Im getting shocked!

kware

New member
Yup gettin shocked. If im barefooted and I touch the water or anything wet for that matter I'm getting shocked. Is there a way for me to tell what the problem is. I'm assuming I have a piece of equipment going bad but how can I figure out wich one it is without shocking myself.
 
Purchase a voltmeter, use that instead of yourself. Then unplug each piece of equipment until the level drops.
 
unplug one at a time... check heaters in particular. then check powerheads. usually if you can feel the zap its a much higher wattage item.. like a heater or a strong pump thats got some faulty wiring. if i were to put all my eggs in one basket i would drop it in the one that says its the heater though. which could be good news being as its still summer and that heaters are usually cheap to replace.
 
I may have a voltage leak as well and am goi g to check tonight for leaks.
Have you seen any I'll affects on your tank? I read that softies and inverts will start to go first (which is what I am seeing in my tank).
 
I had a skimmer pump leaking 1.3-1.7V and my mushrooms started spitting out their intestines. My zoa's started to melt as well.
 
You wouldn't by chance be touching your light fixture during the whole shocked thing would you?
 
After you eliminate the strong source of stray voltage, install a grounding probe. Even a tiny amount of stray voltage will harm your fish.
 
put a light bulb in your other hand, and keep dipping your hand in the water. and look to see what area makes the bulb the brightest
 
I'm assuming I have a piece of equipment going bad but how can I figure out wich one it is without shocking myself.

Simple!

"Hey Honey! Come on in here and do me a favor will ya?"


(I keeeeeed, I keeeeed!)
 
Oh and im surprise it hasnt been said... Wear rubber soled shoes when you're going this... lol.

Barefoot is a bad idea when playing with water and electricity!

Good luck!
 
If you have a Marineland Stealth heater chances are that is your problem. I was also getting shocked with my tank. Started unplugging things one at a time until I found it was the heater.
 
20 years ago I would get a little surge when I touched my tank. It was the lights. Get a voltmeter like mentioned above.
 
Oh and im surprise it hasnt been said... Wear rubber soled shoes when you're going this... lol.

Barefoot is a bad idea when playing with water and electricity!

Good luck!

^

NEVER set yourself up for full electrocution NEVER

GFI's can fail, a PH can lose its seal. YOU are the groundfault and will take the entire current flow = death

ALWAYS assume your system is hot. then you will never be surprised if something screws up.

your heart doesnt have a reset button like a GFI
 
Thanks for all the good responses guys! All my corals still look good. I do have an auto top off swich (and its been wet a bunch of times) and 3 marine land heaters. Did I also mention that one time my arm was wet and it touched my light and that gave me a good shock too. Also my carpet is wet right next to the tank so when I'm barefoot I make a real good grounding rod.
 
I just went from 80 volts to 1.2 volts by getting rid if 2 heaters. Now I can't figure out what is giving off the 1.2 volts. Should I even worry about it now?
 
Back
Top