In article , John
Rumm writes

"John Rumm" wrote in message
...

... I could not get a voltage reading between the newly plastered wall and
a water pipe - even on a very high impedance DMM. Needless to say the wall
had dried out a fair bit by the time I was looking at it....


I wonder whether you would have got a different result if you had dug down
to the expanded metal mesh and tested that?

You mean like a thick ear from one's mother for messing up her nice new
plaster? ;-)

I figured that since that was inserted by hand, plugged and screwed into
place, and then plastered over with wet bonding plaster; had it have
been live he would have got at least a tingle sooner. It seems it was
only when he was throwing lots of water about when polishing the top
coat that it got interesting.


Nothing coming UP through the floor perchance, and the wall is
"earthing" him?....
--
Tony Sayer