Stray voltage

[hashbrown1408]

Hi all,

I noticed this morning that I have some stray voltage throughout my tank (both I and my wife got shocked pretty badly from touching the water) I purchased a volt meter and am getting a reading of around only 5-10V. However when I unplug all of the sockets from the tank I’m still getting the same readings

Anyone have a better suggestion to diagnose which item it might be causing the problem?

 

[Subsea]

How are you measuring voltage when all electricity is unplugged?

Do you have a titanium ground for aquarium water?

Is it possible that your ground has voltage leakage from another source and that is what you are measuring?

 

[hashbrown1408]

When all equipment is plugged in I ground the volt meter in the extension outlets the tank equipment is plugged into.

Once I unplugged all equipment I grounded the volt meter in the same extension outlets that the tanks equipment was plugged into

 

[hashbrown1408]

How are you measuring voltage when all electricity is unplugged?

Do you have a titanium ground for aquarium water?

Is it possible that your ground has voltage leakage from another source and that is what you are meaduring?

My heaters are not from BRS I don’t believe they have that

 

[BeanAnimal]

Forget the meter for now. Is the entire system on a GFCI breaker or receptacle? Answer that and we can build from there.

How long has the system been setup?

When you get shocked what are you touching with. Other hands, feet and other body parts? Floor type?

 

[hashbrown1408]

Forget the meter for now. Is the entire system on a GFCI breaker or receptacle? Answer that and we can build from there.

How long has the system been setup?

When you get shocked what are you touching with. Other hands, feet and other body parts? Floor type?

The system is plugged into two extension cords that are both plugged into a receptacle, no GFCI.

The system has been setup in the location for ~1 year. It’s been running for a total of 2 years.

When I’m shocked I just touched the water with my fingertips no other body parts, floor is tile.

 

[BeanAnimal]

Bare feet?

You need to plug both cords into a GFCI. Then ground the tank water. If either trips (with or without) GFCI then you have a fault for sure.

You say bad shock. A tingle or painful in a cut, actual 120v shock? Was it a quick zap or last as long as hand was in tank?

GFCI immediately, no more hands in tank until then.

The meter reading of 5v or whatever is reassuring, but I am not there to verify or see exactly how you tested. So, better safe than sorry.

 

[Subsea]

The system is plugged into two extension cords that are both plugged into a receptacle, no GFCI.

The system has been setup in the location for ~1 year. It’s been running for a total of 2 years.

When I’m shocked I just touched the water with my fingertips no other body parts, floor is tile.

If you were wearing shoes on a dry tile floor and you felt the voltage: you have a serious voltage issue. Consider getting a master electrician.

 

[BeanAnimal]

Exactly, could be lifted neutral as well. The GFCI needs to be there for their safety while they get this sorted out.

 

[hashbrown1408]

Exactly, could be lifted neutral as well. The GFCI needs to be there for their safety while they get this sorted out.

I was wearing socks on tile. The zap I got was strong enough for me to stun me for a short period. I didn’t keep my hand in the tank after.
Unfortunately I don’t have a GFCI outlet in my house. What are your recommendations to do until I can get one installed? Is the tank safe to run until tomorrow? None of the fish or corals seem to be affected yet

 

[Subsea]

Amazon product ASIN B08G4HNCR1
Aquarium inhabitants are safe but not people next to it. Go buy a $30 GFCI extension cord from Home Depot.

 

[hashbrown1408]

Amazon product ASIN B08G4HNCR1
Aquarium inhabitants are safe but not people next to it. Go buy a $30 GFCI extension cord from Home Depot.

I’ll order one thankyou.
I have 10+ items currently plugged in for the tank. Can I plug my extension cords into the GFCI extension?

Also to confirm, this extension will prevent me being shocked/trip if there is actually stray voltage. How can I then identify what is causing it? Unplug each item and see which one doesn’t cause it to trip?

 

[BeanAnimal]

Kids? The tank should be okay, but don’t touch it or anything on it until you get the GFCIs. Consider calling an electrician as well.

Wear rubber soled shoes please, no sock feet or bare feet around the tank. One hand rule. One hand working, other hand behind back if there is any question that you may be in contact with live mains voltage.

 

[BeanAnimal]

I’ll order one thankyou.
I have 10+ items currently plugged in for the tank. Can I plug my extension cords into the GFCI extension?

Also to confirm, this extension will prevent me being shocked/trip if there is actually stray voltage. How can I then identify what is causing it? Unplug each item and see which one doesn’t cause it to trip?

Basically yes. The GFCI is for your protection and can help with process of elimination. One way or the other, I would have an electrician upgrade the receptacles or the breaker feeding them.

That we are having this conversation indicated this is not a DIY project for you. Be safe, get that GFCi cord in the morning from the big box and go from there.

 

[hashbrown1408]

Basically yes. The GFCI is for your protection and can help with process of elimination. One way or the other, I would have an electrician upgrade the receptacles or the breaker feeding them.

No kids, I’ll order a GFCI extension to plug my current ones into until I can get an electrician to come and upgrade the outlet. Thanks for the help guys I really appreciate it. Will update when I find out the culprit

 

[hashbrown1408]

Basically yes. The GFCI is for your protection and can help with process of elimination. One way or the other, I would have an electrician upgrade the receptacles or the breaker feeding them.

That we are having this conversation indicated this is not a DIY project for you. Be safe, get that GFCi cord in the morning from the big box and go from there.

Update! So I got the GFCI extension and plugged both the extensions from the tank into it. Nothing is tripping the GFCI.
What suggestions do you have moving forward?

 

[Subsea]

Update! So I got the GFCI extension and plugged both the extensions from the tank into it. Nothing is tripping the GFCI.
What suggestions do you have moving forward?

“Wear rubber soled shoes please, no sock feet or bare feet around the tank. One hand rule. One hand working, other hand behind back if there is any question that you may be in contact with live mains voltage.”

If you are still getting shocked, then GET a master electrician to help with diagnostics. Pay particular attention to ground fault leakage from other devices in home that backfeed into the ground.

Parts changers are not an option.

PS: also consider a titanium ground

Amazon product ASIN B07XC3GTQJ

 

[vetteguy53081]

Hi all,

I noticed this morning that I have some stray voltage throughout my tank (both I and my wife got shocked pretty badly from touching the water) I purchased a volt meter and am getting a reading of around only 5-10V. However when I unplug all of the sockets from the tank I’m still getting the same readings

Anyone have a better suggestion to diagnose which item it might be causing the problem?

Check lights also. If you add a portable GFCI, should address faulty item but of you still feel the stinging after adding a ground probe, may be lights or component in the sump. My culprit years ago was the return pump and previous to that - Chinese lights

 

[IceNein]

Update! So I got the GFCI extension and plugged both the extensions from the tank into it. Nothing is tripping the GFCI.
What suggestions do you have moving forward?

If you are getting shocked, and you have everything plugged into a GFCI, and the GFCI doesn't trip then either the GFCI is faulty (unlikely), or nothing that is plugged into the GFCI is the source of the shock.

A GFCI looks for unbalanced current. That means that current coming in is not equal to current going out. If that happens, the GFCI automatically trips. So if some current is flowing through you, then that is current that won't be coming back through the GFCI, and it will trip.

Do you know for certain that this isn't static electricity? Has it been windy in your area. Has your area been particularly dry lately?

Edit - you're from miami, so probably not too dry, lol

 

[W31Olds]

Just a thought, is your meter set to read AC Volts? Provided you are measuring the tank water with respect to neutral or earth ground 5-10 VAC potential should not be felt. If it was me I would run down to home depot and get a plug in outlet checker with gfci trip capability ( something like a southwire model 40022S) and unplug your tank and check the wall outlet alone and then plug the extension cord back in then check the and see the GFCI feature works. That should eliminate a problem with your outlet.