Stray Voltage

[rgun2515]

Need some help..

Took a voltadge meter and put one lead in the tank and gronded the other. Turns out I have stray voltage. 14.7 volts to be exact. I did this test because I have a small cut on my finger and when i put my hand in I felt the current. Now, In testing, I pulled out every item hooked up to my tank and not one caused the voltage meter to drop more than a volt or two. I pulled out everything and it was at 0. As i pulg items in, it goes up a volt or two with each item.

Should I get a grounding prob? What do/would you do?

 

[NYreefNoob]

get a ground probe, but something is causiing it, did you take each out individually ?

 

[skene]

Now this is me having a curious nature... Are you sure it is voltage you felt on your cut and not the salinity of the water. I am sure that there will be some type of voltage release in the tank, but if you are not feeling it overall through your hand then it's probably not stray. Remember that any electrical device in water will release a small current from radiation more over as water is a conductor. So it maybe more safe to say that if you didn't feel an absolute shock you should be fine.

 

[rgun2515]

get a ground probe, but something is causiing it, did you take each out individually ?

yes. each one. one at a time, and it dropped a volt or two with each. All new equiptment too. no one item is causing it from what i can see. it's a little for each.

 

[rgun2515]

Now this is me having a curious nature... Are you sure it is voltage you felt on your cut and not the salinity of the water. I am sure that there will be some type of voltage release in the tank, but if you are not feeling it overall through your hand then it's probably not stray. Remember that any electrical device in water will release a small current from radiation more over as water is a conductor. So it maybe more safe to say that if you didn't feel an absolute shock you should be fine.

Yes. I don't feel it when everything is unplugged.

 

[skene]

Then everything should be plugged in one by one and see if you feel a shock every time.
I can only see it right now as your voltage meter is picking up electrical interference when you see values dropping.
Something is causing it and the best tester is your body.

 

[rgun2515]

Then everything should be plugged in one by one and see if you feel a shock every time.
I can only see it right now as your voltage meter is picking up electrical interference when you see values dropping.
Something is causing it and the best tester is your body.

Playing around and it's weird...

As soon as the voltage gets oer 12v, i feel it. reguardless what is plugged in. Can your body only feel 12v or higher?

I have gone through everything. no one item causes me to feel the shock. it's a combanation of a number of items.

If i can't figure this out, will a grounding wire prevent all damage to the inhabitants?

 

[rgun2515]

OK. for now, i tied a copper wire around one of my returns and tied the other end to a grounded BX cable. No more shock. No more stray voltage reading on the meter.

 

[Aqua Pro Builder]

Is you return pump external of internal. If internal, then you kknow what I am going to say don't leave the copper wire there. If external, instead of tying the copper wire, get an eletricity probe screw driver. If it lights up when it touches the pump while you press one finger on the top of the screw driver, your pump is having a short. You can also use your voltage meter to test the pump if you know how to.

12V+ is too much voltage differential not to thoroughly investigate.

 

[rgun2515]

The main pump is external. But the skimmer pump, and a number of other pumps and water movers are internal.

I can't find any one device that is causing the problem. It looks like all are contributing a volt or two the the problem.

 

[jab161]

buy a ground probe and be done with it. if you live in a house and have access to your electrical service check to see if there is a ground connected to the water main. if the house is old their is a chance you may have an inadequate ground at the service and stray voltages can be created by anything that is plugged into a receptical throughout the home. these voltages will travel over all of the wires in the system if they are not dissipated through a proper ground. You should also check this for the sake of any electronics you may use (expensive tv's, computers). also you may not feel a small voltage in your hand because of the resistance of your skin but who knows how that feels to fish or coral.

 

[rgun2515]

buy a ground probe and be done with it. if you live in a house and have access to your electrical service check to see if there is a ground connected to the water main. if the house is old their is a chance you may have an inadequate ground at the service and stray voltages can be created by anything that is plugged into a receptical throughout the home. these voltages will travel over all of the wires in the system if they are not dissipated through a proper ground. You should also check this for the sake of any electronics you may use (expensive tv's, computers). also you may not feel a small voltage in your hand because of the resistance of your skin but who knows how that feels to fish or coral.

I think that will be best...

 

[jab161]

i have had a ground probe in for a long time, but you sparked my curiosity so i pulled it out and took a reading with a digital multimeter. 48.23Volts! Thats alot. But with the ground probe it Zero. I'm curious to know how many motors you have running when you get your reading. Right now i have
2 maxi 1200's
1 maxi 600'
1 hydra k ( the biggest one)
little giant return pump
blue line 20 for cal reactor

 

[rgun2515]

i have had a ground probe in for a long time, but you sparked my curiosity so i pulled it out and took a reading with a digital multimeter. 48.23Volts! Thats alot. But with the ground probe it Zero. I'm curious to know how many motors you have running when you get your reading. Right now i have
2 maxi 1200's
1 maxi 600'
1 hydra k ( the biggest one)
little giant return pump
blue line 20 for cal reactor

1 maxi 1800
1 rio 1100
1 mini 600
2 hydra 3's
1 hydra 4
1 little giant return pump
2 powersweepers
2 300w heaters

 

[House of Laughter]

Rudy,

get the powersweeps and the rio out of the tank - they are likely the culprit - then, unplug one by one with the meter in the water.

I keep grounding probes in each system - one in tanks and others in sump (ALL)

for $18, they are the best and cheap for the fix IMO.

LMK how it turns out.

House

 

[mcnuggget]

what exactly could the grounding probes do as to getting rid of the stray current?

 

[rgun2515]

what exactly could the grounding probes do as to getting rid of the stray current?

The grounding probe completes the circuit and allows the voltage to leave the tank. That's why you get a shock when you put your finger in the tank. Because you are gowned and the voltage leaves the tank through you...

 

[rgun2515]

Interesting read...

http://angel-strike.com/aquarium/GroundingProbes.html

 

[charlie1225]

No to Probe

I think the best solution is to find the cause and not mask it with a grounding probe. Ever tried to hold a grounding probe with one hand and place your other hand in the tank? Grounding probes IMO can create a hazardous situation for yourself, money better spent installing a GFI outlet. As much as we'd like our pets to be happy and healthy, I think it's best to look after ourselves first.

 

[reefman]

so u r sayin havin probes will b more dangerous than not havin 1? can u elaborate more on this?