How do YOU ground your tank?

[CyanoMagnet]

Do you guys ground your tanks?

My tank has a short in it. Got a little shock when I touched the water today...

Im measuring the voltage with a multi meter and its deffinetly there.


Any advice?

 

[cdness]

well now that you know it is there... find out what piece of equipment is shorting and get rid of it. Then get the tank on a GFCI circuit to protect yourself

 

[rholguin]

a grounding probe will do but also check to see what is leaking current into your tank.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I have it grounded in two places (sump and tank) and every device is on a GFCI (using about 12 of them on a half dozen different circuits).

 

[CyanoMagnet]

Am I looking for AC or DC current with a multimeter?

 

[MeuserReef]

I have experienced low voltage AC in my tank (34V to be exact) that I have determined to be some sort of induced EMF from the equipment that I have in the tank. If I start unplugging equipment piece-by-piece, the voltage will decrease a few volts at a time until everything is unplugged.

I dont use a ground probe, but I do have GFCI protection on the tank.

 

[CyanoMagnet]

Huge noob question. What is GFIC stand for?

I use these big powerstrips made by belkin, they say protected with a light, is that GFIC?


I also think I have isolated the big problem, but still have some voltage in the tank. My solenoid valve has a short in it.

But I am still reading .05 on DC20 on the multimeter (before it was like .3).

Also, what kind of grounding probes would you reccomend? I am wary of putting some metals in my tank.).

Thank you all in advance.

 

[reefergeorge]

You will need to look at AC voltage.
Don't worry about the probes. As long as you don't leave them in for days you will be fine.

 

[Bri Guy]

Ground Fault Current Interrupter.

Like the outlets in the bathroom, they have a built in "breaker box"

NO tank should be with out one!

 

[CyanoMagnet]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13645189#post13645189 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by reefergeorge
You will need to look at AC voltage.
Don't worry about the probes. As long as you don't leave them in for days you will be fine.

I have found AC voltage as well , which one am I concerned about? AC or DC?

AC voltage seems to be originating from alot of the equipement I have in there. Right now Im measuring it at 200 and I get 3.9 or around that. When I start unplugging instruments one at a time it gets less and less.

Most of it is coming from the PH controller and a few pumps.
Well what do you guys think?

I rent so how do I tell if I have GFIC installed or not. THe place has breakers (is that gfic?) that have flipped off once or twice when the vacuum cleaner was running at the same time as a electric heater.


Do powerstrips have GFCI units included?

 

[cur10u5g30rg3]

If it is GFCI it will be indicated on the breaker or the outlet, you can have either. Ussually there will be a trip switch on the outlet/breaker. You can also purchase GFI power cords. I would not go this route just becaue you are creating more connection to have issue later down the road. Issue such as corrosion.

 

[LobsterOfJustice]

I dont know about you all, but after a while my power cords etc kind of get covered in a gross salty dust. I was measuring some current in my tank a few weeks back, I took all the electrical equipment out of the tank and rinsed it off, most importantly the plugs and cords, and wiped down all the power strips, the reading went away.

 

[CyanoMagnet]

So going back to my original question about grounding the tank water, what kind of metal should I use to ground the tank water?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

So going back to my original question about grounding the tank water, what kind of metal should I use to ground the tank water?

Titanium is pretty popular, and is what I use (IIRC, I bought them 13 years ago). Here's one:

http://www.esvco.com/prod4.html

 

[Michael]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13644369#post13644369 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Randy Holmes-Farley
I have it grounded in two places (sump and tank) and every device is on a GFCI (using about 12 of them on a half dozen different circuits).

perfect reply, exactly what should be done, this is the perfect way, i use to just ground the tank, then bertoni mentioned the sump as well and suggested it was the way to go, i now do the same, the only thing i would suggest is to ground them together, as for multiple gfci s, theres no doubt its the best way to do it it stops nusience tripping and ensures the system still runs if 1 trips under fault conditions