Don't have a GFCI outlet? Get one! Almost died!

[Bbaz123456]

I am by no means an expert in electrical safety, I have taken a few classes on it, but didn't pay a whole lot of attention because I believe I know everything already, haha.
One of the experts need to chime in on this, but I'm pretty sure your logic of wet socks saving you is extremely off. You will always be safer with the more insulation that you can get from ground. If you believe you had 1 amp traveling through you, you wouldn't have had any amps traveling through you if you were not grounded. Personally I'd prefer not having any or a few Millis so I knew there was a problem.

 

[Anthony Wood]

I don't mean to doubt you or question the dangers of electricity, but are you sure that you didn't just scrape your arm and hand on the edge of the tank after feeling the shock?

It's Possible! I don't believe so though because hand only made it just past my thumb joint and the water level is maybe 1/4" from overflowing the tank. I have 4 cuts starting from my thumb joint all the way up to 2" above my wrist all the same shape. Buy hey like I said it happened so fast and blacked out at one point it's not impossible that I got the side of the tank. I do know my arm was at my hip before I blacked out.

 

[Anthony Wood]

I am by no means an expert in electrical safety, I have taken a few classes on it, but didn't pay a whole lot of attention because I believe I know everything already, haha.
One of the experts need to chime in on this, but I'm pretty sure your logic of wet socks saving you is extremely off. You will always be safer with the more insulation that you can get from ground. If you believe you had 1 amp traveling through you, you wouldn't have had any amps traveling through you if you were not grounded. Personally I'd prefer not having any or a few Millis so I knew there was a problem.

I'm no expert either, one of the previous posts was an electrical engineer and corrected me. So I will admit I was wrong my logic was off not having enough knowledge before being corrected. Idk what path the current took or even what saved me but even the electrical engineer agreed it was enough current that I should be dead. Either way having wet socks or shoes on you don't want to be putting your hands in a tank with a heater leaking 2.27 amps into the water. The reason to have a GFCI. Plus I can't be the only one on here that doesn't think let me go put my shoes on in case the tank is leaking stray current lol the wet socks wasn't a conscious decision

 

[Bbaz123456]

It's Possible! I don't believe so though because hand only made it just past my thumb joint and the water level is maybe 1/4" from overflowing the tank. I have 4 cuts starting from my thumb joint all the way up to 2" above my wrist all the same shape. Buy hey like I said it happened so fast and blacked out at one point it's not impossible that I got the side of the tank. I do know my arm was at my hip before I blacked out.

Either way, at least you learned something! Gfci!! Personally, I do not use afci's on my tank because of their unreliability, but they may have improved over the last few years. As mentioned by somebody else, you would not need 4 seperate gfci receptacles, but it's not a bad idea if something does trip and you are not there to reset or find the problem.
I was not aware that "low voltage " was capable of producing burns like that, I do know it can certainly kill you though, if you gets you right. I have been shocked more times than I'd like to admit and it hasn't been fun any of them so I feel for you. Especially the cramps and soreness the next days.

 

[Bbaz123456]

[QUOTE="Anthony Wood, post: 3113192, member: ] Plus I can't be the only one on here that doesn't think let me go put my shoes on in case the tank is leaking stray current lol the wet socks wasn't a conscious decision[/QUOTE]
I bet you will think about it now

 

[Anthony Wood]

As mentioned by somebody else, you would not need 4 seperate gfci receptacles, but it's not a bad idea if something does trip and you are not there to reset or find the problem.

I saw that the way it's wired I would need 4. The electrcian didn't run them in a series. It's 2 seperate fixture both fixtures have 4 outlets. One breaker is a dedicated breaker the other runs to other things in the house and I'm not going through the entire house to find out which one is the first in the series lol Only one line goes into each. Each 1 cord comes out into 6 wires 3 each for either side. I came home to him finishing up and that's all I saw him do.

 

[Anthony Wood]

[/QUOTE]
I bet you will think about it now[/QUOTE]

@Bbaz123456 hahahaha your dang right I will be in shoes for now on after this event! I'll never get on my knees to work on something in the sump either.

 

[Brew12]

I bet you will think about it now[/QUOTE]

@Bbaz123456 hahahaha your dang right I will be in shoes for now on after this event! I'll never get on my knees to work on something in the sump either.[/QUOTE]

Get your GFCI installed and add a ground probe for safety. The ground probe will provide a lower resistance path to ground than you do in case the GFCI fails.

Do those two things, test your GFCI regularly, and you can keep wearing wet socks to work on your aquarium.

 

[Anthony Wood]

Get your GFCI installed and add a ground probe for safety. The ground probe will provide a lower resistance path to ground than you do in case the GFCI fails.

Do those two things, test your GFCI regularly, and you can keep wearing wet socks to work on your aquarium.[/QUOTE] @Brew12

I installed them earlier today. Wish the electrician had just put a GFCI breaker in from the beginning like I asked and I wouldn't have learned the hard way that he didn't. To be honest I've said the heck with a ground probe for a long time but it's been added to the list of things to get. With the wet socks again! Haha honestly didn't think to change them. I maybe 2 min max before getting electrocuted took off my shoes stepped in a wet spot as I stepped next to the tank to plug in the heater. Litterally right after I plugged it in I was walking upstairs to go to bed. But that pesky air stone got loose and had to to fix it. I wasn't walking around for the hour or so it took me to to set up the tank and do a 55g WC on the display in wet socks. Might not be the sharpest tool in the shed but I'm not oblivious lol plus I'm a chemistry guy I don't do electricity and physics.

 

[shoelaceike]

Are you going to sue aqueon?

 

[Anthony Wood]

Are you going to sue aqueon?

I doubt I would even have a case. Even if I did the long drawn out process of a legal battle not to mention the money involved is not worth the headache. If I ended up in the hospital with severe injuries then it might have been worth the lawsuit even then I don't know if I would have a leg to stand on. I'll tell you one thing I'll never buy another one of their products again. This same heater but 350 watts (whatever the largest one they sell in the pro series is) went bad a year ago and did the same thing, leak stray current into my old 125g. But I had a GFCI on the tank and cut the power before I got shocked. The only reason I was using the one the got me yesterday is because I didn't feel the need to buy another heater when this one was only heating my water storage drum. When I upgrade a little under a year ago I switched to a titanium 800w finnex to heat my 400g total water volume system.

 

[shoelaceike]

Well someone needs get them inline. You definitely can sue. I use the same heater but I doubt I will much longer. It UL listed as well.

 

[Anthony Wood]

Well someone needs get them inline. You definitely can sue. I use the same heater but I doubt I will much longer. It UL listed as well.

I agree with you they need get their stuff together. It's going to have to be someone with very deep pockets and that sure as heck not me.

 

[Anthony Wood]

@dakoop i retract my previous dumb illogical response. I don't know why I was thinking that but someone clarified some stuff for me and now your statement makes perfect sense. I know some stuff about electricity but obviously when I made my comment I had some of my information twisted around.

 

[shoelaceike]

Any personal injury lawyer will be happy to take the case for free.

 

[Bbaz123456]

Any personal injury lawyer will be happy to take the case for free.

Shoelaceike must be an attorney. Or just another sue happy American. I'm sure you could sue and maybe settle for a grand or two. But I'm guessing their lawyers have something in the fine print stating their products should be plugged into a gfci and have that electrical warning tag on it. Doesn't mean it's not their fault.

 

[USMC4Life]

Holly c r a p! 0.1 amps is enough to kill you. You are one lucky SOB! Time to play the power ball.

 

[KStatefan]

Glad you are OK.

I hope this gets a few more people to install GFCIs.

 

[themcnertney]

Dang. Glad all is well. I had a similar but not as bad experience. I have GFCI on a separate circuit, which helped alot. I would also recommend a ground probe.... https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/shocking-discovery.260859/

 

[Brew12]

Well someone needs get them inline. You definitely can sue. I use the same heater but I doubt I will much longer. It UL listed as well.

Unfortunately, he wouldn't have a case. The UL listing is based on the equipment being in good condition and he said the heater showed signs of deterioration. The National Electric Code (NFPA 70) requires all outlets within 6 feet of a water source to be protected with a GFCI so technically his installation was not legal.

The only way he would get any money from this is if they wanted to settle to avoid bad publicity or make the case go away. Doubt he could even get a lawyer who would want to take a shot at the case.