well, a current drain flowing through that fixture via the water as a path accelerating it, along with chlorine.

Anode disintegration follows.

It's the hot water faucet. Heat increases reactivity/reaction as opposed to cold. Hot water tends to leech metal ions from the pipes it travels. These metal ions are good conductors of electricity. Dissimilar metals in contact with each other develop electric current. The flow of electric current is increased in the presence of water with electrolytes.

Additionally, if you have softened water, that introduces salt into the water which is a better electrolyte than the minerals that are replaced by the softening process.

Ys, yes, and yes.

I'd look for a ground clamp on a WH line. Cable or phone tech may have taken the easy way out.

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Originally posted by Woodman:
Ys, yes, and yes.

I'd look for a ground clamp on a WH line. Cable or phone tech may have taken the easy way out.

Why would that matter?

quote:

Originally posted by Skins2881:

quote:

Originally posted by Woodman:
Ys, yes, and yes.

I'd look for a ground clamp on a WH line. Cable or phone tech may have taken the easy way out.

Why would that matter?

Electricity on metal that has water through it creates galvanic corrosion on metals which eat the hell out of them and the results are what you see in the picture.

Something is leeching electricity into the hot water side of his plumbing, my guess would be the water heater is shorted.

Some building codes require a grounding clamp on the cold water pipes.
In this case, the packing nut under the handle leaked slowly and rotted the zinc painted handle above it. That is the debris field you see. Chinese metallurgy in the valve itself contributed as they use zinc in the alloy. Also looks like a European w/m hose, original with the machine, the crimped female hose connection is a dissimilar metal to the valve.

quote:

Originally posted by jimmy123x:

quote:

Originally posted by Skins2881:

quote:

Originally posted by Woodman:
Ys, yes, and yes.

I'd look for a ground clamp on a WH line. Cable or phone tech may have taken the easy way out.

Why would that matter?

Electricity on metal that has water through it creates galvanic corrosion on metals which eat the hell out of them and the results are what you see in the picture.

Something is leeching electricity into the hot water side of his plumbing, my guess would be the water heater is shorted.

If the water line is properly bonded then I would assume it would not matter. Are the hot and cold not connected in faucets and showers anyways?

I know what galvanic corrosion is, but water lines should not have electricity flowing through them. The circumstances where I have seen energized water lanes is due to the power company losing their ground and the cold water ground acts in it's place due to copper or cast water mains.

Saw one last week that the overhead drop the ground was snapped clear in half. Older neighborhood and all metal water lines. Pole/transformer on the other side of the road and the house power was working for the most part normally. That house had to be very well grounded and the water company lines must pass near the power company ground rod.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Skins2881,

Thanks guys. My first thought was "electricity", and I didn't want to start touching anything if that were the case.

It's over at my mother's house, so I'm going to run by today and check things out a little closer.