Urgent help with electrical question

[Andrew D]

Well, I'm stumped. I'm no electrician but familiar enough with electricity to have wired my basement with proper inspection, and respectful enough to know I don't know everything. Yesterday I blew a GFI when (I think) I accidentally touched the LEd lights over my ATS (grow light bulb, without a cover) with the glass splash cover which of course was wet. It was late so I quickly plugged all essentials into another outlet and let it be until today. Today I shut off the breaker to the GFI, tested it with one of those current testers (the kind you hold to the wire) and it told me that there was no current. I proceeded to cut the wire when a loud snap and spark made my jump back almost hitting my head. Didn't get zapped though. When I went back with the tester it confirmed that there was no power to the wire I tried to cut, but when I held it to the 1.5 inch ribbed black tubing from my drain which was hanging nearby it lit up. I then touched it to the display, sump and other peripheral connected tanks it also lit up. I then went to a completely separate system (my QT) and held it to the glass and it lit up also. Not sure what's going on, is it telling me that the salt water has current even though there is nothing electrical in it, just a bubbler. If that's the case, could that be the reason for the spark when I tried to cut the disconnected wire? I'm now afraid to touch anything, and worried that there is current in my tank that is hurting my fish. I can't shut power to the house but will try that tomorrow morning. Help please.

 

[gabrieltackitt]

@Brew12 is the resident electrician around here, maybe he can help you diagnose what’s going on here.

 

[fishguy242]

hi i am going to tag you on elec emergency going on rt now poss info there,best wishes

 

[Andrew D]

Thanks guys. I should add that when I put my finger in the tank I don't get a shock, even though the tester lights up on me when I touch it to the glass. If I didn't get the spark when I cut the wire I'd think that the tester was broken but I've not ever heard of a tester working too well, normally if it's broken it doesn't work at all. I"m really stumped.

 

[Crustaceon]

Yes, you have current going into the tank. Your tester is completing the circuit by acting as a ground. What you need to do it start unplugging pumps, etc. until that tester light doesn’t come on when you touch it to the drain line. The last piece of equipment you unplug will be the source of the electrical short.

 

[fishguy242]

just to add when found ,add ground probes 2 1 in tank other in sump,better safe than sorry for 20$

 

[Andrew D]

Well, I figured I'd close the loop circuit with all of you, lol, but boy do I feel dumb and very very lucky. The spark I saw when I cut the wire was because I shut off the wrong breaker and cut a live wire going into my blown GFI. Yikes! Realized this the next day when the coffee maker upstairs didn't work. Through the process of elimination I figured out that the stray current in the tank came from one of my return pumps, wasn't hard because I don't have any heaters or internal powerheads in the system. What I can't however figure out though is why the current tester lights up when I touch the glass of my 10G QT tank with nothing in it but a bubbler. Oh well, not as worried about that one right now.

Anyway, thanks to those who tried to help. And to everyone else, please be more careful than I was. It was the third of three mishaps last weekend (leaking ATO tank, blown GFI and near-electrocution) so I think I'm safe now. Until I tell my wife that is....