Anyone Ever Get Electrocuted?

[EricR]

So long as the GFI is working yes. it will trip as soon as you touch the water if something is trying to find you as a path to ground.

FYI, most GFI equipment manufactures request that you use the test function annually to ensure that the protection is working.

Unless you're wearing thick rubber soles ... sorry,,, just messing around

 

[A_Blind_Reefer]

That's a very misleading statement. The voltage actually matters substantially and is half of what determines the current.

Current = Voltage / body resistance

Body resistance varies between 1000 and 10000 ohms, but voltage is what allows the current that will shock or possibly kill you.

Since 100mA is the threshold to kill, Depending on your body resistance, 100V can potentially be lethal, though it is more likely to be above 300V

If there is no path for the current what happens? It has to have somewhere to flow correct?

 

[ZombieEngineer]

I have been shocked at least 100 times (I am basically a cross between an electrical engineer, a technician, and an electrician). 5+ from my aquarium alone. Never bad enough to hospitalize though.

 

[ZombieEngineer]

If there is no path for the current what happens? It has to have somewhere to flow correct?

Yes, but that flow can be through you to the ground.

 

[JAC-]

Actually you can be electrocuted and live. Electrocution is defined as death or severe injury. GFci works great when installed and working properly. Almost every gfci issue I ever found was because someone miswired the outlet, there was no ground wire (only a hot an neutral), or had a cheap or defective outlet.

I stand corrected, thanks for the deeper dive @Zzyzx. To that point I've been phase to phase with 480 VAC, and I don't recommend it. I still remember the taste in my mouth and not knowing where I was.

To any of my fellows that was one sharp wire, lol

 

[DJF]

I’ve been tingled by stray voltage- I’m guessing your electrocutions aren’t able to reply.

 

[ZombieEngineer]

I always cut the power off before working on the inside of my tank.

This is entirely unnecessary. If you are worried about the risks of electrical shock, put your tank on a GFCI and install a grounding probe in your tank. That takes the risk to zero and doesn't require you to turn off anything.

 

[A_Blind_Reefer]

Yes, but that flow can be through you to the ground.

True, but you would have to complete the circuit. Technically you are correct in my statement being misleading, but you can touch a live conductor without completing a circuit.

 

[A_Blind_Reefer]

I stand corrected, thanks for the deeper dive @Zzyzx. To that point I've been phase to phase with 480 VAC, and I don't recommend it. I still remember the taste in my mouth and not knowing where I was.

To any of my fellows that was one sharp wire, lol

It is stunning….literally

 

[Lbrdsoxfan]

Yes, but not aquarium related. Work related. It’s not fun, I was lucky only had heart rhythm issues, was extremely sore, and my elbows and knees turned black and blue. Someone hired an “electrician” to repair a piece of industrial equipment that wasn’t working. Well, they got it working by stealing the ground conductor and used it as line voltage as one of the line conductors had burned up underground in a conduit. I went to service the equipment later not knowing the history. The motor had frozen and welded but did not trip he breaker. The entire machine was live at 277 volts, when I kneeled down to look at it, I rested my hand on the machine to lower myself to the ground. Well, I turned into a human wiggy. Luckily a janitor saw me and knocked me off the machine with his broom.

277v, Hurts. Got knocked off of a ladder years ago when changing a t12 ballast, live. Lets just say I didn't do any more work for the rest of the day.

 

[A_Blind_Reefer]

Yes, but that flow can be through you to the ground.

Ie current

 

[ZombieEngineer]

but you can touch a live conductor without completing a circuit.

Only in a helicopter. Even in an insulated bucket truck you technically still complete the circuit, you just seriesed yourself with so much resistance in the way that the lethal voltage goes through the roof.

 

[A_Blind_Reefer]

Only in a helicopter. Even in an insulated bucket truck you technically still complete the circuit, you just seriesed yourself with so much resistance in the way that the lethal voltage goes through the roof.

And the helicopter can generate enough static on its own, to get you

 

[Jedi1199]

Only in a helicopter. Even in an insulated bucket truck you technically still complete the circuit, you just seriesed yourself with so much resistance in the way that the lethal voltage goes through the roof.

This is why high wire workers wear full insulated suits.

Watched a show once about this. Guy took his gloves off for a minute to do something, and he was close enough to the wire that the power bridged the gap. It literally blew both of his arms off. He lived, but...

 

[EricR]

Here's my uneducated questions at this point:
-- Do most aquariums actually have some path to GROUND under normal circumstances? (kinda thinking NOT but I could be wrong)
-- If not, is that better or worse for wildlife in your tank in the event of underwater AC equipment shorting out? (feels better to me without thought/research)

Disclaimers:
-- I'm newer than most on this site to "AC equipment submerged in water"
-- I'm not an electrician (((but have enough years of DIY AC work to feel I can ask)))

 

[A_Blind_Reefer]

This is why high wire workers wear full insulated suits.

Watched a show once about this. Guy took his gloves off for a minute to do something, and he was close enough to the wire that the power bridged the gap. It literally blew both of his arms off. He lived, but...

That and switchgear, an arc flash can get you good when throwing a switch under load.

 

[gbroadbridge]

I always cut the power off before working on the inside of my tank. Anyone ever get electrocuted? Just Curious what that was like. Thanks all

If anyone did, they wouldn't be replying

 

[ZombieEngineer]

Here's my uneducated questions at this point:
-- Do most aquariums actually have some path to GROUND under normal circumstances? (kinda thinking NOT but I could be wrong)
-- If not, is that better or worse for wildlife in your tank in the event of underwater AC equipment shorting out? (feels better to me without thought/research)

Disclaimers:
-- I'm newer than most on this site to "AC equipment submerged in water"
-- I'm not an electrician (((but have enough years of DIY AC work to feel I can ask)))

They do not have a low impedance path to ground unless you install a grounding probe. Otherwise you become the path to ground when you stick your hand in the tank and there is voltage present.

The effect on livestock is negligible with a grounding probe vs insulated by the stand. The current is so distributed in the water that risk of shock to aquarium inhabitants is basically zero even with a grounding probe.

If you install a grounding probe, you must also have a working GFCI or there is a small potential to cause an electrical fire.


The choice really boils down to which of the two options you prefer
1. small chance of power outage from GFCI tripping that may nuke your tank
2. small chance of electrical shock to yourself that is 99.9% of the time just painful, no injury.

If #1 sounds worse, don't use a GFCI or grounding probe, but always slap test the water before dunking your hands in.

If #2 sounds worse, you have a pacemaker, you have a heart condition, or you have children that may put their hands in the tank, install a GFCI and a grounding probe.

 

[EricR]

Based on what you just said, I probably did the worst of both worlds:
-- installed GFCI circuit dedicated to my aquarium equipment only (((no other LOAD)))
-- No ground probe (((whatever that is,,, I'll assume that means anything in the water connected to actual GROUND,,, big enough to handle current of the circuit,,, but could be wrong there yet again)))

 

[ZombieEngineer]

Based on what you just said, I probably did the worst of both worlds:
-- installed GFCI circuit dedicated to my aquarium equipment only (((no other LOAD)))
-- No ground probe (((whatever that is,,, I'll assume that means anything in the water connected to actual GROUND,,, big enough to handle current of the circuit,,, but could be wrong there yet again)))

Rio RV2735 Rid-Volt Titanium Grounding Probe https://a.co/d/4nRAA8K