Tank Shocking Me

[kaxt]

My tank shocks me when I put my hand in it. I used my multimeter- set on ohms and put the probes in the tank. I got a reading of 10. I then turned each piece of equipment I have off one at a time and the reading didn't go down. I even unpluged my powerstrip and it still read 10.

I don't know what else to try. This is the multimeter I have and what I had it set to- is that the correct setting or should I try something else?

 

[cramideas]

Could it be a pump or heater that's still sitting in the water? Maybe it has a bad connecton and is letting power into the tank even though its powered off. try again but physically remove anything w/ a cord in the water. Good luck

 

[kaxt]

In order to get most of the equipment out of the tank I would have to put my hand in there and I was getting a decent shock. My tank is on a GFCI but I'm still not interested in putting my hand back in there.

I don't understand why I was still getting a reading on my multimeter even when the power strip was unpluged.

 

[RA]

Is your lighting somehow shorting out and connecting to the water? It has to be something else that you didn't unplug.

 

[screamingibis]

unplug each piece of equipment at a time and stick hand in each time until it doesn't shock.

 

[Kawi9_cf]

You measured the resistance of the water.

To measure for stray voltage you set the meter to volts (probably put it on 50-250 for your meter) then you put the black probe into the ground of a receptacle and the red probe into the water. Wear rubber soled shoes when you do it. If your meter works you will get a voltage reading then.

The electricity will then travel in through the red probe and to groung thats why you get a reading.

 

[Kawi9_cf]

unplug each piece of equipment at a time and stick hand in each time until it doesn't shock.

Not a good way to test electricity lol

 

[bwhit1406]

you have to read voltage not ohms go two clicks up on the multimeter

 

[kaxt]

Thanks Kawi9 cf, and bwhit1406, that's what I was looking for... I'll try that now and let you know how it goes.

 

[Kawi9_cf]

Thanks Kawi9 cf, and bwhit1406, that's what I was looking for... I'll try that now and let you know how it goes.

no problem let us know how it goes and be careful

 

[kaxt]

I decided to wait for my roommate to get home from work in case I needed rescuing. I didn’t get any reading on the meter when I had the black probe in the ground of an outlet and the red probe in the water.

Would the heater only give off stray voltage if it was heating? If so, I’m guessing that’s it because it’s not heating currently. I’m going to watch the heater and try again the next time it kicks on.

 

[whodeydan76]

Id bet its your heater. I had this happen and it was a bad heater. It had a crack in the glass. It was lighting me up like an Xmas tree!

 

[Kawi9_cf]

I would take the heater out if you suspect it and put it into a bucket of cold water so it kicks on then check it.

You don't want your livestock exposed to that

 

[kaxt]

I wasn't able to figure out what it was. Whatever it was isn't doing it any more. I'm not getting a voltage reading and I'm not getting shocked any more. I tried testing the heater when it was on and I still wasn't getting a reading. I'm going to put the float switch from my ATO into a bucket and play with that a little this morning. Otherwise I'm not sure what it could be.

We are already seeing snow accumulation from Nemo here, but if the roads are still okay once I rule out my float switch I will make a run to the LFS for a new heater and hope that was it.

 

[Kawi9_cf]

I had a float switch go bad once and I got shocked pretty good.