Getting zapped occasionally- stray voltage?
- Thread starter vdubfiend
- Start date
jeffbrig
Premium Member
If you're getting zapped when you reach in to the water, there's no need to measure. Your hand has already confirmed voltage in the water.
I'd start unplugging equipment to isolate the cause. If you want to use a meter for this step, you put one probe in the water, and the other to the grounded prong of a power outlet.
I'd start unplugging equipment to isolate the cause. If you want to use a meter for this step, you put one probe in the water, and the other to the grounded prong of a power outlet.
stereomandan
Premium Member
Stick one end in the ground of your outlet, and the other in the tank. If you see an AC voltage there, you have a problem.
Be careful. Do not let your hands touch the water while your doing this in case the voltage is high.
I've been fooled sometimes when I've had a little cut on my hand, it feels like an electric shock when I put my hand in the tank.
Dan
Be careful. Do not let your hands touch the water while your doing this in case the voltage is high.
I've been fooled sometimes when I've had a little cut on my hand, it feels like an electric shock when I put my hand in the tank.
Dan
theop
Active member
If you have built up static electricity when you touch the water, it will discharge (just like if you touch a door knob). This would be a case of you shocking the tank rather than it shocking you.
However, given the risk of stray AC voltage in your tank, I'd be very careful and fully test out what the source may be.
However, given the risk of stray AC voltage in your tank, I'd be very careful and fully test out what the source may be.
LOTUS50GOD
Active member
everyone should run a grounding probe anyway...
Stray voltage cannot be good for the fish.
Stray voltage cannot be good for the fish.
Steven Pro
New member
Try unplugging the heater first. They are the most likely culprits when someone gets zapped.
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its not all the time i get a zap... and if i touched it at any given time if it zapped me it would not zap me again for a minute or so.
i did try and isolate the problem and unplugged eVERYTHING.. individually plugging in items and thought i had it isolated to a pump.... but i couldnt get it to shock me just with the pump running- so back to the drawing board... its been a few weeks now and its not doing it anymore....
funny you mention the cut the hand cause i had reallly short fingernail- and anyway when i touched that to the water it felt like i was getting zapped....
I was under the impression that i titanium grounding probe can introduce voltage to the tank IF there is no voltage currently going through the tank?
Ill pick one of those up if i should be using one-whether or not i have a problem...
THANKS!
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its not all the time i get a zap... and if i touched it at any given time if it zapped me it would not zap me again for a minute or so.
i did try and isolate the problem and unplugged eVERYTHING.. individually plugging in items and thought i had it isolated to a pump.... but i couldnt get it to shock me just with the pump running- so back to the drawing board... its been a few weeks now and its not doing it anymore....
funny you mention the cut the hand cause i had reallly short fingernail- and anyway when i touched that to the water it felt like i was getting zapped....
I was under the impression that i titanium grounding probe can introduce voltage to the tank IF there is no voltage currently going through the tank?
Ill pick one of those up if i should be using one-whether or not i have a problem...
THANKS!
jeffbrig
Premium Member
A grounding probe can't introduce a voltage (it's grounded). It may provide a reference relative to some other voltage source already present in the tank. More importantly, it provides a path for current to flow if the tank is being energized by another voltage source. The flow of electrical current is what's dangerous to you (without a grounding probe) and your tank's inhabitants.
You seem to be using the terms voltage and current interchangeably, when they are actually two very different things. Voltage is a difference in potential between two points. Current measures the actual flow of electricity from one point to another. To visualize the difference, think of a waterfall. The height of the waterfall is analagous to the voltage. The gph of the waterfall is analagous to the current. They're related (Ohm's Law: Voltage = Current*Resistance), but very different things.
< / engineer soapbox >
You seem to be using the terms voltage and current interchangeably, when they are actually two very different things. Voltage is a difference in potential between two points. Current measures the actual flow of electricity from one point to another. To visualize the difference, think of a waterfall. The height of the waterfall is analagous to the voltage. The gph of the waterfall is analagous to the current. They're related (Ohm's Law: Voltage = Current*Resistance), but very different things.
< / engineer soapbox >
yellowtangs
New member
unplugging one item at a time to isolate it is a safe way. What would be a good way to isolate the source without risking a shock?
yellowtangs
New member
op! I mean unplugging one item at a time to isolate the problem is NOT a SAFE way to do.... can someone suggest a safe way to do so without risking shock... any type of test tools etc?
