Something strange ...

macman7010 · 01/23/2012, 11:25 AM

I wondered if anyone could help something odd that happened to me yesterday. I moved into my house several months ago and moved my marine tank about two months ago. The aquarium sits on the carpet in my downstairs and there is a tiled area right beside the carpet where the entrance door to the downstairs is. When I stand on the tiled area in my bare feet and place my finger in the water I receive a mild electric shock. Though if I wear socks, shoes or stand on the carpet I don't get shocked at all.

Any ideas?

1DeR9_3Hy · 01/23/2012, 11:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by macman7010

I wondered if anyone could help something odd that happened to me yesterday. I moved into my house several months ago and moved my marine tank about two months ago. The aquarium sits on the carpet in my downstairs and there is a tiled area right beside the carpet where the entrance door to the downstairs is. When I stand on the tiled area in my bare feet and place my finger in the water I receive a mild electric shock. Though if I wear socks, shoes or stand on the carpet I don't get shocked at all.

Any ideas?

Most likely a pump is leaking some voltage or maybe you have small heater leak (bad news). If there are inverts in the tank, do they look good?

The easy way to test this theory is to unplug items one by one and test the tank with your finger again (some might say using a multimeter would be safer). Dont forget if your light has metal legs and its in contact with the water, they can give you a slight tingle as well because some lights ground to the metal housing.

Chris27 · 01/23/2012, 01:02 PM

When you're standing on the tile, are your toes touching the concrete? If so, you're grounding yourself and electricity is flowing through you and into the ground.....

It does sound much like the insulation on a piece of equipment has degraded. Get your hands on a Multimeter and measure AC voltage between the tank and ground....should tell you something.

macman7010 · 01/23/2012, 01:06 PM

Yes my toes are touching the concrete. If I have shoes or socks on it doesn't happy or if I stand on the carpet.

macman7010 · 01/23/2012, 01:31 PM

Corals and everyone seem fine. I assume it's the heater. I will unplug everything till I find the culprit. After some research not uncommon for heaters to do when failing.

coralnut99 · 01/23/2012, 01:36 PM

A bad heater. I'd put money on it. Not much, but I'd put money on it. As suggested, unplug the heater and test with a multimeter, or your finger, or your dog's paw (cat if you're a dog person). I went through this years ago, and it was my son who felt the first shock. Kids are too smart to stick their finger back in there after you unplug the heater. Seriously though, the fact that you've got enough stray voltage in the tank that you can sense it, is just a precursor to much worse things depending on the brand of heater, powerhead, or pump that's the cause. It's something that should be addressed sooner than later.

macman7010 · 01/23/2012, 02:39 PM

I hope it is the heater. This thing is a Via Aqua titanium heat probe with digital display and has been a nightmare. If it loses power it resets itself to 79 degrees, warmer then I keep my tank. When I get home from the office I will play around until I find the equipment causing it. I just don't understand why I can't feel it on carpet?

username in use · 01/23/2012, 02:41 PM

because your not grounded

coralnut99 · 01/23/2012, 03:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by macman7010

I hope it is the heater. This thing is a Via Aqua titanium heat probe with digital display and has been a nightmare. If it loses power it resets itself to 79 degrees, warmer then I keep my tank. When I get home from the office I will play around until I find the equipment causing it. I just don't understand why I can't feel it on carpet?

When speaking of heaters, there can only be general statements made: Generally titanium tubes have a better track record.

Resetting to 79 while reading Farenheit isn't horrible. I have a Won and an Aquamedic (probably made in the same factory), both will reset themselves to the Celsius equivalent of 78 when the power goes out and comes back.

macman7010 · 01/24/2012, 08:27 AM

Well I went ahead and worked through unplugging everything. I picked up a meter at lowes and was getting stray electricity in the tank until I unplugged the UV Sterilizer. Turns out that was the culprit. A word of warning. This was the JBJ Submariner 13 watt submersible and some further research found that many, many people have had the exact same issue with this unit and the smaller one. The gasket that keeps water out of the UV light fails and stray electricity enters the tank. Needless to say I removed it and all seems good.

01/23/2012, 11:25 AM	#1
macman7010 Moved On Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Maryland Posts: 275	Something strange ... I wondered if anyone could help something odd that happened to me yesterday. I moved into my house several months ago and moved my marine tank about two months ago. The aquarium sits on the carpet in my downstairs and there is a tiled area right beside the carpet where the entrance door to the downstairs is. When I stand on the tiled area in my bare feet and place my finger in the water I receive a mild electric shock. Though if I wear socks, shoes or stand on the carpet I don't get shocked at all. Any ideas?

01/23/2012, 01:02 PM	#3
Chris27 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Virginia Beach, VA Posts: 4,452	When you're standing on the tile, are your toes touching the concrete? If so, you're grounding yourself and electricity is flowing through you and into the ground..... It does sound much like the insulation on a piece of equipment has degraded. Get your hands on a Multimeter and measure AC voltage between the tank and ground....should tell you something. __________________ Fill your tank with $5 bills, add gasoline and light it on fire.....only then will you know the real cost of reefing. Current Tank Info: 180 Mixed Reef

01/23/2012, 01:36 PM	#6
coralnut99 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Bushkill, PA Posts: 3,632	A bad heater. I'd put money on it. Not much, but I'd put money on it. As suggested, unplug the heater and test with a multimeter, or your finger, or your dog's paw (cat if you're a dog person). I went through this years ago, and it was my son who felt the first shock. Kids are too smart to stick their finger back in there after you unplug the heater. Seriously though, the fact that you've got enough stray voltage in the tank that you can sense it, is just a precursor to much worse things depending on the brand of heater, powerhead, or pump that's the cause. It's something that should be addressed sooner than later. __________________ Why can't my wife see this stuff as an investment? Current Tank Info: way too much to list, and still adding more!

01/23/2012, 02:41 PM	#8
username in use Sciencing Daily Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 6,560	because your not grounded __________________ Joshua "With fronds like these, who needs anemones?" - Albert Einstein Current Tank Info: multiple nano's sprinkled around the house

01/23/2012, 01:06 PM	#4
macman7010 Moved On Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Maryland Posts: 275	Yes my toes are touching the concrete. If I have shoes or socks on it doesn't happy or if I stand on the carpet.

01/23/2012, 01:31 PM	#5
macman7010 Moved On Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Maryland Posts: 275	Corals and everyone seem fine. I assume it's the heater. I will unplug everything till I find the culprit. After some research not uncommon for heaters to do when failing.

01/23/2012, 02:39 PM	#7
macman7010 Moved On Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Maryland Posts: 275	I hope it is the heater. This thing is a Via Aqua titanium heat probe with digital display and has been a nightmare. If it loses power it resets itself to 79 degrees, warmer then I keep my tank. When I get home from the office I will play around until I find the equipment causing it. I just don't understand why I can't feel it on carpet?

01/24/2012, 08:27 AM	#10
macman7010 Moved On Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Maryland Posts: 275	Well I went ahead and worked through unplugging everything. I picked up a meter at lowes and was getting stray electricity in the tank until I unplugged the UV Sterilizer. Turns out that was the culprit. A word of warning. This was the JBJ Submariner 13 watt submersible and some further research found that many, many people have had the exact same issue with this unit and the smaller one. The gasket that keeps water out of the UV light fails and stray electricity enters the tank. Needless to say I removed it and all seems good.