Since yesterday night my return pump has started giving off a light electrical current. when i stick my hand in it, it is barley noticeable, but it is noticeable. I have all lps and soft corals, along with several large tangs and some smaller reef fish. I am going to get a new pump, but it probably wont be for atleast afew days. How unhealthy is this for the tank, the fish seem like it doesnt bother them, act normal and were eating. how detrimental is this to the fish and coral and has anyone expereinced this before?
return pump is giving off a current
- Thread starter Kurtneb9
- Start date
Rploaded
New member
UMMM The fact that when you stick your hand in the water you are noticing it means you need to shut it down and fix the problem ASAP. Mostly because at any time it could let lose and you could end up dead! Please let us know it is at least hooked into a GFI?
IMHO you need to stop drop and roll to the store!
PS. The fish are probably not grounded like you are when you have your hand in the tank. Think bird sitting on a high tension line!
IMHO you need to stop drop and roll to the store!
PS. The fish are probably not grounded like you are when you have your hand in the tank. Think bird sitting on a high tension line!
reefergeorge
New member
Wrong forum, but before you go buying anything find out it the pump is really the problem.
The first thing people say to check is voltage, but that is a whole topic on its own. To test that you put one probe from a voltage meter in the tank and the other to something grounded. If you read 90-120 vac I would say you have a bad pump.
There are better ways of testing, but without knowing your comfort level I"ll leave it at that.
Is the pump plugged into a GFCI outlet?
The first thing people say to check is voltage, but that is a whole topic on its own. To test that you put one probe from a voltage meter in the tank and the other to something grounded. If you read 90-120 vac I would say you have a bad pump.
There are better ways of testing, but without knowing your comfort level I"ll leave it at that.
Is the pump plugged into a GFCI outlet?
reefergeorge
New member
double post.
Last edited:
rpjaws74
New member
rpjaws74
New member
+1 I would check all your electrical equipment and look for exposed wires. Start with your older heaters,pumps etc..also have you thought about a ground probe?
ErikS
New member
:crazy1:
Where to even start -
Um, if they were grounded they might just be dead.
You'll need a multimeter, as stated may not be the pump. You need to figure what is causing the problem. Ground the multimeter & check each device as you unplug.
My money is on a heater, they often have issues.
As stated gfci is required, shouldn't run anything around water without it.
Grounding probe? Really.............you want to make a complete circuit in the tank knock yourself out. If you're lucky you won't ever be between the probe & the failed device.
Your livestock will likely be fine - they are isolated................winner, winner, if you had a grounding probe (location depending) they could be dead.
Where to even start -
Um, if they were grounded they might just be dead.
You'll need a multimeter, as stated may not be the pump. You need to figure what is causing the problem. Ground the multimeter & check each device as you unplug.
My money is on a heater, they often have issues.
As stated gfci is required, shouldn't run anything around water without it.
Grounding probe? Really.............you want to make a complete circuit in the tank knock yourself out. If you're lucky you won't ever be between the probe & the failed device.
Your livestock will likely be fine - they are isolated................winner, winner, if you had a grounding probe (location depending) they could be dead.
alton
Well-known member
Take a bad power head that is leaking current into your tank and place it in a bucket of water, plug it into a GFCI and until you place a grounding probe into the water the GFCI will not trip! A GFCI trips on an imbalance of the Ungrounded and Grounded conductors, if there is no path to ground it will wait until you give it that path. GFCI's only work properly with a grounding probe, unless all of your pumps and heaters have three wire cords containing a grounding prong.
reefergeorge
New member
Not true. You become the ground when you reach into the tank, and cause the trip.
Nice first post.
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