Stray Voltage

[CMMorgan]

STOP telling people to install ground probes without GFCI outlets !!!!!!

I do not see where anyone said to install a ground probe without a GFCI. I think it stands to reason that we would all have GFCI breakers or outlets on our tanks. Basic safety should always be a consideration. I would never work on my tank in bare feet either. I also belong to the glove brigade.
It is also rarely discussed but every piece of equipment (including brand new) puts out a tiny amount of voltage. In my case, I replaced pumps that were faulty ... tested each and every piece by elimination and contacted manufacturers. I have that email confirming this from @Sicce someplace.
We can agree to disagree but the ground probe made a difference in my tank. I support responsible maintenance of our tanks and using ground probes.

 

[Greg P]

I do not see where anyone said to install a ground probe without a GFCI.

Nobody in this thread did. It was just a general "at all" comment.

 

[Sarcazian]

Nobody in this thread did. It was just a general "at all" comment.

I ran across this thread looking for some info around stray voltage - more about if my soaking LR is now dead. Your information is very valuable - Thank you! It sounds like the LR was not shocked since there was no ground?

I guess I still got lucky and my ZAP was only similar to touching a socket or trying to screw a broken bulb out when the power is still on.


I already wrote this up earily, so might as well just post it. To me, it's worth it if someone thinks twice before blindly doing something they have always done since there was never an issue.

I have a 32g or so container with LR soaking. LR, heater, powerhead (12 year old (or so) Hydor Koralia) and pump were all sitting in a salt water brute for about 8 years. All sealed tight, SW was still around the same salinity.

I vinegar bath the pump, heater, and pump for about a week (accident) - very high 50/50 or higher. Washed off, made new water, and transferred the rock.

I checked it tonight to see if I needed to top it off with fresh RO. ZAP. Okay, my fault for using the finger to refractometer. Not fun, but alive, but enough to pulse the finger for 5-10 minutes.

In my case, the pump/heater were plugged into an old power strip that went to a non GFCI plug, but there are GFCI upstream or so I thought... Maybe it is downstream and I will need to test tomorrow.

Strip -> Garage plug -> next receptacle is an upstream GFCI (maybe bad?) -> Arc Fault breaker.

 

[bob salzlein]

I ran across this thread looking for some info around stray voltage - more about if my soaking LR is now dead. Your information is very valuable - Thank you! It sounds like the LR was not shocked since there was no ground?

I guess I still got lucky and my ZAP was only similar to touching a socket or trying to screw a broken bulb out when the power is still on.


I already wrote this up earily, so might as well just post it. To me, it's worth it if someone thinks twice before blindly doing something they have always done since there was never an issue.

I have a 32g or so container with LR soaking. LR, heater, powerhead (12 year old (or so) Hydor Koralia) and pump were all sitting in a salt water brute for about 8 years. All sealed tight, SW was still around the same salinity.

I vinegar bath the pump, heater, and pump for about a week (accident) - very high 50/50 or higher. Washed off, made new water, and transferred the rock.

I checked it tonight to see if I needed to top it off with fresh RO. ZAP. Okay, my fault for using the finger to refractometer. Not fun, but alive, but enough to pulse the finger for 5-10 minutes.

In my case, the pump/heater were plugged into an old power strip that went to a non GFCI plug, but there are GFCI upstream or so I thought... Maybe it is downstream and I will need to test tomorrow.

Strip -> Garage plug -> next receptacle is an upstream GFCI (maybe bad?) -> Arc Fault breaker.

Vinegar is very bad and eats away at the casings and even some impellers, even worse at that long period of time.