Small shock from reflector

CKreef

CKreef

New member
I recently installed a 6 bulb t5 retro kit on my tank. If I have my hand in the water and touch the front reflector I recieve a small shock. Nothing that hurts just a tingle. Why am I being shocked by the reflector? I have GFCI installed and a ground probe. The GFCI does not trip when this happens. What can I do to fix this. It is very annoying!! Also is there anything I can put on the reflector to cover the razor sharp edge it has? (Some weather stripping or some kind of heat shrink stuff? Thanks Chris
 
Hmm. That's odd. My reflectors only touch the bulbs, so I don't know how it would get energized. Could it be that a pump in the water is bleading juice and when you touch water + the reflector it feels like it is coming from there? Is everything hooked to a GFI?
 
How about turning things off 1 at a time to see what does this. I'd start with all the lights off and see if you still get the shock. If you don't, then it is somehow the lights. Try and isolate which ballast it is by turning them on one at a time and see which one causes the issue. If it isn't the lights, then you go through the rest of the stuff one by one turning off/on to see what is causing the trouble.
 
My MH lights used to do this. The fixture was grounded to everything else. I finally took the ballast apart and there was a wire that was worn and touching the case.
 
I get this all the time (glutton for punishment). It never tripped the GFCI and I have no reflectors for the VHOs (and running enclosed HQI MH). If I ground myself to one of the reflectors with my hand in the tank, I get a little zap-sometimes worse than others. You can use an ammeter to see how much is getting into the tank and unplug one device at a time to see which devices add the most to the tank. I bet you find several (but likely one big one). I haven't messed with mine yet becasue of the 'tank room' that will exist in theory. Besides, it makes me feel alive:D.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10888550#post10888550 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by CKreef
Shocking myself everytime? Sounds great!
Click to expand...

If it is stay voltage you could do the same test with a digital multi meter.

Although the alternitive could be writen off as shock therapy on the taxes :P
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10888550#post10888550 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by CKreef
Shocking myself everytime? Sounds great!
Click to expand...

Well now that you put it that way it doesn't sound tood good :smokin:

If you turn off a bunch of stuff and then turn one thing on at a time until you find it you should only get shocked once and the last thing you turned on would be the culprit. A multimeter is a better idea though, as you wouldn't put yourself at risk.

:blown:
 
LOL Glad i not the only one!!! Well i guess i will dig out my multimeter. Just put the positive in the tank and ground the other??? Also any suggestions on a material to cover that razor sharp edge?? Thanks everyone
 
What should the multimeter be set on???? Been a long time since I used one. I tried all settings and nothing really happened.
 
I think you should set it to measure small amounts of current. I'd connect one end to your ground probe, and the other end I'd touch to ground, and the other end in the water. Then switch on things one by one and see what the readings do. Test it first with everything on to see what kind of reading you get in a situation you know has some stray current. Maybe goby or some other with more electrical experience than I can chime in and give some better guidance. You might want to disconnect your ground probe while you are doing this cause it will be a path of least resistance.
 
Well now Im not getting shocked at all. I think to protect myself from the reflector I will use the car door edge guard(molding). I think it may be a little big to just snap on but Im sure some superglue will fix that problem. Does thi sound like a good idea??????? Thanks Chris
 
You could also probably use a piece of electrical tape. Just don't obscure the part of the reflector that is blasting light down into the tank.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10889972#post10889972 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Shelby2u
I just had the exact same thing to happen to me 2 days agi and it was Koralia powerhead that was bad.
Click to expand...

Some of the Koralia's were recalled cause they were leaking voltage.
 
Yea I contacted the company and they told me to send it back.

Chris I thought at first it was my lights until I turned off all powerheads and the it stopped shocking me so you make still want to check the powerheads or heater.

Shelby
 
Ill keep trying stuff I got a little shock a min ago. It only happens when my arm is in the tank and a dry part of my arm touches the reflector. If i use my hand I dont feel anything at all.
 
Use your multimeter to make sure that you find the leaking voltage. I usually test for BOTH AC and DC voltage. The last shocking thing that I found was a MaxJet1200 that was leaking 67 volts into my frag tank. It definitely got my attention!!
As the others have said run the probes from ground to the tank and start unplugging things.
I usually find that my tank has about 1.5 to 3.5 volts AC running through it. I cannot feel that little bit of voltage, but I'm not sure if that is the norm.
How much voltage do the rest of you have in your tanks?
 
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