STN and Stray Voltage

[ReeferBill]

Stn and Stray Voltage?

Stn and Stray Voltage?

I went to LFS and purchased 2 titanium grounding probes for 10$ apiece and then to Home Desperate for a new double switch to replace the one that went up in smoke yesterday. The LFS owner said that he thinks everything in our tanks is affected by stray voltage and especially fish with sensitive skin like Hippo Tangs can get pits in their face like acne or Lateral line disease. Time to do some electical work. Happy Reefing!!!! P.S. I am adding a probe to both my display and refugium.:hammer:

 

[ReeferBill]

Stray Voltage?

Stray Voltage?

I think they probably have copper wires in them.:blown:

 

[preef]

Why would my titanium heater leach copper? It's just a coil in a tube.

The coil is made out of copper.

If your seal failed on your heater water infiltrated the heater and came into contact with the coil, the wires in the cord, and the control circuitry. This direct contact caused you to get shocked and thrown across the room. The direct contact also allowed the salt water to begin corroding the copper and other materials and released them into the tank.

The same thing happens with Stealth heaters but the tube is plastic rather than titanium. In the case of Stealth heaters the plastic splits allowing water to get in. With titanium or glass tube heaters you are relying on the seals at the top of the heater to remain intact.

 

[MammothReefer]

The coil is made out of copper.

If your seal failed on your heater water infiltrated the heater and came into contact with the coil, the wires in the cord, and the control circuitry. This direct contact caused you to get shocked and thrown across the room. The direct contact also allowed the salt water to begin corroding the copper and other materials and released them into the tank.

The same thing happens with Stealth heaters but the tube is plastic rather than titanium. In the case of Stealth heaters the plastic splits allowing water to get in. With titanium or glass tube heaters you are relying on the seals at the top of the heater to remain intact.

Ya but it's solid copper it's not like the coil is decomposing and breaking down into the water.

 

[reefmusic]

Ya but it's solid copper it's not like the coil is decomposing and breaking down into the water.

Most metal exposed to seawater will begin corroding and breaking down. Much worse if electricity is involved as electrolysis can speed up the transfer of metal ions to the water.

On a side note though, is it really copper wire? I would have thought the resistance wire in a heater might be made of a different metal. Still bad for the tank though.

 

[MammothReefer]

Most metal exposed to seawater will begin corroding and breaking down. Much worse if electricity is involved as electrolysis can speed up the transfer of metal ions to the water.

On a side note though, is it really copper wire? I would have thought the resistance wire in a heater might be made of a different metal. Still bad for the tank though.

Ya i'm not to sure it's copper wire. I don't have any more of them laying around or i'd check.

 

[preef]

Ya i'm not to sure it's copper wire. I don't have any more of them laying around or i'd check.

My mistake. More than likely the element is Nichrome. There will be plenty of copper in the heater. The chord coming in and the circuit board traces are copper. Many lead free solders contain copper as well.