I think there is a small electrical build up in my fish tank. I think I got a shock when putting my fingers in the tank yesterday. How do you test for this, my roommate doesn't agree, my brother does. I have an multi-meter.
electricity in tank, how to test for it?
- Thread starter kamikaziechameleon
- Start date
My thoughts, put one electrode in the tank water and hold the other in my hand if it grounds a charge it will show on the multi-meter right.
place the positive probe in the water, and make a ground contact through the ground terminal in the nearest outlet. Set the meter to A/C voltage since that's what is likely coming through your equipment. Make sure you are testing it while the heaters are on and everything. then if you find voltage, start unplugging things to isolate the culprit.
Mike
Mike
He hit the nail on the head, lastly invest in a Grounding Probe. They go for about $16.00
Mike
Let me ask you a question regarding this ground probe idea. If you were to take the ground wire from your outlet and touch it to the hot wire, what would happen? Exactly, kaboom.
So what you are essentially saying is that you should put the ground probe in the water to get rid of the shock the OP is getting when he sticks his finger in the tank. NO, not a good idea. All tanks will show a stray voltage in the water. (that is if you have electrical components in the water) Stray voltage in the tank is no big deal, it will not hurt the fish. Its like a bird standing on the hi voltage wires and doesnt die. You yourself could stand on a fiberglass ladder and with one hand, grab 277 volts and nothing will happen unless you ground it. (get where I am going with this?) So, if you have a tingling sensation in the water, it is most likely a faulty heater, and you feel it because you are grounded. There are many ways to find the culprit, but very difficult to explain. You can do the method that Clearwater suggested, but like I said earlier, what may be causing the tingle may not be the same item that lowers the voltage in the water.
So lets go back to the probe idea. Lets say that the heater has a short and it is leaching current into the water. (oh and its not the voltage that you feel, or will kill you or the fish, its the current) So you have current leaking into the tank, your fish dont feel it because they are not grounded. So tell me, what happens once you stick a ground probe in the water. Hmmmmm, Kaboom? Not likely, but you have now just grounded all of your fish, and that tingle you feel, is now being felt severely by your fish. Make since?
So, as for your problem. If you in deed feel it, you should be the tester. Unplug everything, and finger check, then start plugging in, 1 at a time until you hit the culprit. Or if you do have a short you may be able to check continuity between the water and the hot side of the outlet.
GL, I will check back to see how it went. Any questions, feel free to p.m. me.
I was t saying that the ground probe was a solution to his problem. I said that the poster above me births nail on the head regarding solving his problem. I was Suggesting that he also invest in a ground probe for the future. I have one in both my sump and my tank.
As for the Kaboom you mention would t the ground probe simply complete the circuit and either trip the GFI or breaker as a worse case scenario?
And please don't take my question as anything more then an attempt at quality information because I don't quite understand what your saying.
Mike
As for the Kaboom you mention would t the ground probe simply complete the circuit and either trip the GFI or breaker as a worse case scenario?
And please don't take my question as anything more then an attempt at quality information because I don't quite understand what your saying.
Mike
same thing happened to me man just unplug somthing and put your finger in, if it still shocks you thats not it. Just keep repeating and when you unplug somthing and the water dosnt shock you anymore that piece of equipment is probably cracked or malfunctioning.
Yes this may be correct. But you are also relying on 2 things. 1) being, is the GFCI receptacle wired properly or working properly, and is the hobbyist even using one, 2) Is the short enough to trip the breaker. There are a lot of homes out there that have old panels or panels that have been outlawed. A lot of the older panels, (mine included) will not trip on a dead short. I need to replace it, but that cost money.
Google grounding probes for aquariums, or issues with grounding probes in aquariums. There are a few very interesting reads on it. I myself am an electrician, and a buddy of mine and I sat down and pondered, experimented, and came to the conclusion that ground probes are not safe.
Its your fish, and the theory behind it to the untrained average hobbyist is a great one. But when you really get into the ramifications of using one, its not a good idea.
Madness, Well thanks for the heads up... I used them because I wanted to give my Oscars EVERY precaution to HITH. But I will definitely be doing some heavy reading on the issues you have raised.
Mike
Mike
