riddle on electricution

[wooden_reefer]

Say if a trigger fish chewed up an AC power cord and the hot is exposed to water, what is going to happen?

I think the trigger may have problem but the rest won't.

If another fish is immersed into water with an exposed hot, and the circuit breaker does not trip, I think other fish will not experience difference in potential and no current will pass thru them.

If a hot is exposed and you put your hand inside and underwater but not touching the exposed hot, what is going to happen? I think it depends on whether current can pass thru you. If you wore rubber shoes and no other appenditure will allow flow of current, you will be OK. True?

 

[captsluggo]

WR, I am going out on a limb here, but WTH.
For current to flow, yes a circuit has to be completed.
The hypothetical trigger fish would be in trouble if it chewed through both hot and neutral, or ground, hence completing the circuit with it's lips.:furious:
As far as you and your appendages not being in contact with any means of completing a circuit, the same applies.
All of this is fine in theory, just don't test the theory with line voltage.
Once there is a voltage potential in the tank, all occupants, including your hand, will be at roughly the same potential.
A standard circuit breaker likely won't trip, even as you are uncontrollably spasming during the electrocution.:thumbdown
All of this is why Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter devices are so important to use when water is nearby.
If you even think there is a potential stray voltage, most definitely disconnect the devices from the power source before touching anything.
Rubber shoes, fiberglas ladders, hot gloves, etc. are all fine and dandy, until something as simple as perspiration decides to complete a circuit.
A simple volt meter, properly connected, should tell whether there is potential hazard.
Captsluggo

 

[bag151]

First nothing will happen until their is a ground loop formed. Your fish will keep on swimming and all will be well until you come along and stick your hand in the tank for a nice shock. The fish and inhabitants of the tank are not acting as a ground because the current is passing through them and their is no potential drop across them. Just like when power workers touch hot power lines suspended from helicopters or in insulated buckets, their is a closed circuit formed but their isn't any potential drop across their bodies because they aren't grounded. Your trigger fish would be fine unless he happens to bite through the ground lead at the same time in which he would be toast or their was some other form of ground for the electricity to pass though.

If the hot is exposed and you touch any of the water you will be the ground loop and you will get electrocuted and your inhabitants would be fine.

If the hot is exposed and you have a GFCI when you touch the water the GFCI would trip from the load imbalance.

If you touch the water and the Hot and Ground are exposed and you have a GFCI you will still get shocked because the GFCI monitors the hot and the ground lead and the amount of current each draw. If both are exposed and you stick your hand in their it will sense a equal load and still shock you. This is why you need a grounding probe in addition to a GFCI and not one without the other. Esp the Grounding probe without the GFCI. If you have a GFCI and a ground probe as soon as the hot is exposed the breaker will trip.

Dry rubber is a good insulator and can protect you from electrocution, it all depends on how resistive the rubber in your shoes is and amount voltage you are dealing with. Also you are assuming no other form of contact is being made besides your shoes. If they are wet as they normally are when we are working in our tanks then you might be SOL.

 

[bag151]

First nothing will happen until their is a ground loop formed. Your fish will keep on swimming and all will be well until you come along and stick your hand in the tank for a nice shock. The fish and inhabitants of the tank are not acting as a ground because the current is passing through them and their is no potential drop across them. Just like when power workers touch hot power lines suspended from helicopters or in insulated buckets, their is a closed circuit formed but their isn't any potential drop across their bodies because they aren't grounded. Your trigger fish would be fine unless he happens to bite through the ground lead at the same time in which he would be toast or their was some other form of ground for the electricity to pass though.

If the hot is exposed and you touch any of the water you will be the ground loop and you will get electrocuted and your inhabitants would be fine.

If the hot is exposed and you have a GFCI when you touch the water the GFCI would trip from the load imbalance.

If you touch the water and the Hot and Ground are exposed and you have a GFCI you will still get shocked because the GFCI monitors the hot and the ground lead and the amount of current each draw. If both are exposed and you stick your hand in their it will sense a equal load and still shock you. This is why you need a grounding probe in addition to a GFCI and not one without the other. Esp the Grounding probe without the GFCI. If you have a GFCI and a ground probe as soon as the hot is exposed the breaker will trip.

Dry rubber is a good insulator and can protect you from electrocution, it all depends on how resistive the rubber in your shoes is and amount voltage you are dealing with. Also you are assuming no other form of contact is being made besides your shoes. If they are wet as they normally are when we are working in our tanks then you might be SOL.

Correction, as soon as you get a shock they will get a shock because the potential drop across the tank is the same at this scale. If it is fatal or not depends on the amount of current passing through you and your inhabitants