stray voltage
- Thread starter shiby1510
- Start date
h2o_wizard
Member
You could have a loose ground in your lighting somewhere which could cause you too fell it while your hands are in the water. Basically you are the ground when that happens. The GFCI is a good idea plus you can use a ground probe to help control the problem. HTH
globaldesigns
Member
I would put the grounding probe in the dt
h2o_wizard
Member
Some smaller electronics devices you an internal ground. Just make sure you don't have salt creep building up on them. Electricity could track through the damp deposits but not always the case. The probe would work in either place. I used mine in the dt cause the stray voltage will effect your fish and other inhabitants.
h2o_wizard
Member
There shouldn't be any stray voltage from your lights unless it has some contact with the water. The probe will help if any of your equipment has some stray volatage leaking from it. It won't cause a shock because it only uses the ground portion of your electrical outlet. As long as you don't see any stress in your fish or have snails starting to die for no reason you probably don't but the best way to find out is to use a volt meter and check for it.
ibew41
Active Member
Originally Posted by shiby1510
http:///forum/post/2618412
my fans and leds have no ground... just red and black... could this be it?
also... if i put a grounding probe in the sump would that also work for the dt?
yes the ground probe will work if it is in the sump,and are the leds and fans dc?
http:///forum/post/2618412
my fans and leds have no ground... just red and black... could this be it?
also... if i put a grounding probe in the sump would that also work for the dt?
yes the ground probe will work if it is in the sump,and are the leds and fans dc?
wattsupdoc
Active Member
Is it ONLY when the lights are on? If so it's probably an issue with the lights. BUT, if there is no equipment in the system that has contact between the water and any conductive material, like metal , then it's likely it's something else. Could be a powerhead's seal is broken and water is entering it, could be a defective heater, these things may not be apparent to the eye. If it's another piece of equipment it could be the light is giving you the ground and that's why you get zapped. Regardless, immediately do an inspection of all equipment. Look for cracks, cuts, loose connections. Also, you should have all metal parts that are capable of being energized grounded. You definitely have an issue somewhere that needs attention. Get one of the plug in type GFCI's and star plugging equipment in IF something trips it, either repair it properly, or stop using it. Heaters, I have found are notorious for this. Putting the rod in the sump would be fine, but I wouldn't recommend the rod WITHOUT the GFI.
gmann1139
Active Member
Heaters and PH are the #1 and #2 sources of stray voltage. Throw a meter in there on AC, unplug it 1 by 1, and see if you can find it.
Don't put the grounding probe in until you find the source of the problem, b/c you'll just be covering up the problem, not making it go away.
Don't put the grounding probe in until you find the source of the problem, b/c you'll just be covering up the problem, not making it go away.
scsinet
Active Member
Originally Posted by wattsupdoc
http:///forum/post/2619218
I wouldn't recommend the rod WITHOUT the GFI.
Finally, someone who gets it!
http:///forum/post/2619218
I wouldn't recommend the rod WITHOUT the GFI.
Finally, someone who gets it!
scsinet
Active Member
Originally Posted by shiby1510
http:///forum/post/2618390
So I noticed that when my lights are on and I rub my arm against it while my hand is in the water I get zapped by electricity. Is this voltage getting into the tank when I'm not facilitating it? Is this normal? Any way to fix this? I know about a GFCI it's being installed soon.
The lights aren't the problem.
The lights have a grounded reflector. The water has become energized from a piece of failed equipment in the water. When you touch the water and the grounded reflector, the current finds a path through you to the grounded reflector, causing a shock. This is called a Ground Fault, and it is exactly the type of situation a GFI is designed to protect.
Don't bother trying to test with meters, it won't give anything resembling accurate measurements for a number of technical reasons I won't bore you with. First step, get a GFI on your tanks' equipment. Second step, place a grounding probe in the tank. The GFI should trip the moment a connected grounding probe is dunked into the water. Unplug all equipment from the GFI, reset it, leave the probe in the water, then plug one thing in at a time until you find the one that trips it. That's the quickest, easiest way to find the problem, and you'll have a safe, well protected tank when you are done!
In all likelihood, it will be a submersible piece of equipment. My recommendation is to discard whatever it is, do not try to repair a faulty submersible piece of equipment. Once the factory seal goes, there is no safe way to repair it yourself.
http:///forum/post/2618390
So I noticed that when my lights are on and I rub my arm against it while my hand is in the water I get zapped by electricity. Is this voltage getting into the tank when I'm not facilitating it? Is this normal? Any way to fix this? I know about a GFCI it's being installed soon.
The lights aren't the problem.
The lights have a grounded reflector. The water has become energized from a piece of failed equipment in the water. When you touch the water and the grounded reflector, the current finds a path through you to the grounded reflector, causing a shock. This is called a Ground Fault, and it is exactly the type of situation a GFI is designed to protect.
Don't bother trying to test with meters, it won't give anything resembling accurate measurements for a number of technical reasons I won't bore you with. First step, get a GFI on your tanks' equipment. Second step, place a grounding probe in the tank. The GFI should trip the moment a connected grounding probe is dunked into the water. Unplug all equipment from the GFI, reset it, leave the probe in the water, then plug one thing in at a time until you find the one that trips it. That's the quickest, easiest way to find the problem, and you'll have a safe, well protected tank when you are done!
In all likelihood, it will be a submersible piece of equipment. My recommendation is to discard whatever it is, do not try to repair a faulty submersible piece of equipment. Once the factory seal goes, there is no safe way to repair it yourself.
wattsupdoc
Active Member
Originally Posted by SCSInet
http:///forum/post/2619494
The lights aren't the problem.
The lights have a grounded reflector. The water has become energized from a piece of failed equipment in the water. When you touch the water and the grounded reflector, the current finds a path through you to the grounded reflector, causing a shock. This is called a Ground Fault, and it is exactly the type of situation a GFI is designed to protect.
Don't bother trying to test with meters, it won't give anything resembling accurate measurements for a number of technical reasons I won't bore you with. First step, get a GFI on your tanks' equipment. Second step, place a grounding probe in the tank. The GFI should trip the moment a connected grounding probe is dunked into the water. Unplug all equipment from the GFI, reset it, leave the probe in the water, then plug one thing in at a time until you find the one that trips it. That's the quickest, easiest way to find the problem, and you'll have a safe, well protected tank when you are done!
An analog type meter MIGHT be more accurate, or any kind of meter wich actually requires a load to function....at the voltage that is present that is, prossibly anywhere from 25 to 130v. Who knows exactly whats present though until you test it.
Digitals are really no good for this.
In all likelihood, it will be a submersible piece of equipment. My recommendation is to discard whatever it is, do not try to repair a faulty submersible piece of equipment. Once the factory seal goes, there is no safe way to repair it yourself.
I have succesfully and easy repaired a heater before that lost the seal through the top of the test tube. Not a big deal really, just a rubber stopper inserted into a tube. But I wasnt recomending this necessarily. Pumps, IMO, once the seal has been broken and the windings are exposed to SW will not live much longer anyways. Cords can be properly repaired. Bonds can be remade.
http:///forum/post/2619494
The lights aren't the problem.
The lights have a grounded reflector. The water has become energized from a piece of failed equipment in the water. When you touch the water and the grounded reflector, the current finds a path through you to the grounded reflector, causing a shock. This is called a Ground Fault, and it is exactly the type of situation a GFI is designed to protect.
Don't bother trying to test with meters, it won't give anything resembling accurate measurements for a number of technical reasons I won't bore you with. First step, get a GFI on your tanks' equipment. Second step, place a grounding probe in the tank. The GFI should trip the moment a connected grounding probe is dunked into the water. Unplug all equipment from the GFI, reset it, leave the probe in the water, then plug one thing in at a time until you find the one that trips it. That's the quickest, easiest way to find the problem, and you'll have a safe, well protected tank when you are done!
In all likelihood, it will be a submersible piece of equipment. My recommendation is to discard whatever it is, do not try to repair a faulty submersible piece of equipment. Once the factory seal goes, there is no safe way to repair it yourself.
I have succesfully and easy repaired a heater before that lost the seal through the top of the test tube. Not a big deal really, just a rubber stopper inserted into a tube. But I wasnt recomending this necessarily. Pumps, IMO, once the seal has been broken and the windings are exposed to SW will not live much longer anyways. Cords can be properly repaired. Bonds can be remade.