Stray voltage

[ecam]

Guys i really think i have stray voltage in my tank. Please advise on what i should do.

Funny thing is. when i put my hand in the dt i really feel the jolt. However, when i go into the sump. i feel nothing. but that is where all my wires are.... Please help

 

[mrehfeld]

Turn off your return pump and see if you still get a jolt.

 

[BuGG]

get a titanium grounding probe when you get a chance.

i felt a stray voltage on my tank a couple of months back so i got a probe. it turns out it was a used koralia pump that was causing it because whenever i plugged it in (and the probe was also plugged in), it tripped the gfci outlet.

 

[redfishbluefish]

First off, I won't get a grounding probe....that only protects you and not your fish and tank. The tingle tells you that you have a problem. You wouldn't feel that if you had a grounding probe and the fish would just fry.

Start systematically unplugging stuff that is in you tank....powerheads and whatever, until you no longer feel the tingle. If the tingle is too much, use a VOM....that meter you brought to my house the other day. Put one probe so that it is in the water and the other to a ground. I always just use the middle screw on an outlet plate as the ground. Oh, and set the VOM/Multimeter to measure AC volts (120 volt range). If you are not seeing the "leakage" at 120 volt range of the meter, turn it down to a lower voltage range.

Hope this helps.

Once you identify the "leakage" culprit, beat it with a hammer and buy a new one.

 

[BuGG]

First off, I won't get a grounding probe....that only protects you and not your fish and tank. The tingle tells you that you have a problem. You wouldn't feel that if you had a grounding probe and the fish would just fry.

hey paul, that's really interesting. i would have eventually found the stray if i unplugged and replugged each electrical equipment one by one. i thought the probe would help the livestock too. would the probe be useless if the stray wasn't strong enough and didn't trip my gfci?

 

[ecam]

my first instinct was to get a ground but i remembered part of what paul had said before asbout ground being bad. i just found it. it was one of my heater. funny thing it is i stuck it in my rodi and no jolt back in saltwater and there it was again. i know salt is more conducive but figured i would feel something. all well mystery solved for now.


thanks everyone for the advice

 

[redfishbluefish]

If you have a probe set up properly with GFI or GFCI, it will do the trick. But I'm not a big proponent of GFI around our tanks as well. They trip when you least expect it....when you are away....and now your tank is not running at all....no heat or flow....dead tank!

I'm a "have to feel the tingle" kind of person. For the majority of us who are healthy, no sweat, short of a little tingle in the hands.

If you've got heart problems or wear a pace maker, get the probe with GFI.

 

[NJ Lunatic]

First I would check all your plugs/power strips and the like, then all submersible pumps and heaters.

Not sure I would ever run a tank without a GFCI receptacle.

Ground probes are a good idea when GFCI protection is used, but without GFCI protection it is a bad idea unless you can do a equipotential bond for all motors and anything metallic in the immediate area. GFCI protection is always a good idea (this is the electrical engineer in me talking though).

FYI you do not need a 3 prong plug for a GFCI to detect a potential problem 2 prongs work as well, it just measure the difference in current between the hot leg and the neutral. Submersible pumps always leak voltage and it is a matter of how much, it is just the nature of a motor.

 

[JRWOHLER]

If you have a probe set up properly with GFI or GFCI, it will do the trick. But I'm not a big proponent of GFI around our tanks as well. They trip when you least expect it....when you are away....and now your tank is not running at all....no heat or flow....dead tank!

ARRGGG don't I know that one. I think GFI GFCI are good way to go but I do keep main pump off the GFI and have a battery backup for the WP40. Call it Russian Roulette with only one bullet(return pump).

 

[NJ Lunatic]

ARRGGG don't I know that one. I think GFI GFCI are good way to go but I do keep main pump off the GFI and have a battery backup for the WP40. Call it Russian Roulette with only one bullet(return pump).

I use (2) MP10's on battery backup which at 30% they lasted ~3 days during Sandy. I personally just prefer to have GFCI around water, I have seen enough accidents to not want to play with fire. Also now with the popularity of dc pumps, we are not just considering ac anymore.

 

[downbeach]

Will the GFCI work through the power supply of the DC equipment?

 

[NJ Lunatic]

Will the GFCI work through the power supply of the DC equipment?

Yes and no, line side of the transformer yes and load side no. DC GFI is another topic totally.