Electrocution!!!

[goatfish]

This evening I was messing with my tank and buzzz. I got a shock. I just finished cleaning my pumps so I thought maybe I pulled a wire loose. Unplugged them and would still get buzzed. So then I unplugged my lights. Still get buzzed. Basically the only time I don't get shocked is when I unplug everything. I have a grounding probe but obviously that is not working correctly. Does anyone know what this could be. I have had this tank for two years and this has never happened.

 

[marine fanatic]

Did you check your heater?

 

[daniel411]

A grounding plug doesn't really prevent you from getting shocked.
Well, you've removed the lights and powerheads, what else is there?

 

[aquaworld75]

I agree. May be the heater...if it has crack in it or water gets inside the heater it could short out...

 

[goatfish]

I have tried unplugging my heater. I have tried unplugging everything one at a time and still get shocked. Even with everything but my lights unplugged I still get a buzz. Could it be something with my electrical sockets?

 

[thomas712]

You NEED a voltage meter, don't make yourself the voltage meter. These can be bought at lowes. Also check your outlet to see if it is wired correctly, you can get one of those testers at lowes as well. While you are there also get a GFCI outlet.
Don't mess with this, get the voltage meter and then start to unplug your equipment one at a time. Lights can be involved as well if you make the ground to path, I should know I have done that with my cheek when ny hand were in my 55 one day and was tasting my gold crowns for a while.
Don't wind up being sheep number 13
Thomas

 

[goatfish]

For tonoight should everything be ok? I still have everything plugged in at the moment because every thing will die if I leave it unplugged overnight. I can't get the voltage meter this late so I will have to get one tommorrow. Also what should I look for when checking the wiring behind the wall socket. Ground?
Thanks

 

[thomas712]

At this point you don't have to dig into the outlet, I have a three pronged outlet tester, mine is red with the numbers GB-501A, this will test your outlet and tell you with lights how it is wired.
Open ground
Open neutral
Open Hot
Hot/Grd. Reverse
Hot/ neu. reverse
Correct.
This device will show you a schematic on the face of it so that you can see by the three lights how your outlet is wired. Easy. You can test any outlet to see if it is correct in the house and possably save your family by having them all tested.
Thomas

 

[goatfish]

Thanks so much. That sounds like what I need. But I do have a few more questions. The house I am in is an older rent house and I know that some of the sockets do not have ground wires running to them. The sockets that my tank runs have the ground hole in them but if there is no ground wire behind the wall will a GFCI work in its place? Not to sound lazy but I graduate in Dec and will be moving so I would rather not get in to a big rewiring project for this house and really don't want to give my deadbeat landlord the free work (she wounldn't get it worked on if there was fire shooting out of it).
Thanks