how do you know if you got strayed voltage in your tank

johnvu713 · 02/08/2006, 01:15 AM

Last i heard there was some sort of meter that can measure stray current ...forgot what it's called can someone refresh my memory,.

integlikewhoa · 02/08/2006, 01:42 AM

Do you feel weird when you stick you hand in the tank?

Wiggawam · 02/08/2006, 04:57 AM

Cut your hand and stick it in the tank after it has stopped bleeding. If the cut stings badly you have stray voltage. Not a salt sting mind you, it's alot sharper. Crude but it works.

conda · 02/08/2006, 08:53 AM

I have the same problem.

With two saltwater tanks in my back back room and a cement floor, I constantly stick my hands into the tanks with bare feet. Instant ground! I know, I'm stupid. If I wear sneakers or stand on a wooden stool, I never get shocked.

All saltwater tanks are going to have some leaking voltage due to all the submerged equipment, I believe this is normal. Once you touch the water you provide a current, you will get a slight stinging shock. Your fish may not normally feel it since there is no current flowing. Stick on a grounding probe and you will have constant current that may affect the fish.

I have GFCI breakers that never trip when I get shocked, so I am assuming the amount of current I am receiving is not enough to do any harm.

74nautique · 02/08/2006, 09:08 AM

You can check it with a volt meter, put one lead in the water and plug the other in the ground of a receptacle. You will have like 10-12 volts I find as normal, you can buy a grounding rod.

integlikewhoa · 02/08/2006, 10:49 AM

A grounding rod completes the circut and keeps the stray voltage going. This might do harm to the fish. A leak that has no ground is not a complete circut and the fish cant feel. Its like the bird sitting on the power wires. He sits on one wire without touching any ground hes fine. He siting on that wire and you throw him a grounding probe now the circuts complete and your going to have fried chicken. Hope that makes sense. What the probe will do it save you if there is a big leak or short. It will allow another path to ground rather then the current flowing threw you to your feet and to the ground. So a grounding probe better for you and harder on the fish.

RichConley · 02/08/2006, 11:26 AM

Grounding probes shoudl ONLY be used with GFCIs.

If you dont have a GFCI, grounding probes are dangerous.

johnvu713 · 02/08/2006, 03:07 PM

i do have gfci but it ever hardly get cut off i guess that's an indication i dont have stray voltage in the tank>?

davidcalgary29 · 02/08/2006, 03:47 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Wiggawam
Cut your hand and stick it in the tank after it has stopped bleeding. If the cut stings badly you have stray voltage. Not a salt sting mind you, it's alot sharper. Crude but it works.

Probably not the best thing for your health, though. I'd rather run the risk of stray voltage in the tank for a few days over a serious bacterial infection.

02/08/2006, 01:15 AM	#1
johnvu713 Moved On Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: houston Posts: 732	how do you know if you got strayed voltage in your tank Last i heard there was some sort of meter that can measure stray current ...forgot what it's called can someone refresh my memory,.

02/08/2006, 01:42 AM	#2
integlikewhoa Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Arcadia, CA Posts: 1,381	Do you feel weird when you stick you hand in the tank? __________________ I think of one later. Current Tank Info: 28G JBJ Nano for sale

02/08/2006, 10:49 AM	#6
integlikewhoa Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Arcadia, CA Posts: 1,381	A grounding rod completes the circut and keeps the stray voltage going. This might do harm to the fish. A leak that has no ground is not a complete circut and the fish cant feel. Its like the bird sitting on the power wires. He sits on one wire without touching any ground hes fine. He siting on that wire and you throw him a grounding probe now the circuts complete and your going to have fried chicken. Hope that makes sense. What the probe will do it save you if there is a big leak or short. It will allow another path to ground rather then the current flowing threw you to your feet and to the ground. So a grounding probe better for you and harder on the fish. __________________ I think of one later. Current Tank Info: 28G JBJ Nano for sale

02/08/2006, 11:26 AM	#7
RichConley Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Bostonian in Chicago going to DC Posts: 9,908	Grounding probes shoudl ONLY be used with GFCIs. If you dont have a GFCI, grounding probes are dangerous. __________________ NO TANKS!!!

02/08/2006, 04:57 AM	#3
Wiggawam Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 351	Cut your hand and stick it in the tank after it has stopped bleeding. If the cut stings badly you have stray voltage. Not a salt sting mind you, it's alot sharper. Crude but it works.

02/08/2006, 08:53 AM	#4
conda Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Birchrunville, Pennsylvania Posts: 538	I have the same problem. With two saltwater tanks in my back back room and a cement floor, I constantly stick my hands into the tanks with bare feet. Instant ground! I know, I'm stupid. If I wear sneakers or stand on a wooden stool, I never get shocked. All saltwater tanks are going to have some leaking voltage due to all the submerged equipment, I believe this is normal. Once you touch the water you provide a current, you will get a slight stinging shock. Your fish may not normally feel it since there is no current flowing. Stick on a grounding probe and you will have constant current that may affect the fish. I have GFCI breakers that never trip when I get shocked, so I am assuming the amount of current I am receiving is not enough to do any harm.

02/08/2006, 09:08 AM	#5
74nautique Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Georgia Posts: 172	You can check it with a volt meter, put one lead in the water and plug the other in the ground of a receptacle. You will have like 10-12 volts I find as normal, you can buy a grounding rod.

02/08/2006, 03:07 PM	#8
johnvu713 Moved On Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: houston Posts: 732	i do have gfci but it ever hardly get cut off i guess that's an indication i dont have stray voltage in the tank>?