Electric shock when touching water and light fixture

[IrishTang]

OK so of all the things we have to learn with this hobby (chemistry, veterinarian husbandry, plumbing, I.T. etc) electrical work is prob my weakest area. I recently restarted the 180 gallon mixed reef after a fire at the office over a year ago.

Today while cleaning the inside acrylic my arm brushed the hanging cable attached to the black box LED and I got a nice little shock. When we rebuilt the clinic I told the boss to make sure there were GFI outlets on BOTH sides of the tank. Of course they only put it on one side... which also happens to be the side with my DJ strip and most of my plugs. The 3 lights are all on one extension cord which is plugged into a timer switch directly on wall outlet. So it is 3 165 watt LED with 2 plugs each to extension cord to outlet with timer. Am I overloading that circuit and getting the feedback through the lights? I dont currently have a grounding probe as I have read mixed reviews about them.

I can touch anywhere else on the light fixture and not get a shock, only the hanging wires. I dont get a shock unless my hand is in the water. I haven't been brave (or stupid) enough to test the other wires. Any help or suggestions is appreciated!

 

[laserjim]

Un plug each device ,one at a time, try each time to see if you get a shock. which ever one is unplugged and you dont get a shock, thats your problem.

 

[IrishTang]

That was my plan for tomorrow....Just not looking forward to the inevitable shock until I find the culprit, however I may be able to get my hands on a voltmeter, just not sure how to use. So if I ONLY get the shock with my hand in the water can I assume it is coming from IN the water? I suspect it is one of the older Sicce Voyager powerheads I am using. I dont currently have a heater on this tank.

 

[luisagos]

There are safer ways to do this.

Buy something like this and plug each equipment to the GFI till it pops the breaker.

Stay safe.

 

[IrishTang]

I was looking into this as well. Thank you.