Stray Voltage

[Rickyrooz1]

Can a stray volt 1.8-0.8 volts kill fish or coral? I have a Mag Drive 12 that was adding 1.8 volts into my water. I added silicone around the powercord opening and now 0.8 volts are going into the water. I checked all my other pumps, heaters, and lights and all read 0.0 on the meter. This is the voltmeter I used on ACV 200.

 

[HighlandReefer]

If you do not get any help in this forum, you may want to post this in the Equipment forum.

 

[Reefer Brian]

Replace the pump and get a grounding probe....

 

[Jonathan76]

Let it be. it will help your tank more than you think. Free Energy is free energy. How can you argue with that --> especially in a salt-water media?

Jonathan

 

[Rickyrooz1]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15042436#post15042436 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Jonathan76
Let it be. it will help your tank more than you think. Free Energy is free energy. How can you argue with that --> especially in a salt-water media?

Jonathan

How can that be good for the fish and coral?

 

[Whys]

^^^ Robotic fish?

I don't know what makes it "free" either. Still paying the power company for any ampers used.

 

[PRDubois]

Replace the pump

 

[Rickyrooz1]

Would this work instead of replacing the pump?

 

[Whys]

It would be better to eliminate the problem at the source. Tho a grounding probe is not a bad idea, IMO.

 

[unhpian]

The grounding probe will not eliminate the stray voltage, it will only give it somewhere to go.

 

[dalee26]

I had this happen with one of my pumps. You can either plumb your mag to be external or I would replace it. It will just get worse and then it will be you that it shocks. My old one got me good a few times and it isn't fun.

 

[Rickyrooz1]

Thanks for all the help, I placed an order with Reef Geek for a Mag Drive 9.5

 

[billsreef]

At that low a voltage reading, you are most likely only seeing induced voltage, not a power leak. Also since the fish are not grounded, they will not be hurt by the voltage

 

[scaryperson27]

What about lateral line disease?

 

[Jeremy0322]

I had the same thing happen to me with a heater recently, but I didnt get a chance to get the exact voltage in the water. Did you check to see if the pump was under warranty?

 

[jdieck]

Whatever you do, do not install a grounding probe if your electric equipment is not conected to a GFCI

 

[tmz]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15070873#post15070873 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jdieck
Whatever you do, do not install a grounding probe if your electric equipment is not conected to a GFCI

++ Absolutely.

 

[therealfatman]

No grounding probe period. It is current that matters. No ground no completed circuit. However, without a GFCI and high voltage in the water if you stick your hand in the water and you are touching something grounded with your other hand or feet your body will complete the circuit and the current will then be through you and out your hand or foot.

That is why GFCI's are recommended as a ground probe can cause they death of your tank inhabitants buy competing the circuit to ground, but the lack of both a grounding probe and a GFCI means you could get fried by completing the circuit to ground.

Ie. use GFCI's.

 

[tmz]

Here isa recent thread on teh same subject fyi:

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1640741 andfrom my post on it:

With the grounding probe all of the induced / stray voltage in your tank should turn into more harmful current/amperage (moving electrons) . That is where the controversy about using probes begins. I've heard from several electricians and electrical engineers without a clear best practice emerging. It is clear that the gfci is the most important piece though. My take is a probe without a gfi can do more harm than good since the current is what does the damage and a grounding probe will turn all voltage into current. Voltage itself is only a lurking dangerous potential current waiting for a ground. Others argue the grounding probe itself will protect you from being the ground and the fish be damned. I removed my probe and use only gfcis, thinking that if I become the ground for a voltage leak the reaction of the gfci will protect me just as it would in the bathroom, assuming of course it's functioning properly. Some say it's best to use both but it is possible I think to have a voltage leak without a gfci detecting it if there is no change in the current passing form and back to the gfci. In that case the current will be in the water and effecting your livestock.

 

[Whys]

Grounding probes are not properly designed to protect human beings from much of anything. It will not save you from becoming ground. They are for reducing stress in tank inhabitants only.

How necessary or important a grounding probe is I can not say. Personally, I would much rather have a voltage probe so I know when there is voltage present and can resolve the issue at the source.

Perhaps the issue is not that the grounding probe provides A source of ground, but rather an alternative source of ground in the case of stray current. Lateral line disease does happen, but I assume it requires actual current. Thus the grounding probe?