patrickwebb
Member
im gonna check it again now----
thank g*d i didnt buy any fish!!
thank g*d i didnt buy any fish!!
electric shock w/pics what should i do?-meter reading 41 volts
- Thread starter patrickwebb
- Start date
salty blues
Active Member
Originally Posted by gmann1139
http:///forum/post/2505876
When Patrick said he had it on the wrong setting, he meant more about the fact he was reading on the 750 volt range. That's why he was getting readings off any piece of equipment. Heck, put a meter on that setting and hold two probes up in the air and I bet you can get 10 V easy. I was fairly surprised it took so long for someone to catch on to that. In fact, it dimmed my faith in the perfection of the information on this site. Now I don't know who to trust.
As far as AC/DC goes, yes, everything in the tank is probably AC, and that's the best setting to check. If you've got a problem though, I'm betting it would show up on either setting. I'm not 100% sure on that, haven't seen from experience, and am not willing to test it out, but AC/DC wasn't the major problem.
And as far as ground goes, I'd check on the power strip itself, so you're eliminating the power strip from the equation.
Patrick, if you're still out there, what are the readings on your tank?
Actually, meter readings at higher ranges tend to be less sensitive than lower ranges. To prove it, set a typical meter on it's lowest range and hold a lead in each hand. You should read a very small voltage. Now, set the range higher and you probably will not see the same reading.
http:///forum/post/2505876
When Patrick said he had it on the wrong setting, he meant more about the fact he was reading on the 750 volt range. That's why he was getting readings off any piece of equipment. Heck, put a meter on that setting and hold two probes up in the air and I bet you can get 10 V easy. I was fairly surprised it took so long for someone to catch on to that. In fact, it dimmed my faith in the perfection of the information on this site. Now I don't know who to trust.
As far as AC/DC goes, yes, everything in the tank is probably AC, and that's the best setting to check. If you've got a problem though, I'm betting it would show up on either setting. I'm not 100% sure on that, haven't seen from experience, and am not willing to test it out, but AC/DC wasn't the major problem.
And as far as ground goes, I'd check on the power strip itself, so you're eliminating the power strip from the equation.
Patrick, if you're still out there, what are the readings on your tank?
Actually, meter readings at higher ranges tend to be less sensitive than lower ranges. To prove it, set a typical meter on it's lowest range and hold a lead in each hand. You should read a very small voltage. Now, set the range higher and you probably will not see the same reading.
scsinet
Active Member
First, you do not have your meter on the wrong setting. You've got it set right.
Second, it makes no difference whether the red probe or black probe goes in ground versus the tank. It's alternating current, which is polarity independant.
Third, it's all moot because you cannot test for stray voltage with a multimeter. This "test" is a very commonly perpetuated misconceptions surrounding the whole "stray voltage" hysteria. The voltage you are reading is almost definitely caused by eddy currents. Eddy currents are induced in any conductor (saltwater in this case) when in the presence of a magnetic field (lighting ballast, motors, etc). That's why each piece of equipment adds a little bit more. Every piece of equipment you listed uses magnetics to operate (ballasts, pumps, powerheads, etc). Each piece you plug in intensifies the field around the tank, driving up eddy currents and making the meter read higher.
Now that said, a meter WILL read when there is a problem, but it may also read when there is no problem. That's why it's important to note that you may have an issue, but the test you are doing can't tell you for sure whether you do or not; a meter reading 0 in your test would definitely indicate no problem, but your reading does not indicate for sure that there IS a problem. Make sense?
I read in your thread title "Electric shock," but you made no mention of it in your post. I assume you didn't actually get a shock from the water... eddy currents will NEVER cause a shock. If you are getting a shock, then you have a problem, no matter what your meter says.
The way to deal with this problem is to use both a GFI and a grounding probe. A GFI will not respond to eddy currents, but it will trip in the event of a true fault condition in the tank. So if you already have a GFI, then add a grounding probe. If the GFI holds, you have no issue. If it trips, you've got a problem.
Second, it makes no difference whether the red probe or black probe goes in ground versus the tank. It's alternating current, which is polarity independant.
Third, it's all moot because you cannot test for stray voltage with a multimeter. This "test" is a very commonly perpetuated misconceptions surrounding the whole "stray voltage" hysteria. The voltage you are reading is almost definitely caused by eddy currents. Eddy currents are induced in any conductor (saltwater in this case) when in the presence of a magnetic field (lighting ballast, motors, etc). That's why each piece of equipment adds a little bit more. Every piece of equipment you listed uses magnetics to operate (ballasts, pumps, powerheads, etc). Each piece you plug in intensifies the field around the tank, driving up eddy currents and making the meter read higher.
Now that said, a meter WILL read when there is a problem, but it may also read when there is no problem. That's why it's important to note that you may have an issue, but the test you are doing can't tell you for sure whether you do or not; a meter reading 0 in your test would definitely indicate no problem, but your reading does not indicate for sure that there IS a problem. Make sense?
I read in your thread title "Electric shock," but you made no mention of it in your post. I assume you didn't actually get a shock from the water... eddy currents will NEVER cause a shock. If you are getting a shock, then you have a problem, no matter what your meter says.
The way to deal with this problem is to use both a GFI and a grounding probe. A GFI will not respond to eddy currents, but it will trip in the event of a true fault condition in the tank. So if you already have a GFI, then add a grounding probe. If the GFI holds, you have no issue. If it trips, you've got a problem.
scsinet
Active Member
Originally Posted by salty blues
http:///forum/post/2506185
set a typical meter on it's lowest range and hold a lead in each hand. You should read a very small voltage. Now, set the range higher and you probably will not see the same reading.
Another great example of eddy currents.
http:///forum/post/2506185
set a typical meter on it's lowest range and hold a lead in each hand. You should read a very small voltage. Now, set the range higher and you probably will not see the same reading.
Another great example of eddy currents.
flricordia
Active Member
Don't know if this has anything to do with this situation, but I contacted pinpoint (American Marine) because my ph monitor goes crazy when I have the lights on and they told me that electronic ballasts will sometimes cause interferance with other digital reading devises giving false readings. When I turn the lighting off everything settles down and I get accurate readings. Maybe try a needle type voltage detector.
natclanwy
Active Member
Did not know that saltwater was a good enough conductor to generate more than a few millivolts from eddy currents so thats good to know I may have to test my tank and maybe install a ground probe myself.
Now that I have done a little more research I have to agree with SCSI's statement about the ground probe if you install it and it trips the GFCI you have a real problem but if it doesn't and voltage goes away then it was probably from the eddy currents.
Now that I have done a little more research I have to agree with SCSI's statement about the ground probe if you install it and it trips the GFCI you have a real problem but if it doesn't and voltage goes away then it was probably from the eddy currents.
salty blues
Active Member
Originally Posted by Apos
http:///forum/post/2506448
I think I see your problem: in the second and third picture in your first post, it seems you have a devlied egg half sitting right in the front in the tank on the sand. Deviled eggs added to a tank can slowly kill the fish. A common mistake, but easy to correct.
That must be it!!!
http:///forum/post/2506448
I think I see your problem: in the second and third picture in your first post, it seems you have a devlied egg half sitting right in the front in the tank on the sand. Deviled eggs added to a tank can slowly kill the fish. A common mistake, but easy to correct.
That must be it!!!
metweezer
Active Member
Originally Posted by Apos
http:///forum/post/2506448
I think I see your problem: in the second and third picture in your first post, it seems you have a devlied egg half sitting right in the front in the tank on the sand. Deviled eggs added to a tank can slowly kill the fish. A common mistake, but easy to correct.
Case Closed! You the man
bellanavis
Active Member
I had this problem in the 125, could not figure it out for the longest time, it turned out to be the timers we were using.
patrickwebb
Member
Originally Posted by Apos
http:///forum/post/2506448
I think I see your problem: in the second and third picture in your first post, it seems you have a devlied egg half sitting right in the front in the tank on the sand. Deviled eggs added to a tank can slowly kill the fish. A common mistake, but easy to correct.
WTF!
that is a shell-but it kinda looks like a half of an egg!
http:///forum/post/2506448
I think I see your problem: in the second and third picture in your first post, it seems you have a devlied egg half sitting right in the front in the tank on the sand. Deviled eggs added to a tank can slowly kill the fish. A common mistake, but easy to correct.
WTF!
that is a shell-but it kinda looks like a half of an egg!
patrickwebb
Member
it does look like one though!