electric current zapping me?

MacDime

MacDime

New member
When I touch equipment on my tanks sometimes I feel an electric zap. Life if I touch the chain that the lights are hanging from or the needle valve on my calcium reactor I can feel it. Even the black plastic around the 125 gallon. Whats up with this?
 
I'm no electrician and I'm sure there is an easier/safer way to do in lieu of any other suggestions, you can try to isolate the problem by unplugging one piece of gear at a time and seeing who the culprit is once you don't get zapped anymore.

Again, I'm no electrician and safety is paramount so try that only as a last resort lol... Good luck.
 
Check your power heads and or heaters. I have a cheap power head that does this to me that I use to mix saltwater
 
Unplug your equipment one at a time and test the stray voltage in the tank with a multimeter (make sure you clean the tips afterwards or you will screw your tips).

Also helpful to unplug everything and see what your baseline reading is.
 
This sounds like a silly response, and I don't mean to be insulting, but the plastic will not conduct current. It will, however, retain dry salt.
If you have any minor cuts (unseen) on your hand, or if your nails are bitten or cut short, and you contact salt, it feels like a small shock.
I was sanding, then realized I was getting shocked from my tank later in the day. After unplugging everything I was still getting small occasional shock.
Used a meter the next day, voltage was within reason. Still getting a small occasional shock.
Then realized I wasn't getting shocked if I put fingers from my left hand in the tank. I had been sanding with the right hand, without a glove, and the skin was a bit raw.
Probably not your situation, but would hate to see you go nuts for no reason.
Simple test - stick your other hand in and see what happens.
:)
 
Stray voltage. Check your heaters. They also sell ground probes that you stick in the water and then tie them to the ground screw on your power outlet. They are more of a fail safe though. I'd do as suggested, unplug everything, and plug in 1 at a time to find the culprit.
 
MacDime said:
When I touch equipment on my tanks sometimes I feel an electric zap. Life if I touch the chain that the lights are hanging from or the needle valve on my calcium reactor I can feel it. Even the black plastic around the 125 gallon. Whats up with this?
Click to expand...

This is going to sound rediculous...but do you have any cuts on your fingers or hand?

I had a hangnail once and every time I put my hand in the water it stung like I as being shocked. I was convinced I had an electrical leak somewhere. Turns out it was just the hangnail.

Could something similar be happening to you? Try wearing some latex gloves and immersing yourself up to your forearms, if you still feel the shock in the forearms then I'd be more inclined to think you are leaking electricity somewhere. If not, then I bet a small cut or something that you can see is making you feel like you are being shocked. Also you could have numerous people touch and see if they feel the same "shock". Inspect your hands and fingers. Sometimes it might not even be visible.
 
I wouldn't recommend a grounding probe.

Voltage will only shock you if it can go to ground. Without a grounding probe, the stray voltage is doing your inhabitants (and equipment) no harm. As soon as you put a grounding probe in your tank, everything in your tank will start to get little shocks from the voltage going to ground.

Find the cause don't treat the symptom.

DC pumps can sometimes put small amounts of stray current into the tank from the brushless motors so take this into account when testing with your multimeter.
 
Bent said:
This is going to sound rediculous...but do you have any cuts on your fingers or hand?

I had a hangnail once and every time I put my hand in the water it stung like I as being shocked. I was convinced I had an electrical leak somewhere. Turns out it was just the hangnail.

Could something similar be happening to you? Try wearing some latex gloves and immersing yourself up to your forearms, if you still feel the shock in the forearms then I'd be more inclined to think you are leaking electricity somewhere. If not, then I bet a small cut or something that you can see is making you feel like you are being shocked. Also you could have numerous people touch and see if they feel the same "shock". Inspect your hands and fingers. Sometimes it might not even be visible.
Click to expand...

I have no cuts or anything. My hands are in good shape. You can feel the electricity when you touch the plastic trim or the PVC plumbing. Im not the only one who can feel it either
 
jason2459 said:
I would never use a grounding probe myself. It's a band aide and doesn't fix the problem. Plus, it's possible it could harm any life in the tank.

AFCI and GFCI is where it's at. Here's a good post breaking down different scenarios and what different outcomes will happen depending on the setup of different kinds of outlets and probes.

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?p=23871183&highlight=afci#post23871183
Click to expand...

well, now im terrified to touch my tank. lol
Tomorrow I will get the voltage meter out and see what is leaking
 
Voltage meter will not help since most tanks have voltage. The current is what is shocking you, and can kill you. I have tested tanks with 1 to 120 volts, the tank that contained 2 volts shocked just as bad as the one containing 120v. The best way to test your equipment is to fill a bucket of water half way, place each piece of equipment including any part of the cord that gets submersed in the bucket one at a time. Plug the equipment into a GFCI receptacle, and then drop in a grounding probe. Remember a GFCi trips from 4 to 6 milliamps. So if it is under that you can still feel a slight shock, but it will not trip the GFCI.
 
I just had this happen, and I happen to have a cut on my finger. Completely different feeling being shocked and having salt tingle your wound. It ended up being a maxijet 1200.. Once removed, the shock was gone for good. GFCI and Grounding probe is what I would recommend plus removing the bad equipment..
 
Can someone explain to me how something can bleed electricity and not trip the breaker. Is the resistance in the water just not enough?
 
alton said:
Voltage meter will not help since most tanks have voltage. The current is what is shocking you, and can kill you. I have tested tanks with 1 to 120 volts, the tank that contained 2 volts shocked just as bad as the one containing 120v. The best way to test your equipment is to fill a bucket of water half way, place each piece of equipment including any part of the cord that gets submersed in the bucket one at a time. Plug the equipment into a GFCI receptacle, and then drop in a grounding probe. Remember a GFCi trips from 4 to 6 milliamps. So if it is under that you can still feel a slight shock, but it will not trip the GFCI.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the input. I dont think we can do this. This is a decent sized fragging operation with alooottt of stuff plugged in throughout the place.
 
MacDime said:
I have no cuts or anything. My hands are in good shape. You can feel the electricity when you touch the plastic trim or the PVC plumbing. Im not the only one who can feel it either
Click to expand...

Again, as others have said, this is impossible. Plastic simply does not conduct electricity. Are you sure this isn't a high frequency vibration? Are you possibly touching another part of the tank that is wet when you touch these plastic parts?
 
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