weird problem here.

[toddmh]

Setting up my basement sump yesturday..so today I went down stairs to mess around with the ato when I stuck my hand in the tank I got a nice jolt..

went upstairs and put my hand in the tank and nothing..not even a tingle..

my old sump set up I had some stray current in there,but only in the sump and only enough to tingle a cut..It never really bothered things in the display..

Back to today..I started unplugging things downstairs and it got a bit better for every thing I unplugged..The weird thing is,now every thing is unplugged and I still have some current in the water :uhoh3: I'm going to get some numbers with the volt meter brb...

But how do you guys think about those ground probes ??

 

[oneradtek202]

ive had koralias short before, if u have a gfi, take a turn plugging one thing at a time and see which one trips it

 

[toddmh]

One of my temp heaters was making it shoot way up..But even now with the meter set at AC 200 It's reading 4.0 But I'm back to a tingle again..I'm pretty sure my brand new mag18 is leaking that The display is reading 1.1 now..

 

[cardiffgiant]

I had the same tingle happen with my old heaters. I got a solid jolt one time from my par38 LED before the GFI tripped.

If you're like me... it's important to remember to wear rubber soled shoes when you're doing maintenance on a basement sump. I was standing on the concrete floor with bare feet the time that I got zapped. :fun5:

 

[spinoleo]

Did you have bare feet on concrete

 

[tmz]

Is it possible part of your arm is brushing a light fixture or some salt creep connecting to it or another external piece of equipment as you touch the water?

 

[toddmh]

Did you have bare feet on concrete

yes..did not think of this...shoes for me from now on..

Tom..no salt creep on anything yet,it's all just set up..no lights on the sump yet either..

no one here use those grounding probes??

 

[Gravesj1s]

Ive had a grounding probe for about 3 years ,but never used it until very recently(month or so ago).
I dont know if its still being debated or what the majority thinks about using ground probes,but it was a hotly debated topic.The argument centered around, no ground probe we the reefkeeper could be at risk versus the B-side of (adding a ground probe )puts the inhabitants at risk.

Ive seen similar readings to what your describing with testing stray voltage.I'm not at all sure why but I seemed to be going through Ph probes much more frequently than what others report.From some of the responses I've received regarding the probe failures is that it could be caused by stray voltage....I dont know ,but added the grounding probe in the hopes it will help.

One thing I did notice after the addition of a ground probe was that the number for volts did drop.If I remember correctly the volt meter readings were between 5-8mv depending on where I put the terminals ,after the ground probe was installed the readings ranged between 1.3-3mv.

For current I never got a reading above 0 at any time.Thought Id mention it as I was told to take readings for that.
Ive never had any tingleing sensations ,shocks, light flickers ,nothing I can think of other than was typed above,whitch I still dont fully understand.

Not much help I know,but all I can add.Good luck with your situation.
-Steve

 

[reefboarder]

I used to get tingles occasionally but I chocked it up to small nicks on my hands. I installed a Ground probe about two months ago purely for the just in case scenario, and entirely not related to the tingles. I hadn't even thought of it until now, but I cant think of a tingle since its' addition and I have no shortage of small cuts/nicks on my hands.

 

[tmz]

I don't use ground probes but do use gfcis.
If the tank is not grounded stray voltage (potential current) remains more localized and is less of a threat to animals.
When you inadvertenly become a ground the current and will go to ground through you without a probe but the gfci will trip as it senses the loss,just like your bathroom outlets.
Lights and other equipment with a fault may create a circut through your arm if you brush against them when your hand is in the water. They could also complete a circut to and through a grounded tank via salt creep or a splash .
I think there is very strong consensus on gfci use and still debate about ground probes particularly when used without a gfci.

 

[IronMan72]

I wouldn't even consider going without a GFCI and may use an AFCI as well.

http://homeworksinsp.com/electrical.aspx

 

[Melifluonze]

The "tingle" is just the happiness of being able to work on your sump in the basement!

 

[toddmh]

The "tingle" is just the happiness of being able to work on your sump in the basement!

lol ..Thanks for all the input guys,I went out and got GFCI adapters for my outlets,also I realized that the desk the sump is sitting on downstairs is all steel :hmm5: so I went out and bought a thick rubber mat to put under the sump..I will update when everything is installed..

 

[IronMan72]

Where did you pick up the thick rubber mat? I'm looking for something to put under my tank. In the past I've just used 1/4" insulation board but always considered a rubber mat as a more durable alternative.