Ocean View
Premium Member
OK
what are the Con's to grounding probes?
I have one in my tank but maybe that's not such a great ideal.
what are the Con's to grounding probes?
I have one in my tank but maybe that's not such a great ideal.
Grounding probes
- Thread starter Ocean View
- Start date
reef-man_d-man
Premium Member
Basically it gives the not so harmful voltage in the tank a direct exit causing some higher levels at and near the probe.
Ocean View
Premium Member
Thanks John I hope Dawayne can find the article. I'd like to read it.
Greg could I get you to expound on that a little more?
Greg could I get you to expound on that a little more?
capncapo
New member
Electricity has to have a complete circuit in order to harm anything.
You can touch any single electrically charged wire and nothing will happen to you UNTIL you give it a ground. If the path to ground happens to be through your body then you will get shocked.
The same principal applies to your tank. Grounding probes give voltage that path which make your tank part of the circuit. Voltage will travel through your tank as long as the source is turned on UNLESS it trips a breaker or GFCI. If there is a chance that you could lose power due to something tripping, why bother?
Voltage constantly running through your tank can't be good for its inhabitants either.
You can touch any single electrically charged wire and nothing will happen to you UNTIL you give it a ground. If the path to ground happens to be through your body then you will get shocked.
The same principal applies to your tank. Grounding probes give voltage that path which make your tank part of the circuit. Voltage will travel through your tank as long as the source is turned on UNLESS it trips a breaker or GFCI. If there is a chance that you could lose power due to something tripping, why bother?
Voltage constantly running through your tank can't be good for its inhabitants either.
achillestang2002
Member
Can't find the article but will keep looking. The summary is basically what everyone is saying - you are providing a ground source to the tank providing an exit. The article was excellent and I will keep looking - hopefully I didn't delete it when cleaning out my email.
Ocean View
Premium Member
Greg
Thanks for the additional info.
Thanks for the additional info.
logiktest
New member
Here is a short article from BeanAnimal's site.
GROUND PROBES
A grounding probe is a piece of metal (silver or titanium, to be reef safe) that connects the system's water to the home's electrical grounding conductor. Grounding probes are somewhat controversial in the hobby. The probe adds a degree of protection against electrical shock but at the same time may allow current to flow through the aquarium and its inhabitants. The following examples will help to illustrate the concepts presented here. When a person comes in contact with the water AND the ground
Example #1: A powerhead in the tank develops a hole in the insulation of the HOT wire. The powerhead is not plugged into a GFCI and there is no grounding probe. Because there is no path for current to flow, the powerhead operates normally. Nothing in the aquarium is exposed to current flow. When a person comes in contact with the water AND the ground, then current will start to flow through that person. Because there is no GFCI to sense the imbalance, the person will receive a serious electrical shock and possibly be electrocuted! It should be very clear that a GFCI is a MUST HAVE piece of safety equipment!
Example #2: A powerhead in the tank develops a hole in the insulation of the HOT wire. The powerhead is not plugged into a GFCI and there is a ground probe. Because there is a path for current to flow, the inhabitants of the tank are exposed to electric current. Furthermore, when a person comes in contact with the water AND the ground, then current will start to flow through that person. Because there is no GFCI to sense the imbalance, the person will receive a serious electrical shock and possibly be electrocuted! It should be very clear that a grounding probe used WITHOUT a GFCI is very dangerous proposition.
Example #3: A powerhead in the tank develops a hole in the insulation of the HOT wire. The powerhead is plugged into a GFCI but there is no grounding probe. Because there is no path for the current to take, no current flows and the pump operates normally. Nothing in the aquarium is exposed to current flow. When a person comes in contact with the water AND the ground, then current will start flow through that person. The GFCI will sense the leak and trip, preventing serious electric shock.
Example #4: A powerhead in the tank develops a hole in the insulation of the HOT wire. The powerhead is plugged into a GFCI and there IS a grounding probe. As soon as the HOT wire is exposed, current will begin to flow through the tank water to the grounding probe. The GFCI will register this leak and trip.
There are plenty of other scenarios to look at. What happens when both the HOT and NEUTRAL (or ground) of a piece of equipment are both exposed underwater? With or without a GFCI, current will flow locally from the HOT to the NEUTRAL (or ground). The GFCI (if in place) will NOT trip because there is no current imbalance. The tanks inhabitants will not likely be aware of the current flow either. Placing a hand in the tank could provide a nasty shock! A grounding probe in conjunction with a GFCI would prevent this by causing the current to flow to the probe, and thus tripping the GFCI. The same holds true if two different pieces of equipment develop small leaks, one HOT and the other Neutral. The probe and GFCI combination would allow current to flow to the probe, subsequently causing the GFCI to trip.
Using a ground probe without GFCI protection on all of the submerged (or exposed) equipment creates a dangerous situation for the tank's inhabitants and humans exposed to that tank. A ground probe must always be used with GFCI protection!
GROUND PROBES
A grounding probe is a piece of metal (silver or titanium, to be reef safe) that connects the system's water to the home's electrical grounding conductor. Grounding probes are somewhat controversial in the hobby. The probe adds a degree of protection against electrical shock but at the same time may allow current to flow through the aquarium and its inhabitants. The following examples will help to illustrate the concepts presented here. When a person comes in contact with the water AND the ground
Example #1: A powerhead in the tank develops a hole in the insulation of the HOT wire. The powerhead is not plugged into a GFCI and there is no grounding probe. Because there is no path for current to flow, the powerhead operates normally. Nothing in the aquarium is exposed to current flow. When a person comes in contact with the water AND the ground, then current will start to flow through that person. Because there is no GFCI to sense the imbalance, the person will receive a serious electrical shock and possibly be electrocuted! It should be very clear that a GFCI is a MUST HAVE piece of safety equipment!
Example #2: A powerhead in the tank develops a hole in the insulation of the HOT wire. The powerhead is not plugged into a GFCI and there is a ground probe. Because there is a path for current to flow, the inhabitants of the tank are exposed to electric current. Furthermore, when a person comes in contact with the water AND the ground, then current will start to flow through that person. Because there is no GFCI to sense the imbalance, the person will receive a serious electrical shock and possibly be electrocuted! It should be very clear that a grounding probe used WITHOUT a GFCI is very dangerous proposition.
Example #3: A powerhead in the tank develops a hole in the insulation of the HOT wire. The powerhead is plugged into a GFCI but there is no grounding probe. Because there is no path for the current to take, no current flows and the pump operates normally. Nothing in the aquarium is exposed to current flow. When a person comes in contact with the water AND the ground, then current will start flow through that person. The GFCI will sense the leak and trip, preventing serious electric shock.
Example #4: A powerhead in the tank develops a hole in the insulation of the HOT wire. The powerhead is plugged into a GFCI and there IS a grounding probe. As soon as the HOT wire is exposed, current will begin to flow through the tank water to the grounding probe. The GFCI will register this leak and trip.
There are plenty of other scenarios to look at. What happens when both the HOT and NEUTRAL (or ground) of a piece of equipment are both exposed underwater? With or without a GFCI, current will flow locally from the HOT to the NEUTRAL (or ground). The GFCI (if in place) will NOT trip because there is no current imbalance. The tanks inhabitants will not likely be aware of the current flow either. Placing a hand in the tank could provide a nasty shock! A grounding probe in conjunction with a GFCI would prevent this by causing the current to flow to the probe, and thus tripping the GFCI. The same holds true if two different pieces of equipment develop small leaks, one HOT and the other Neutral. The probe and GFCI combination would allow current to flow to the probe, subsequently causing the GFCI to trip.
Using a ground probe without GFCI protection on all of the submerged (or exposed) equipment creates a dangerous situation for the tank's inhabitants and humans exposed to that tank. A ground probe must always be used with GFCI protection!
Ocean View
Premium Member
Very informative.
Thanks Mike
Thanks Mike
Ocean View
Premium Member
Dawayne
Were you able to find the article.
If not just a brief description of the cons will work.
Were you able to find the article.
If not just a brief description of the cons will work.
Well I was planning on a GFCIs in the room, now i think I need a probe. Can it be in the sump or must it be in the display?
