I am getting a small shock when I put my hands in my tank.
- Thread starter puffer32
- Start date
J
jcrim
Guest
There is probably electricity going through the tank. It will generally not harm fish, I believe it could hurt corals. Check all equipment and power sources.
howieumd
Member
The same thing happened to me the other day. Check your heater, that's what mine was. There was a big crack in it and I was pretty much getting electricuted when I stuck my hand in the water. I stuck it in once, got shocked, went to put it in again, realized something must have been broke, shut off the power, looked at the heater, it was cracked, took it out, than everything was fine. Not sure how it cracked, but it's already been replaced.
squidd
Active Member
Electricity in a tank is not funny and can be dangerous, if not deadly...
First make sure all you equipment is protected with a GFCI (ground fault circut interupter)
Then get a volt meter, place one end in the tank and the other to a "known good ground" ...then unplug one piece of equipment at a time to determine the offending peice(s)...repair or replace...
You can "then" add a grounding probe to eliminate any stray voltage you may have remaining from inductance...
First make sure all you equipment is protected with a GFCI (ground fault circut interupter)
Then get a volt meter, place one end in the tank and the other to a "known good ground" ...then unplug one piece of equipment at a time to determine the offending peice(s)...repair or replace...
You can "then" add a grounding probe to eliminate any stray voltage you may have remaining from inductance...
ophiura
Active Member
SQUIDD!!!
Hey, do you have any ideas on the "OK" amount of stray voltage in a tank? I found 1.2v, removed a RIO and powerhead and now it is about .5, but pretty much everything had some minimal reading. I've seen reports of people finding 20+ but no lower "basically average" reading. But I have looked a lot and can't find anything on what levels may seem to impact health of anything. And then there is a group that would argue putting a ground probe in is dangerous. Anyway, I find all of this quite confusing.
Hey, do you have any ideas on the "OK" amount of stray voltage in a tank? I found 1.2v, removed a RIO and powerhead and now it is about .5, but pretty much everything had some minimal reading. I've seen reports of people finding 20+ but no lower "basically average" reading. But I have looked a lot and can't find anything on what levels may seem to impact health of anything. And then there is a group that would argue putting a ground probe in is dangerous. Anyway, I find all of this quite confusing.
squidd
Active Member
Go down to the Ocean...stick one end of your volt meter in and the other to a "known good ground".. .
Thats how much voltage is "OK" in your tank...
(Hint: you'll get a 0 reading)
When I felt my first "shock" I had 14v in my tank ...my buddy had 70v...(before fixing) ..but you would only feel it if you "became" the ground...(wet floor, stocking/bare feet, touching the light fixtures) with your hand in the water...
This is where the GFCI is your "FIRST" line of defence...At the "Instant" a voltage surge is felt it should trip and keep you from getting a potentially dangerous shock...shutting the entire circut down...Make sure it's installed and grounded properly
Then the "voltmeter test"...eliminating/repairing the offending pieces...
Then you may still find "tiny" ammounts of "stray" voltage (electromagnetic inductance as opposed to a direct "short" or "fault") those readings are generally in the <1v range... These are the ones I believe are the cause of (or contribute to) HLLE and stress related illness in fish...a grounding probe will draw them off...
Without getting too far off track the "stray voltage" the fish are subject to is "similar" to the problems people have living too close to High Voltage power Lines...
Again the GFCI is the first line of defence and any surge felt (short or fault) whether grounding through you or the grounding probe will shut the system down...
Use both...or at least the GFCI...
Thats how much voltage is "OK" in your tank...
(Hint: you'll get a 0 reading)When I felt my first "shock" I had 14v in my tank ...my buddy had 70v...(before fixing) ..but you would only feel it if you "became" the ground...(wet floor, stocking/bare feet, touching the light fixtures) with your hand in the water...
This is where the GFCI is your "FIRST" line of defence...At the "Instant" a voltage surge is felt it should trip and keep you from getting a potentially dangerous shock...shutting the entire circut down...Make sure it's installed and grounded properly
Then the "voltmeter test"...eliminating/repairing the offending pieces...
Then you may still find "tiny" ammounts of "stray" voltage (electromagnetic inductance as opposed to a direct "short" or "fault") those readings are generally in the <1v range... These are the ones I believe are the cause of (or contribute to) HLLE and stress related illness in fish...a grounding probe will draw them off...
Without getting too far off track the "stray voltage" the fish are subject to is "similar" to the problems people have living too close to High Voltage power Lines...
Again the GFCI is the first line of defence and any surge felt (short or fault) whether grounding through you or the grounding probe will shut the system down...
Use both...or at least the GFCI...
ophiura
Active Member
Originally Posted by Squidd
Oh..and if you think "Grounding probes" are dangerous...
Ask your electriction to remove the ones on your house...(they are outside, by the electric meter)
See how far "that" gets you...
LOL...What I don't understand is why there is a group so strongly opposed to the idea. I have heard problems but they all seem to follow this pattern:
Took out and was holding probe to clean algae
Put hand/pad into water to get wet to wip algae off
ZAP
Which essentially means that the ground probe is working, and there is voltage in the tank, no?
I am definitely not one to rule out stray voltage in a tank as being a cause of stress and disease, but I am surprised to see to pretty "polarized" camps on the issue :notsure:
Oh..and if you think "Grounding probes" are dangerous...
Ask your electriction to remove the ones on your house...(they are outside, by the electric meter)
See how far "that" gets you...
LOL...What I don't understand is why there is a group so strongly opposed to the idea. I have heard problems but they all seem to follow this pattern:
Took out and was holding probe to clean algae
Put hand/pad into water to get wet to wip algae off
ZAP
Which essentially means that the ground probe is working, and there is voltage in the tank, no?
I am definitely not one to rule out stray voltage in a tank as being a cause of stress and disease, but I am surprised to see to pretty "polarized" camps on the issue :notsure:
jttenpro
Member
Will a a 5 outlet GFCI shock buster that plugs directly into the wall receptacle work just as well as changing the wall receptacle and replacing w/GFCI. I purchased one the other day and thought maybe I should have just replaced the whole outlet w/a GFCI unit.
Squid, if your there
Squid, if your there
hispaniola
Member
Hi.
If I connect a 6 outlet line/extension to the GCFI, will everything connected through the outlets be protected? I just want to be sure.
Thanks.
If I connect a 6 outlet line/extension to the GCFI, will everything connected through the outlets be protected? I just want to be sure.
Thanks.
squidd
Active Member
Originally Posted by ophiura
...Took out and was holding probe to clean algae
Put hand/pad into water to get wet to wip algae off
ZAP
Which essentially means that the ground probe is working, and there is voltage in the tank, no?
Yep... AND they missd the first two steps...
1. A GFCI would have "trippped" and prevented the zapping...
2. Checking with voltmeter and fixing eliminating shorts and faults would have prevented the zapping...
3. The ground probe is there to pick up stray (low) voltage...
Misuse promoting misinformation...
...Took out and was holding probe to clean algae
Put hand/pad into water to get wet to wip algae off
ZAP
Which essentially means that the ground probe is working, and there is voltage in the tank, no?
Yep... AND they missd the first two steps...
1. A GFCI would have "trippped" and prevented the zapping...
2. Checking with voltmeter and fixing eliminating shorts and faults would have prevented the zapping...
3. The ground probe is there to pick up stray (low) voltage...
Misuse promoting misinformation...
squidd
Active Member
Originally Posted by jttenpro
Will a a 5 outlet GFCI shock buster that plugs directly into the wall receptacle work just as well as changing the wall receptacle and replacing w/GFCI.
Yes..."IF" you actually purchased a multi-outlet GFCI (they do make them) and NOT a "Surge Protector"...which is a whole different animal and will not protect you...
And as the madd1 said...make sure your outlet is properly grounded...
Will a a 5 outlet GFCI shock buster that plugs directly into the wall receptacle work just as well as changing the wall receptacle and replacing w/GFCI.
Yes..."IF" you actually purchased a multi-outlet GFCI (they do make them) and NOT a "Surge Protector"...which is a whole different animal and will not protect you...
And as the madd1 said...make sure your outlet is properly grounded...
squidd
Active Member
Originally Posted by Hispaniola
Hi.
If I connect a 6 outlet line/extension to the GCFI, will everything connected through the outlets be protected? I just want to be sure.
Thanks.
Yes...everything "downline" of the GFCI will be subject to the GFCI and trip the circut if there is a problem...
Hi.
If I connect a 6 outlet line/extension to the GCFI, will everything connected through the outlets be protected? I just want to be sure.
Thanks.
Yes...everything "downline" of the GFCI will be subject to the GFCI and trip the circut if there is a problem...