Grounding probe problem?

[Cory]

I found my skimmer pump was leaking voltage and about .04 milli amps. I also got a little zap. Anyways i pulled that out and im currently on an "electric free aquarium". My only equipment that is in the water are my external pump and my two heaters.

Voltage now is 1.5 volts and amperage 0.00 miliamps. However after adding a grounding probe to my power strip the voltage only dropped to .5 volts. I was under the assumption that it would read zero volts. Whats up?

Also my discosoma mushrooms seem to be wilting after the electric event. Everything else is fine.

 

[Cory]

Bump

 

[Cory]

@Brew12

Bump

 

[Brew12]

@Brew12

Bump

Thanks for calling out, definitely helps!

Something does seem odd with the voltage reading. I would have expected much higher voltage from a failing piece of equipment and no ground probe. I used to see over 20V from induced sources when I didn't have a ground. I don't bother checking it anymore since I would have to unplug my 2 titanium heaters and the ground probe. Since everything is spread out between two GFCI's I don't find it worth the effort.

By any chance does one or both of your heaters use a 3 prong plug instead of 2? It sounds like you had a ground in your system already and your ground probe only made a minor change when you added it. This would explain the low voltage and low current since most would be going through your heater housing and not the meter.

I would run carbon in your system to remove any contaminants that may have leached out while the failed skimmer was running. My guess is that is what is causing the issue with the mushrooms. A water change wouldn't hurt either.

 

[Cory]

Thanks for calling out, definitely helps!

Something does seem odd with the voltage reading. I would have expected much higher voltage from a failing piece of equipment and no ground probe. I used to see over 20V from induced sources when I didn't have a ground. I don't bother checking it anymore since I would have to unplug my 2 titanium heaters and the ground probe. Since everything is spread out between two GFCI's I don't find it worth the effort.

By any chance does one or both of your heaters use a 3 prong plug instead of 2? It sounds like you had a ground in your system already and your ground probe only made a minor change when you added it. This would explain the low voltage and low current since most would be going through your heater housing and not the meter.

I would run carbon in your system to remove any contaminants that may have leached out while the failed skimmer was running. My guess is that is what is causing the issue with the mushrooms. A water change wouldn't hurt either.

Not the heaters but the external pump does. Its has a three prong and was previously in the tank. Now its external because it was also inducing voltage.

After the event i bought a Rid Volt titanium grounding probe. Does it need to be screwed into metal to be effective too? It has both the ground port plus a screw thing. Ive attachted pics of both.

 

[Cory]

Oh yeah im also running carbon and cuprosorb. Havent tested for copper. But my other corals are fine.

 

[Cory]

To be clear voltage was more than 30 before and after taking out most stuff its now 1.5 volts. After installing a groujd probr the voltage reads .5 volts. I was expecting 0 volts. Why is it not zero? Bad probe?

 

[Brew12]

To be clear voltage was more than 30 before and after taking out most stuff its now 1.5 volts. After installing a groujd probr the voltage reads .5 volts. I was expecting 0 volts. Why is it not zero? Bad probe?

Seeing 0.5V isn't uncommon. There are a lot of crazy impedances in moving seawater that can cause small voltage fluctuations. It's also likely a harmonic voltage that many meters don't read accurately.
And you only have to either plug in the ground probe or connect the ring. You don't need to do both.