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Grounding probes?
- Thread starter gene22
- Start date
I used to get shocked a lot when I would put my hands in my tank. I couldn't figure it out, I had a grounding probe so where the heck was the stray current coming from?
So after quite a good bit of pondering I realized that when I was getting shocked I was standing barefoot on a shaggy rug that was usually slightly damp with saltwater. So I can say with pretty good certainty that grounding probes are excellent for getting excess static electricity out of a damp rug via human conductor.
So after quite a good bit of pondering I realized that when I was getting shocked I was standing barefoot on a shaggy rug that was usually slightly damp with saltwater. So I can say with pretty good certainty that grounding probes are excellent for getting excess static electricity out of a damp rug via human conductor.
There has been constant debate on whether or not grounding probes are beneficial to reef tanks. My personal feeling is that stray voltage is not the issue in reef tanks, current is. Voltages can exist without current being present, which would be considered a potential voltage or what some would call open circuit voltage. A voltage is the potential that drives electrons through a conductor, where current is the actual flow of those electrons. Current can be very deadly even at the lowest of levels.
Adding a grounding probe in your aquarium does just that, it completes a circuit creating a current path for current to flow. Any fish between the source and the grounding probe would actually experience current flowing through their bodies. It would make them act oddly or seek out areas of the tank where there is no current flowing, for anyone that knows they do have stray voltage (with current flow) do you notice fish stay to certain areas of the tank, or hide a lot?
If you are to add a grounding probe I would suggest that I need to be linked with a GFCI. When you put a grounding probe in your tank it is now at the same potential as the grounding conductor of your electrical system. So this means the tank itself is now at the same potential of your grounding conductor to actually trip a breaker. Without a GFCI you may experience high current levels until the breaker actually trips, which could be pretty bad for the inhabitants of the tank. At least with the GFCI, the breaker or outlet (however you have it wired, GFCI breaker or GFCI outlet) will trip before you reach those levels.
However I believe that a grounding probe is not a long term solution if you are experiencing actual stray voltage (with current flowing) in your tank. I stress actual here as that measuring voltage to just some arbitrary ground point does not indicate there is current flow.
If you have a faulty piece of equipment that is creating a current path in your tank, then the best solution is to either repair it or replace it and not redirect a portion of the current into a grounding probe.
Adding a grounding probe in your aquarium does just that, it completes a circuit creating a current path for current to flow. Any fish between the source and the grounding probe would actually experience current flowing through their bodies. It would make them act oddly or seek out areas of the tank where there is no current flowing, for anyone that knows they do have stray voltage (with current flow) do you notice fish stay to certain areas of the tank, or hide a lot?
If you are to add a grounding probe I would suggest that I need to be linked with a GFCI. When you put a grounding probe in your tank it is now at the same potential as the grounding conductor of your electrical system. So this means the tank itself is now at the same potential of your grounding conductor to actually trip a breaker. Without a GFCI you may experience high current levels until the breaker actually trips, which could be pretty bad for the inhabitants of the tank. At least with the GFCI, the breaker or outlet (however you have it wired, GFCI breaker or GFCI outlet) will trip before you reach those levels.
However I believe that a grounding probe is not a long term solution if you are experiencing actual stray voltage (with current flowing) in your tank. I stress actual here as that measuring voltage to just some arbitrary ground point does not indicate there is current flow.
If you have a faulty piece of equipment that is creating a current path in your tank, then the best solution is to either repair it or replace it and not redirect a portion of the current into a grounding probe.
Also if you want to correctly test your tank for stray voltage with current flow you WILL need a grounding prob. Using a meter you would set one prob to the grounding conductor and the other to the surface of the water.
If you test voltage to an arbitrary ground, you WILL see voltage but it does not mean there is current flowing.
If you test voltage to an arbitrary ground, you WILL see voltage but it does not mean there is current flowing.
J
jokersplayground
Guest
I use a ground probe for all my tanks. When I use to work for a lfs I would get shocked all the time and it can be very painful at times. So to prevent that I added ground probes. But you should always keep an eye on your equipment to avoid stray current In your tank. Look for broken wires, open cases for pumps, or if it's not working properly.
