URGENT PLEASE HELP ! Shock everytime I put my hand in the tank

[mtlreeffreak]

I cant figure it out.. Yesterday every time i put my hand in the sump I got shocked I unplugged everything one by one until i figured out it was my old auto top of system..today my wife put her hand in the main tank and she says she felt a shock.. So i tried putting my hand in and I only get choked every so often ..

I have a vertex grounding probe in the display tank. is there any way to Test if something is leaking or if I have higher voltage than average?

please someone help me im worried i will lose all my clams and corals..

thank you.

 

[mtlreeffreak]

its really odd.. I keep trying to put my hand in the tank but only my wife gets shocked not me..?

 

[Sk8r]

Does she have a wedding ring? Are you wearing sneakers?

Try unplugging your heater and see if it continues. If it solves it, get a new heater. They're notorious.

Just start with that and try one electrical connection disconnected at a time.

 

[mtlreeffreak]

yes shes wearing a wedding ring.

 

[billsreef]

I've also found some people are more sensitive than others to low current shocks.

 

[ssteal]

I can usually feel a small shock with my right hand but not with my left. Noticed anything electric causes thats in the tank. Even brand new gear.

 

[downreef]

You can test with an electrical meter, if you have you or if you can borrow one.

 

[wildman926]

If you have a hang nail, cut, etc., you will feel the shock easier.

 

[Maivortex]

In the past the lights and salt creep, a bad mag pump and a heater has caused problems. I would try to isolate these things.

 

[jimmy frag]

only guessing here but a ring wouldnt make any differance unless they are on your toes. the differance between you and your wife would be your feet. slippers, thick socks, standing on carpet. sweaty feet would make a big differance. we electricians wear proper boots and fiberglass ladders to limit the effect of shocks

 

[blue98ls1]

This just happened to me recently at night due to the sump light being shorted. I would feel a small *****, like a needle. I asked my wife to check and she about got knocked on her ***.

Take a multimeter and put it on AC or DC voltage (then do the inverse) and ground the black probe to your stand where there's metal (like a screw). Take the red lead and stick the tip in the water and look at the readings. Anything above 0v is bad.

 

[OkStudent]

Make sure your vertex grounding probe is actually going to ground by checking continuity from the ground on one of your outlets to the probe, should be less than one ohm. Then if your meter does not have auto range set it on MV and go from your tank or sump to ground, while there remove your probe and look for an increase in voltage. If it increases start unplugging components. You can get a meter about anywheres for 10 to 20$. It does not have to be digital.
I imagine it is normal for your probe to remove some voltage but when there is enough to shock you it is time to remove the fault that may be getting ready to get a lot worse. If on a GFI it should be tripped. Good luck.

 

[1Sik1500]

This just happened to me recently at night due to the sump light being shorted. I would feel a small *****, like a needle. I asked my wife to check and she about got knocked on her ***.

Take a multimeter and put it on AC or DC voltage (then do the inverse) and ground the black probe to your stand where there's metal (like a screw). Take the red lead and stick the tip in the water and look at the readings. Anything above 0v is bad.

This is great info. Thank you

 

[jimmy frag]

lol

 

[Lonestarcep]

In case you can't fix your issue,i would recommend some of these: http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=3871

Cheers

 

[blue98ls1]

Any update?

 

[mcgyvr]

Use/Get a GFCI device now. A ground probe should NEVER be used without one. You can either buy a GFCI outlet and rewire in place of the existing outlet or buy a powerstrip with GFCI protection or replace the breaker feeding that circuit with a GFCI rated breaker.

And for crying out loud, stop sticking your hands in the tank when you are getting a shock idiot. The next time could be the time you actually get electrocuted