Frequently Asked Questions

Electric Shock Drowning (ESD) occurs when AC voltage present in water passes through your body. Even a low-level of voltage can cause skeletal muscular paralysis, rendering the victim helpless and eventually resulting in drowning.

Electricity may be introduced to water in a variety of ways, including improperly wired pumps, boats, or lighting, improperly grounded wires, or stray current in the ground. This presence of electrical voltage in water is invisible, so it is crucial that water always be checked for voltage prior to swimming.

Electrical current will always attempt to return to its source in order to complete the electrical circuit. Electrical current is resourceful and will find any way to do that, taking the path of least resistance and most conductivity (anything that will help the current move along its path). The way alternating current (AC) searches for its source is the most deadly for humans because it takes only a small amount of AC to disrupt the electrical impulses that control our muscles and nerves.

We go back to conductivity for the answer. Fresh water is not a good electrical conductor. Because it is not a good conductor, the alternating current looks for something better. A human body in fresh water becomes that something better. The high amount of salt in humans make our bodies far better conductors of electrical current than fresh water.

There is a 1 year limited manufacture warranty. See page 15 of the Shock Alert manual for more details.

Currently Shock Alert, LLC is only available online, via our site. https://www.shockalert.com/cart-2/

FedEx Ground

If for any reason you aren’t completely satisfied with your Shock Alert device, simply return it within 30 days of your purchase and we will issue you a complete refund. We stand behind our product 100%, and your family’s safety is of the utmost importance to us.

There are marine codes that regulate docks and boats. They are NFPA 303 (Fire Protection Standard for Marinas and Boatyards), NFPA 70, and National Electric Code 555 (NEC). Boatus.com also notes “boats not wired in accordance with standards set forth by the American Boat & Yacht Council (ABYC) can be a source of AC leakage.”

Anyone who loves the water! Whether you are a home pool owner, a hotel manager w a pool, a lake go-er or dock/boat owner or even a traveler who wants to check before they swim- Shock Alert, LLC is a device that will give you peace of mind.

Electricity can travel far distances based on the level of voltage, so it is best to educate and inform everyone in your surrounding area about testing your water before you swim.

While Shock Alert, LLC can detect small amounts of electricity, which may be non-lethal, it is recommended to have your pool or dock inspected to be safe.

Not much at all. It takes only small amounts of leaking AC to incapacitate or electrocute a person. As small an amount as 15 milliamps can cause paralysis, 100 milliamps – or a third of the amount of electricity need to light a 40-watt light bulb – can kill a person in seconds. In comparison, a double AA battery produces 2400 milliamps per hour.

Up to 120V

Shock Alert, LLC does not detect either AC or DC current. It detects AC voltage gradients.

Yes GFCI’s can fail, which is why it is important to hire a certified electrician for regular maintenance.

A portable device is beneficial because it does not introduce electricity to the water, as it is battery operated. There is also no chance for the water to break down the integrity of the device; in the same way wiring can be affected on boats in the water, since it is not submerged indefinitely. You can also travel with Shock Alert, LLC and test unfamiliar bodies of water in which you plan to swim. Due to the fact boats can pull up at any time and plug in, it is not recommended to swim in Marinas or at a home dock if a boat is plugged in.

No, Shock Alert, LLC should not be left in the water.