Feel poke on finger when putting it in tank

capschamp · 04/19/2012, 08:42 PM

So I think my finger nail may be slightly separated from the tip of my finger, smaller than a papercut. When I put that finger in the tank I feel a poke. At first I thought it was just salt in a wound. So I filled a glass with tank water and put my finger in the glass....no poke. Does this mean I've got a stray current? I've got 2 heaters, two mag pumps, a vortech all in the water, and a ph and temp probe that are connected to a reefkeeper. I have a grounding probe but didn't install it because I recall reading it could cause bigger problems. Any ideas what I might have? when I stick other fingers in I feel no poke. Just the one that I think the nail is slightly separated.

Andrew · 04/19/2012, 09:04 PM

If you have any open cuts or exposed skin than it will feel like a shock but it's just your body reacting to the salt touching the exposed area.

johnwonus · 04/19/2012, 09:41 PM

You will feel stray current in a cut. I know this from experience. Try unplugging one electrical unit at a time and see if you feel the poke. You could also install the grounding probe and see if it goes away. Trust me, you have stray current if you feel it in a cut. It could develope into something a lot more serious. There is still a debate if a probe causes problems and there is no definitive answer on it. So, if in doubt use the probe until you can check each device.

rl225 · 04/19/2012, 11:07 PM

Use gloves, gfi, be safe

MaxxedMan · 04/20/2012, 12:24 AM

Same thing happened to me!

(kidding, woodwork, coulda been worse)

capschamp · 04/20/2012, 07:20 AM

Everything is plugged in to pc4's on the reefkeeper. Could I just turn them off one at a time or do they need to be physically unplugged? And I do have those plugged into gfci, and I bought gloves (but obviously wasn't using them. Note to self, use gloves).

chgoblknazn · 04/20/2012, 07:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MaxxedMan

Same thing happened to me!

(kidding, woodwork, coulda been worse)

OMG!!!!

capschamp · 04/20/2012, 07:29 AM

Unplugged mag9.5 (first try) poke went away. Plugged back in, poke returned. Think I got it. Thanks for the help!!!

kingevil · 04/20/2012, 07:54 AM

now i want to cut my finger to test my tank for stray current. lol.

Merasti · 04/20/2012, 08:10 AM

can also just put one end of a multimeter in the water and the other to ground. Beats cutting up fingers to test for stray voltage.

kingevil · 04/20/2012, 08:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Merasti

can also just put one end of a multimeter in the water and the other to ground. Beats cutting up fingers to test for stray voltage.

don't have a multimeter, but i do have a razor

capschamp · 04/20/2012, 08:29 AM

I was going to ask how to test for stray current and pray that slicin my fingers wasnt the preferred method

jwilson · 04/20/2012, 11:28 AM

So what's the issue with Ti ground probes?

aleonn · 04/20/2012, 11:36 AM

Next time, I'd purchase a voltmeter from Home Depot to test for stray current. I'd be incredibly nervous to use my finger as a DIY voltmeter LOL.

ssgtgonzo · 04/20/2012, 11:36 AM

Mag pumps are notorious for stray electricity

husslr187 · 04/20/2012, 02:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aleonn

Next time, I'd purchase a voltmeter from Home Depot to test for stray current. I'd be incredibly nervous to use my finger as a DIY voltmeter LOL.

i use to do this daily when i was doing residential electric. one finger to hot wire thumb to ground wire. if i get shocked i re-checked the breaker i turned off. after a few year of doing that, that method became unreliable which lead to alot of thing blowing up in my face. once i cut the wires at an angle and stabbed them in my finger and got nothing. i guess i am immune to 120v effects. now 277/480 is a different story.

having not seen a mag pump, are they external with a metal housing? if so try to find a way to ground it there if you worried about a ground rod in the tank. just don't open it up and start touching a ground to metal parts as a test. some things are no t suppose to be grounded inside

04/19/2012, 08:42 PM	#1
capschamp Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: N/W Ohio Posts: 101	Feel poke on finger when putting it in tank So I think my finger nail may be slightly separated from the tip of my finger, smaller than a papercut. When I put that finger in the tank I feel a poke. At first I thought it was just salt in a wound. So I filled a glass with tank water and put my finger in the glass....no poke. Does this mean I've got a stray current? I've got 2 heaters, two mag pumps, a vortech all in the water, and a ph and temp probe that are connected to a reefkeeper. I have a grounding probe but didn't install it because I recall reading it could cause bigger problems. Any ideas what I might have? when I stick other fingers in I feel no poke. Just the one that I think the nail is slightly separated.

04/19/2012, 09:04 PM	#2
Andrew Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Columbus, OH Posts: 13,640	If you have any open cuts or exposed skin than it will feel like a shock but it's just your body reacting to the salt touching the exposed area.

04/19/2012, 09:41 PM	#3
johnwonus Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: NW Indiana Posts: 90	You will feel stray current in a cut. I know this from experience. Try unplugging one electrical unit at a time and see if you feel the poke. You could also install the grounding probe and see if it goes away. Trust me, you have stray current if you feel it in a cut. It could develope into something a lot more serious. There is still a debate if a probe causes problems and there is no definitive answer on it. So, if in doubt use the probe until you can check each device.

04/19/2012, 11:07 PM	#4
rl225 Fish R Cool M'Kay Join Date: Mar 2012 Posts: 223	Use gloves, gfi, be safe

04/20/2012, 07:20 AM	#6
capschamp Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: N/W Ohio Posts: 101	Everything is plugged in to pc4's on the reefkeeper. Could I just turn them off one at a time or do they need to be physically unplugged? And I do have those plugged into gfci, and I bought gloves (but obviously wasn't using them. Note to self, use gloves).

04/20/2012, 07:29 AM	#8
capschamp Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: N/W Ohio Posts: 101	Unplugged mag9.5 (first try) poke went away. Plugged back in, poke returned. Think I got it. Thanks for the help!!!

04/20/2012, 07:54 AM	#9
kingevil Moved On Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: phx/east valley Posts: 917	now i want to cut my finger to test my tank for stray current. lol.

04/20/2012, 08:10 AM	#10
Merasti Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: WI Posts: 63	can also just put one end of a multimeter in the water and the other to ground. Beats cutting up fingers to test for stray voltage.

04/20/2012, 08:29 AM	#12
capschamp Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: N/W Ohio Posts: 101	I was going to ask how to test for stray current and pray that slicin my fingers wasnt the preferred method

04/20/2012, 11:28 AM	#13
jwilson Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: NJ Posts: 62	So what's the issue with Ti ground probes?

04/20/2012, 11:36 AM	#14
aleonn Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Posts: 4,041	Next time, I'd purchase a voltmeter from Home Depot to test for stray current. I'd be incredibly nervous to use my finger as a DIY voltmeter LOL.

04/20/2012, 11:36 AM	#15
ssgtgonzo Entacmaea Enthusiast Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: columbus, ohio Posts: 387	Mag pumps are notorious for stray electricity