Shocking question

butts182 · Apr 2, 2011

So i just got shocked and I want to know why. I touched my light (ATI Sumpower) while I had my fingers in the water and got shocked. If I don't stick my fingers in the water, no shock when touching the light. Come on electricians, help me out. What is going on? Is it normal? And does this mean that I have stray voltage in the tank? Thanks.

-Logzor · Apr 2, 2011

If you have a stealth heater or koralia pump, this is the cause of the stray voltage.

butts182 · Apr 2, 2011

i have no heater or koralia pump. i have a swc skimmer, a rio 2500 return pump, and a mp20, that's it. i don't get shocked when i touch the water...only when i touch the water and the light. i get shocked at the light,not at the water.

butts182 · Apr 3, 2011

can anyone help?

MitchReef · Apr 3, 2011

Your light housing is grounded. Without a ground there is no circuit closure for the stray voltage in the tank. First you need to find the culprit. I suspect the Rio, they're famous for it. If you have a multimeter take one lead to ground (the third hole in your receptacle) and the other to the tank water. You will get voltage. Now, unplug one item, at a time until the voltage goes away....there is the enemy.

As an additional layer of safety go to the LFS and get a grounding probe. That will dissipate the current, but should not be relied upon to take care of the problem alone. The source needs to be removed.

Jcr's Reef · Apr 3, 2011

MitchReef said:
Your light housing is grounded. Without a ground there is no circuit closure for the stray voltage in the tank. First you need to find the culprit. I suspect the Rio, they're famous for it. If you have a multimeter take one lead to ground (the third hole in your receptacle) and the other to the tank water. You will get voltage. Now, unplug one item, at a time until the voltage goes away....there is the enemy.

As an additional layer of safety go to the LFS and get a grounding probe. That will dissipate the current, but should not be relied upon to take care of the problem alone. The source needs to be removed.

+1 unplug your Rio then touch your light

butts182 · Apr 3, 2011

I unplugged the Rio and still got shocked at my light when i touched it with my finger and had my other finger in the water. There's no shock when I touch the water and no shock when I touch the light...it only happens when I touch the light and the water at the same time. I also unplugged the skimmer and got the same shocking result. I'm not sure it there is stray in the tank, but I am going to get a grounding probe anyways. does any of this make sense?

skinz78 · Apr 3, 2011

Can you touch the screw of a outlet or switch plate and see if you get shocked while your hand is in the water?

Troylee · Apr 3, 2011

Any salt creep make its way down the wire to the electrical outlet??? No heater on this system either??

gqjeff · Apr 3, 2011

I am sure u could find something out using a multimeter.

MitchReef · Apr 3, 2011

It's NOT the light. That's just what is providing the connection to ground. Like I said, unplug one item at a time and go through EVERYTHING that has power. When the current goes away you have isolated the problem. Touching just the light you get no power. Just the water the current has nowhere to go. Touching both provides a path for the current, thus the shock. PLEASE take a few minutes and go through the test to see what the culprit is. Stray voltage can cause stress, impeded growth to death and Head and Lateral Line Disease.

WesF · Apr 3, 2011

Sounds like it's the light.

If it's not the light, you should be able to touch any grounded object and get the same shock.

butts182 · Apr 3, 2011

skinz78 said:
Can you touch the screw of a outlet or switch plate and see if you get shocked while your hand is in the water?

THANKS EVERYONE for your help...i'ma coastal engineer,not an electrical engineer!!! I hate the stuff. I did what Skinz and others said. I was able to determine that it was the only other thing that i did not test...the no name auto top off system i have...i unplugged it and got no shock!! hopefully my corals will comeback (hopefully this is the only problem). thanks guys!!!! so much.

skinz78 · Apr 3, 2011

What are your corals doing? I remember you loosing some Chalice's?

butts182 · Apr 3, 2011

yes, slowly losing some chalices from recession...already lost my FT :cry:
really nothing has been all that happy though. i guess it's a good thing i got a big shock yesterday when i accidentally touched my cheek to my light while i was fooling around in the tank! just ordered a JBJ auto top off system.