How to test for stray voltage
- Thread starter SteveDola
- Start date
Cooper2
Well-Known Member
Use a standard meter with the neg to a known ground source in an outlet or pipe (if your house is properly grounded), and the positive lead in the water. Heaters can be a source of higher voltage as they run on 120V, lots of pumps and skimmers are 24V if variable speed models.
It's always a good idea to get and use a ground fault in your power to the tank. If you don't have a GFI outlet you can get a GFI on a short cord and go direct to a standard outlet. Let us know what you find.
It's always a good idea to get and use a ground fault in your power to the tank. If you don't have a GFI outlet you can get a GFI on a short cord and go direct to a standard outlet. Let us know what you find.
Zeefishies
Well-Known Member
I had a similar incident,
Every time I put my hands in the water I would get zapped if I had good grounded shoes I wouldn't.
Come find out it was one of the heaters.
Check ure heaters, remove them from the water and check them with a voltage meter.
Good luck
Every time I put my hands in the water I would get zapped if I had good grounded shoes I wouldn't.
Come find out it was one of the heaters.
Check ure heaters, remove them from the water and check them with a voltage meter.
Good luck
this is me
I like turtles
The best way is when you have a cut on your finger, stick it in the tank or section of the sump. The section where there's stray voltage is when you feel the most pain(sharp). Start unplugging stuff until you don't feel the pain anymore.
Heaters are a common culprit...
Heaters are a common culprit...
JPags
Well-Known Member
So you should make sure your plug is grounded right. I spent time trying to find a stray voltage. Narrowed it down to a heater. But did more testing and found my plug was not grounded right. So stray voltage will go to the easiest ground.
Once I fixed my plug no more stray voltage or shocks
There is a thread I created on this
Once I fixed my plug no more stray voltage or shocks
There is a thread I created on this
Cooper2
Well-Known Member
I'd highly recommend installing GFI protection in ANY saltwater setup, but the trip point where the outlet will pop can vary slightly with quality of the outlet. When I say slightly it might be a tiny value but I think even small stray voltage can only have a negative effect on sensitive organisms. I'm of the opinion cords degrade and harden over time leading to issues, so at some point the idea of retiring old heaters or pumps running on 120 volts should be considered. There is no substitute for using a meter and seeing if you can get a voltage in the water however.
Zeefishies
Well-Known Member
Yes,
I run all aquarium items through GFCI's
OP
OP
SteveDola
Good Tings
I did pull the pump and clean it thoroughly last night. I didn't see any degradation, but that doesn't mean that the pump's internal housing did not in some way fail and is causing the voltage to leak out...I THINK?
I only have 24v/12v pumps but the heater is 120v...but its not cracked or frayed. All equipment is less than 18 months old. I have an extra GFCI that I'll be installing this weekend, but the entire setup is on a quality power surge strip. Ill be investigating further with my voltage meter.
I only have 24v/12v pumps but the heater is 120v...but its not cracked or frayed. All equipment is less than 18 months old. I have an extra GFCI that I'll be installing this weekend, but the entire setup is on a quality power surge strip. Ill be investigating further with my voltage meter.
JPags
Well-Known Member
If the ground to the outlet is not right then GFCi wont work either. My outlet was GFCI but the ground was not correct so the GFCI never popped. If you stick your hands in and there is stray electricity then GFCI should pop before you get shocked.
You can buy a GFCI plug strip and use that to verify.
You can buy a GFCI plug strip and use that to verify.
OP
OP
SteveDola
Good Tings
That seems like what my research results provided. Id have to run a wire back to panel to put ground in the box.
JPags
Well-Known Member
Depends if the ground is broken or just not hooked up right. I found that when the main panel was replaced the ground was not connected right so just needs to fix the ground. I don’t suggest doing this your self but a simple tester from Home Depot can tell you if the plug is grounded right
Best tool in my toolbox. Shows wrong wiring very easy.
Klein Tools GFCI Outlet Tester RT210 - The Home Depot
Klein Tools Receptacle Testers are designed to detect the most common wiring problems in standard and GFCI receptacles. A convenient chart on the tester helps determine wiring condition in outlet, based
www.homedepot.com
Best tool in my toolbox. Shows wrong wiring very easy.
Liam
letting it grow
One thing to consider with GFCI,s is that they will trip for apparently no reason sometimes.I would rather have everything except the return pump plugged in GFCI, obviously this would still leave you open to being zapped if your return pump is the problem as it sounds like here , it will however give your system half a chance should it trip erroneously because your return will keep the system oxygenated.
The other option is to run all on the GFCI and have either a Profilux or apex set up to notify you the power is out, thos works if someone is close by and can check to see if the GFCI tripped and reset it if you are at work or on vaca.
Good luck Steve, hope you are doing well
The other option is to run all on the GFCI and have either a Profilux or apex set up to notify you the power is out, thos works if someone is close by and can check to see if the GFCI tripped and reset it if you are at work or on vaca.
Good luck Steve, hope you are doing well
JPags
Well-Known Member
One other option is this
www.reef2reef.com
I have one and when I noticed I got shocked, I added it to my tank. When I still got shocked thats when I started testing the actual outlet. I know a lot of people dont use them but they are great to minimize you getting shocked if you have a really bad power leak, since some pumps have 120 volts going right through the water.
Reef Aquarium Fact #173 Add a Grounding Plug to keep electrical charges from building up!
We are going to continue discussing the reef aquarium facts submitted by our members. Do you agree or disagree? What are your thoughts? Fact #173 image Internal electrical components such as power heads can slowly leak charge over time into the aquarium. To prevent this charge buildup...
www.reef2reef.com
I have one and when I noticed I got shocked, I added it to my tank. When I still got shocked thats when I started testing the actual outlet. I know a lot of people dont use them but they are great to minimize you getting shocked if you have a really bad power leak, since some pumps have 120 volts going right through the water.
You sure it's the return pump?
Only saying because now there is no flow to the tank. There still could be something in the tank leaking if the return pump is off and your checking in the sump. The two are now not connected. The pump may have only allowed the current leak go to the sump. So the pump may not be the culprit.
Always good to check...
OP
OP
SteveDola
Good Tings
Honestly, Im not sure anymore. I cleaned the pump thoroughly and did an outlet test (wired correctly) and voltage test last Friday, and the results were 0.00 voltage in the tank. The pump is 100% operational, and I don't get zapped anymore putting my hands in the tank. I did some maintenance in the tank Saturday and for the 2 hours of work...not once did I get zapped. SO, long story short, I don't know where it was coming from but IM going to get a titanium heater just in case bc its about 18mths old now and probably should be replaced.
