Advice - steps for testing for stray voltage

[Makers Marc]

All, can someone give me a step by step guide to test for stray voltage using this multimeter?

 

[Crabs McJones]

@Brew12 may be able to help. Hes our resident electrician

 

[leroy_jenkinz]

a quick google search has resulted the following, take your pick as to which one you want to watch as it will be easier to watch than have someone walk you step by step thats been explained elsewhere

https://www.google.com/search?q=how...IFSgA&cshid=1561499488988848&biw=1264&bih=576

 

[Makers Marc]

Guess I shouldve searched for vids. My google search led me to 5-10 posts from r2r and reefcentral that weren't very definitive.

That link doesnt work for me but ill search. Thought it would as easy as 1. Put on AC-Voltage 2. Put red in water, black on ground

 

[Fish_N_A_Box]

Take your meter and place the black probe in the ground of and outlet or power strip... the ground is the round hole below the two slots (US Plug).

Turn your meter to AC

Place the other into the water. Voltage, if any should show up on the meter at this point.

To work out what is leaking the voltage turn off all equipment and unplug. You should now show Zero on the meter.

Plug in each piece of equipment and then test with the meter.

Turn that one back off and move to the next.

this will show you what each one is leaking and of course with them all on that will be your total cumulative leakage.

It is not uncommon to see some leakage.

 

[Makers Marc]

Take your meter and place the black probe in the ground of and outlet or power strip... the ground is the round hole below the two slots (US Plug).

Turn your meter to AC

Place the other into the water. Voltage, if any should show up on the meter at this point.

To work out what is leaking the voltage turn off all equipment and unplug. You should now show Zero on the meter.

Plug in each piece of equipment and then test with the meter.

Turn that one back off and move to the next.

this will show you what each one is leaking and of course with them all on that will be your total cumulative leakage.

It is not uncommon to see some leakage.

Thanks!

So does it matter if I use the grounded plug on the Apex eb832 outlet or my wall outlet?

Majority of things are plugged into my Apex outlet (which plugs into a wall GFCI)except one powerhead which I left in a wall (non-gfci) in case of trip

 

[Brew12]

Guess I shouldve searched for vids. My google search led me to 5-10 posts from r2r and reefcentral that weren't very definitive.

That link doesnt work for me but ill search. Thought it would as easy as 1. Put on AC-Voltage 2. Put red in water, black on ground

It should be that easy, depending on the meter. And with AC it doesn't matter which lead goes where.

 

[Brew12]

So does it matter if I use the grounded plug on the Apex eb832 outlet or my wall outlet?

They should all be connected, so no, it shouldn't matter.

 

[Makers Marc]

Thanks.

So I just did it and got a reading of 0.4 with it on AC setting (200).

Is that enough to cause issues with acros and burnt tips?

I'm trying to eliminate everything before replacing my AP700s.

 

[Brew12]

Thanks.

So I just did it and got a reading of 0.4 with it on AC setting (200).

That would imply to me that your system is grounded. Do you use a ground probe?

 

[Makers Marc]

That would imply to me that your system is grounded. Do you use a ground probe?

I did not setup a ground probe intentionally if that is what you are asking. Don't even know what/how thats done.

I did check the outlet with that 3 prong meter and it lit up as "correct".

 

[Brew12]

I did not setup a ground probe intentionally if that is what you are asking. Don't even know what/how thats done.

I did check the outlet with that 3 prong meter and it lit up as "correct".

That sounds good.

Do you use a titanium heater with a 3 prong plug?

 

[Makers Marc]

That sounds good.

Do you use a titanium heater with a 3 prong plug?

No. I just use 2 x eheim jager heaters that have 2 prongs into my outlet. So is stray voltage an issue or is that impossible since im

#waterandelectricity4dummies

 

[Brew12]

No. I just use 2 x eheim jager heaters that have 2 prongs into my outlet. So is stray voltage an issue or is that impossible since im

#waterandelectricity4dummies

Do you have any metal touching your water in your tank or sump at all? Like an frame from a light fixture mount?

 

[Makers Marc]

Do you have any metal touching your water in your tank or sump at all? Like an frame from a light fixture mount?

Only thing "intentionally" are the kessil brackets shown below.

I guess one of my gyres/pumps may have exposed metal but I doubt it bc I looked a month ago, when I thought Tin was my issue.

 

[Brew12]

Let's do an easy test. Switch your meter to the 200 ohm scale and put one lead in the water and the other in ground.

 

[Makers Marc]

Let's do an easy test. Switch your meter to the 200 ohm scale and put one lead in the water and the other in ground.

. I see he Ohm/omega symbol here bottom left, unsure if I should use 200k or 200 so i did both.

Both just showed the number 1.

 

[Brew12]

Showing a "1" is an indication that it is a high resistance so nothing is grounded.

Not sure what to tell you. I would have expected to see a much higher AC voltage to ground but it's not something I would worry about at this point.

 

[Makers Marc]

Ok thanks Brew for helping diagnose things. So to be clear, since the jargon throws me off.

1. There is NOTHING to worry about in terms of my safety.

2. There likely isnt a stray voltage issue that could cause coral deaths.

 

[Brew12]

Ok thanks Brew for helping diagnose things. So to be clear, since the jargon throws me off.

1. There is NOTHING to worry about in terms of my safety.

2. There likely isnt a stray voltage issue that could cause coral deaths.

For safety reasons I prefer to have everything wet in my tank plugged into a GFCI. Without that, even though you don't seem to have failed equipment now, it could cause safety issues in the future.

I am not convinced that stray voltage can cause coral death. I suspect that most coral issues after an electrical fault are due to copper (from exposed wiring) and other contaminants in the water. Scientists are actually using low voltage/current to stimulate growth in coral where they are trying to re-establish reefs.