stray voltage help needed asap

[bjromaine]

I don't agree with using a separate grounding rod.....it could cause a ground loop which in effect voids your ground.
The best solution is to rewire the outlet, or if you can't do that, install a new outlet that is grounded back to your incoming power with 12/3 wire. Then you can wire several GFCI's to that circuit and split up the risk to critical components.
That is the best solution, BUT I would never suggest going without a GFCI.....it is better to lose some livestock rather your family losing YOU....!!!!

I am short on time now, but hope to remember to come back to expand on this issue.....

Bryan

 

[jfl14609]

I was on the diy site mark recommended and they said not to bother with the ground just to use my gfi rewiring the outlet or any rewiring is not an option I have the old screw fusues and its a rental property so I am just going to use my inline gfi and label it as ungrounded as recommended by them
thanks for all the help though

 

[wastememphis]

I was using two GFCI outlets on my 65 gallon tank before I moved and I could feel a shock if I put my hand in the water sometimes. Usually only when I had a small cut or something. First it was a faulty Visitherm Stealth Heater, then months later it was a Dolphin pump. With only using GFCI's I could still feel it, I could turn the pump off and it would go away... then turn it back on and feel it again, checked with a voltmeter and it still didn't trip the GFCI, and they were installed corretly. So in my experience even getting around 20V or so out of a piece of equipment in the tank and then putting your hand in... that didn't shut my outlet off.l If you just wear a pair of slippers with rubber soles you can't feel it, but if i didn't get shocked I woulnd't have caught the bad heater... although I also could have got hurt.

Edit: Stray voltage wouldn't affect the things in the tank would they? They are floating for the most part and have no way of completing a path that the stray voltage could travel through.

 

[m-fine]

DC no, AC maybe. It is VERY possible if not likely that you will not see any distress from the inhabitants even when there is a voltage leak that is strong enough to be lethal to you.

 

[parkavenuereef]

Well, seeing as your home wiring is sub-standard, I would just use a ground rod in the sump of your tank conencted to a water pipe, and that will eliminate your lethal shocks to you, from your tank. A gfci without 3 wire, wiring is pointless anyways. best of luck and if you need any assistance, feel free to ask!