Static Shock?!?

Yedgy · 10/16/2007, 02:52 PM

Once in a while, I get what feels like a static shock when I first touch the water. It's not continuous, and it's apparently not enough of a shock to trip the GFCI (I've tested it to be sure it's working). Once I get the shock, I can put my hand in the water with no further shock. Is this normal? Would a grounding probe help? It isn't painful, but all those electrical wires plus highly conductive water = worry.

Thanks!

reefergeorge · 10/16/2007, 03:20 PM

It's definitely not normal. When I had this happen to me I tracked it down to a cracked heater.
I think ground probes create more problems then good. You should try to track down were the stray voltage is coming from.

Aquarist007 · 10/16/2007, 03:26 PM

I agree with tracking down the stray voltage--mine was also a heater.
But I think a ground probe is a great idea--I've run one since the stray voltage problem I had.

Yedgy · 10/16/2007, 03:26 PM

Would the stray voltage have to be coming from something immersed in the water, or could it be from lights, fans, etc.?

papagimp · 10/16/2007, 03:29 PM

Something in the water. Definatly not "normal".

oct2274 · 10/16/2007, 03:38 PM

keep unplugging things thing till you find the issue. not good.

reefergeorge · 10/16/2007, 03:45 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Yedgy
Would the stray voltage have to be coming from something immersed in the water, or could it be from lights, fans, etc.?

Their could be voltage comeing from the lights fans ect. But this is only induced voltage and shouldn't bother anything. You could put a volt meter from the water to ground and start unpluging thing till it goes away. Others have said that anything under 90 volts not to worry about. Good luck

Æonic · 10/16/2007, 03:50 PM

Are you sure it's not actual static? I've gotten static electricity shocks from water before (altho it was coming from a faucet). In particular, if you do it in the dark and see a spark, I'd bet it's just static. Or you could try grounding yourself good before touching the tank, and if it doesn't happen, then it was static.

(Edit. I wouldn't recommend staying grounded while touching the water, just in case it really is a leak from something).

Yedgy · 10/16/2007, 03:57 PM

One thing I forgot to mention...I had been carrying a styrofoam box with some new corals that had just arrived. I know from experience that styrofoam boxes can build up a static charge. Might that have been the culprit?

James77 · 10/16/2007, 03:59 PM

why don't you do the ol' rubthe feet on the carpet and try again?

bertoni · 10/16/2007, 04:11 PM

A grounding probe would be a good safety addition, in my opinion. It might solve the problem. If it does, I'd worry about what equipment is leaking current.

You might have just been feeling some static electricity, though. That wouldn't be so surprising, if the shock is that infrequent.

Yedgy · 10/16/2007, 04:14 PM

If something had been leaking current into the water, shouldn't I feel a continuous shock whenever I touch the water? BTW, humidity is 25% here today, so quite ripe for static buildup.

bertoni · 10/16/2007, 05:00 PM

If something was leaking current into the water continuously, it'd produce a continuous shock. Something that's marginal might, at least in theory, give an occasional shock. Since shocks can be lethal, I tend to worry about them, maybe more than I should.

NirvanaFan · 10/16/2007, 05:10 PM

I had a skimmer pump run dry one time and it put a constant current into the water. It gave a constant shock. I wouldn't mess around with it. Find out what is causing it, and fix it. Electricity is not something you want to mess with.

Yedgy · 10/16/2007, 06:24 PM

Thanks for the help, everyone! Should I plug the probe into a GFCI-protected outlet or a non-GFCI outlet?

coast2coast7390 · 10/16/2007, 06:26 PM

haha i just remembered the kids show Static Shock where the guy was all eletric...

Yedgy · 10/16/2007, 08:30 PM

Come to think of it, I've been getting shocked a lot lately...my dog, computer, furniture, etc. Maybe it really was just some spurious static? I've been dipping my finger in the tank periodically and I haven't been able to duplicate the shock yet. Nothing like a little paranoia to keep you on your toes!

Aquarist007 · 10/17/2007, 07:47 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by bertoni
A grounding probe would be a good safety addition, in my opinion. It might solve the problem. If it does, I'd worry about what equipment is leaking current.

to repeat the words of our great mentor

its a cheap addition--just buy it when in doubt

Butch 37 · 10/17/2007, 07:41 PM

This is what happen to me..Sometimes when I would stick my hand in the tank I would get the hell shocked out of me and sometimes I didn't. It took me awhile to figure out when I didn't get shocked was when I was standing on a bucket or a latter.When I was standing on the ground (GROUNDED)I would get shocked.Come to find out it was a powerhead that was leaking voltage..

reefergeorge · 10/17/2007, 07:53 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Butch 37
This is what happen to me..Sometimes when I would stick my hand in the tank I would get the hell shocked out of me and sometimes I didn't. It took me awhile to figure out when I didn't get shocked was when I was standing on a bucket or a latter.When I was standing on the ground (GROUNDED)I would get shocked.Come to find out it was a powerhead that was leaking voltage..

And this is why you don't want a ground probe. When the ph went bad it leaked voltage that stayed in the water as potential. If there was a gp there would be current flowing from the power head to the gp witch can kill.

Roger928 · 10/17/2007, 08:05 PM

Living in Arizona we get very low humidity and now that the monsoon is over, our air has dried out considerably. I'm getting zapped on the car, the door, the cat, dog, sofa, everything. Makes you CRAZY! I suspect it's just static, but you can't be too careful with electricity. Shut down all the power to the tank, do the carpet shuffle and see if it still happens.

Good luck!

Skier1 · 10/17/2007, 08:10 PM

I got shocked with my new tank. Bought a DMM (digital multi-meter) for testing. Checked out my equipment and found my less than 2 week old Visi-therm heater had a leaky seal. Water+inside of heater = fried. I wasn't happy until I found the cause of the shock...

Butch 37 · 10/17/2007, 08:20 PM

Well what stumped me was that I unpluged one powerhead at a time and it still would shock me when standing on the bare ground.What happen was when I was cleaning my skimmer I went to feed my fish and realized it didn't shock me..I said it was a powerhead on my earlier post but was the skimmer pump in my sump.the electricty was traveling back up my return line to the tank.

10/16/2007, 02:52 PM	#1
Yedgy Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Phoenix, AZ, USA Posts: 390	Static Shock?!? Once in a while, I get what feels like a static shock when I first touch the water. It's not continuous, and it's apparently not enough of a shock to trip the GFCI (I've tested it to be sure it's working). Once I get the shock, I can put my hand in the water with no further shock. Is this normal? Would a grounding probe help? It isn't painful, but all those electrical wires plus highly conductive water = worry. Thanks! __________________ "Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known." - Carl Sagan

10/16/2007, 03:20 PM	#2
reefergeorge Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: St Louis MO Posts: 4,222	It's definitely not normal. When I had this happen to me I tracked it down to a cracked heater. I think ground probes create more problems then good. You should try to track down were the stray voltage is coming from. __________________ $35-50 for a <1" frag of some stupid named thing that came from a colony you bought for $40-60 wholesale and chopped into 20-40 pieces? No thanks. "JasonH" Current Tank Info: 125 aggressive reef, DIY led lighting, swc cone skimmer, 33 gallon sump, posiden Ps3 return.

10/16/2007, 03:26 PM	#3
Aquarist007 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Hamilton, Canada Posts: 28,240 Blog Entries: 1	I agree with tracking down the stray voltage--mine was also a heater. But I think a ground probe is a great idea--I've run one since the stray voltage problem I had. __________________ I prefer my substrates stirred but not shaken Current Tank Info: 150gal long mixed reef, 90gal sump, 60 gal refugium with 200 lbs live rock

10/16/2007, 03:26 PM	#4
Yedgy Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Phoenix, AZ, USA Posts: 390	Would the stray voltage have to be coming from something immersed in the water, or could it be from lights, fans, etc.? __________________ "Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known." - Carl Sagan

10/16/2007, 03:29 PM	#5
papagimp COMAS Rocks! Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Oklahoma City, OK Posts: 8,185 Blog Entries: 2	Something in the water. Definatly not "normal". __________________ 58g Softie & 75g Stoney Member, Central Oklahoma Marine Aquarium Society Current Tank Info: 58g Mixed Reef Project - Started June 2011

10/16/2007, 03:38 PM	#6
oct2274 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Plano, TX Posts: 2,347	keep unplugging things thing till you find the issue. not good.

10/16/2007, 03:50 PM	#8
Æonic Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 115	Are you sure it's not actual static? I've gotten static electricity shocks from water before (altho it was coming from a faucet). In particular, if you do it in the dark and see a spark, I'd bet it's just static. Or you could try grounding yourself good before touching the tank, and if it doesn't happen, then it was static. (Edit. I wouldn't recommend staying grounded while touching the water, just in case it really is a leak from something). Last edited by Æonic; 10/16/2007 at 04:04 PM.

10/16/2007, 03:57 PM	#9
Yedgy Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Phoenix, AZ, USA Posts: 390	One thing I forgot to mention...I had been carrying a styrofoam box with some new corals that had just arrived. I know from experience that styrofoam boxes can build up a static charge. Might that have been the culprit? __________________ "Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known." - Carl Sagan

10/16/2007, 03:59 PM	#10
James77 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Rhode Island Posts: 8,158	why don't you do the ol' rubthe feet on the carpet and try again?

10/16/2007, 04:11 PM	#11
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	A grounding probe would be a good safety addition, in my opinion. It might solve the problem. If it does, I'd worry about what equipment is leaking current. You might have just been feeling some static electricity, though. That wouldn't be so surprising, if the shock is that infrequent. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

10/16/2007, 04:14 PM	#12
Yedgy Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Phoenix, AZ, USA Posts: 390	If something had been leaking current into the water, shouldn't I feel a continuous shock whenever I touch the water? BTW, humidity is 25% here today, so quite ripe for static buildup. __________________ "Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known." - Carl Sagan

10/16/2007, 05:00 PM	#13
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	If something was leaking current into the water continuously, it'd produce a continuous shock. Something that's marginal might, at least in theory, give an occasional shock. Since shocks can be lethal, I tend to worry about them, maybe more than I should. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

10/16/2007, 05:10 PM	#14
NirvanaFan Reef Ninja Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Rochester, NY Posts: 4,280	I had a skimmer pump run dry one time and it put a constant current into the water. It gave a constant shock. I wouldn't mess around with it. Find out what is causing it, and fix it. Electricity is not something you want to mess with.

10/16/2007, 06:24 PM	#15
Yedgy Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Phoenix, AZ, USA Posts: 390	Thanks for the help, everyone! Should I plug the probe into a GFCI-protected outlet or a non-GFCI outlet? __________________ "Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known." - Carl Sagan

10/16/2007, 06:26 PM	#16
coast2coast7390 Moved On Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Garden Grove Posts: 3,627	haha i just remembered the kids show Static Shock where the guy was all eletric...

10/16/2007, 08:30 PM	#17
Yedgy Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Phoenix, AZ, USA Posts: 390	Come to think of it, I've been getting shocked a lot lately...my dog, computer, furniture, etc. Maybe it really was just some spurious static? I've been dipping my finger in the tank periodically and I haven't been able to duplicate the shock yet. Nothing like a little paranoia to keep you on your toes! __________________ "Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known." - Carl Sagan

10/17/2007, 07:41 PM	#19
Butch 37 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Houma Louisiana Posts: 39	This is what happen to me..Sometimes when I would stick my hand in the tank I would get the hell shocked out of me and sometimes I didn't. It took me awhile to figure out when I didn't get shocked was when I was standing on a bucket or a latter.When I was standing on the ground (GROUNDED)I would get shocked.Come to find out it was a powerhead that was leaking voltage..

10/17/2007, 08:05 PM	#21
Roger928 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Prescott Valley, AZ Posts: 296	Living in Arizona we get very low humidity and now that the monsoon is over, our air has dried out considerably. I'm getting zapped on the car, the door, the cat, dog, sofa, everything. Makes you CRAZY! I suspect it's just static, but you can't be too careful with electricity. Shut down all the power to the tank, do the carpet shuffle and see if it still happens. Good luck! __________________ Always quarantine. You never know where that fish has been. Current Tank Info: 90 and 120 mixed reef

10/17/2007, 08:10 PM	#22
Skier1 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Rochester, NY Posts: 112	I got shocked with my new tank. Bought a DMM (digital multi-meter) for testing. Checked out my equipment and found my less than 2 week old Visi-therm heater had a leaky seal. Water+inside of heater = fried. I wasn't happy until I found the cause of the shock...

10/17/2007, 08:20 PM	#23
Butch 37 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Houma Louisiana Posts: 39	Well what stumped me was that I unpluged one powerhead at a time and it still would shock me when standing on the bare ground.What happen was when I was cleaning my skimmer I went to feed my fish and realized it didn't shock me..I said it was a powerhead on my earlier post but was the skimmer pump in my sump.the electricty was traveling back up my return line to the tank.