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Who uses a grounding probe?
- Thread starter JWeb
- Start date
shawn
Non-member
I use one, and I've had it since I set the tank up. As far as GFI, there is some discussion in this thread:
http://216.235.242.50/forums/showthread.php?t=2068
Here's an excerpt from that thread:
Ground fault circuit interrupters trip by detecting "missing current" - all current that goes down the "hot" side must come back the "cold" side, or it breaks the circuit since current is leaking elsewhere.
Arc fault circuit interrupters look at the current going down the line, and match it against a model they have of what the current due to a fire-causing arc looks like. If a match is found, they break the circuit.
A GFCI is designed to protect against the most common source of electrocution, and an AFCI is designed to prevent the most common source of electrical fires.
On the question of ground probes - it is true that "stray voltage" with no ground path will cause no current flow. No current flow, no problem. However, if you have a GFCI on your equipment, and you use a ground probe, the GFCI will break the circuit if any hot circuit contacts the water. Otherwise, it could sit there, possibly leaking back through the "cold return", undetected and causing current flow. Even if it doesn't leak back in that manner, I'd much rather have the GFI it trip due to the ground probe than because I touched the water and it found some path to ground through me...
If you don't have a GFCI, a ground probe can still help - but get a GFCI.
BTW, I was really horrified when I saw the "electrocuted" talk at the start, since "electrocuted" actually means that the person was killed. Glad to find out they were "only" shocked...
http://216.235.242.50/forums/showthread.php?t=2068
Here's an excerpt from that thread:
Ground fault circuit interrupters trip by detecting "missing current" - all current that goes down the "hot" side must come back the "cold" side, or it breaks the circuit since current is leaking elsewhere.
Arc fault circuit interrupters look at the current going down the line, and match it against a model they have of what the current due to a fire-causing arc looks like. If a match is found, they break the circuit.
A GFCI is designed to protect against the most common source of electrocution, and an AFCI is designed to prevent the most common source of electrical fires.
On the question of ground probes - it is true that "stray voltage" with no ground path will cause no current flow. No current flow, no problem. However, if you have a GFCI on your equipment, and you use a ground probe, the GFCI will break the circuit if any hot circuit contacts the water. Otherwise, it could sit there, possibly leaking back through the "cold return", undetected and causing current flow. Even if it doesn't leak back in that manner, I'd much rather have the GFI it trip due to the ground probe than because I touched the water and it found some path to ground through me...
If you don't have a GFCI, a ground probe can still help - but get a GFCI.
BTW, I was really horrified when I saw the "electrocuted" talk at the start, since "electrocuted" actually means that the person was killed. Glad to find out they were "only" shocked...
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Shallowwaters
Non-member
So, I use a probe too. Bought it at setup time like a good newbie. But is one enough?
My titanium grounding probe is in my display tank, but I have a large sump and refugium in the basement. Do I need three probes or can I assume (as I did!) the water in the pipes completes a circuit?
And what about that hair dryer I use for evaporative cooling. Is it a good idea to leave it sitting on the edge of the sump?
My titanium grounding probe is in my display tank, but I have a large sump and refugium in the basement. Do I need three probes or can I assume (as I did!) the water in the pipes completes a circuit?
And what about that hair dryer I use for evaporative cooling. Is it a good idea to leave it sitting on the edge of the sump?
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one or two?
the quasi-science side of my brain tells me that in a sump system with electric gadgets in both display and sump, you only need one grounding probe since the return pump connects the two tanks with a solid column of water which is the path for electricity to flow to ground.
the paranoid side of my brain tells me i need two.
???
the quasi-science side of my brain tells me that in a sump system with electric gadgets in both display and sump, you only need one grounding probe since the return pump connects the two tanks with a solid column of water which is the path for electricity to flow to ground.
the paranoid side of my brain tells me i need two.
???
Swim74
Non-member
I have one but I did it for my Tang. I heard that grounding probes help prevent lateral line disease.
my neighbor had a purple tang he got from someone who neglected it and I said hey you should try a grounding probe. I got him one off EBAY for 10 bucks and sure enough, a year later, what looked like a fish on the brink of death or something worse because of terrible lateral line disease now is very very healthy with no LLD.
my neighbor had a purple tang he got from someone who neglected it and I said hey you should try a grounding probe. I got him one off EBAY for 10 bucks and sure enough, a year later, what looked like a fish on the brink of death or something worse because of terrible lateral line disease now is very very healthy with no LLD.
JustDavidP
Non-member
yeah... LLD has been associated with stray current. My tang also had serious LLD. to the point where you could see a fleshy colored fissure along the LL. It was deep too! After installing the probe, it slowly went away. Unfortunately, I can see it returning. I will get that probe back into the sump soonest...
