Electric current in tank

[Johnd651]

By the way can I plug the black into a ground port on the same power bar that all my equipment is plugged into?

Any ground should do. Ground wiring is shortest path to ground vs your neutral which may not be depending on your panel configuration.

 

[Paul B]

@Brew12
Help. Lots of really bad advice here.

OMG, I'll say.

What do you mean your snail is acting weird? Is he doing the macarana and if he is, is he doing it wrong.
You most likely have induced voltage in your tank which doesn't mean anything and won't do anything to your snail.
Is your heater filled with water? If not, don't worry about it.

Your pump is inducing electricity in your water, but everyone's pump induces electricity in their water.
Electricity anyplace near water will induce voltage into it. When you walk under power lines, electricity is induced into your head and if you see someone with a purple Mohawk, they walked under too many power lines.

You can test it with a "Volt" meter. But unless you got a strong shock that threw you across the room, I think all you have is normal induced voltage which as I said, is nothing to be concerned about, Go out to dinner and forget about it. Try the baked clams.

All tanks should be plugged into a GFI outlet as we call them in the trade (Or a GFCI as you guys call them) They are about $12.00. Get someone to install it, it's just a different type of outlet that will keep you from getting killed if you had real electricity in your water which I doubt you have.

All tanks should also have a ground probe, but that won't teach your snail how to dance any better.
(Master Electrician 51 years)

 

[WVNed]

No. Anywhere in the water is good.

use the ground opening on a 3 hole outlet or power strip.

Do not use the neutral hole. If the outlet was wired backwards it could be the hot.

 

[the_chef_pierre]

Is this the tool to use

 

[the_chef_pierre]

If this is the tool can someone guide me to use it accurately? Thanks

 

[Johnd651]

Yes

 

[the_chef_pierre]

Ok gonna buy it and head home. Any advice on how to set the dial and use it? I know it has to be on ohms but not sure how to set it

 

[Johnd651]

200 V~ is for standard household ac voltage. Black to black..red on right.

 

[Johnd651]

Ok gonna buy it and head home. Any advice on how to set the dial and use it? I know it has to be on ohms but not sure how to set it

Ohms is for resistance.

 

[the_chef_pierre]

200 V~ is for standard household ac voltage. Black to black..red on right.

Ok so do I set it to 200 v ohms then put the black in the ground and red in water and start unplugging things to see what's giving me the electricity?

 

[WVNed]

turn the big knob 1 setting to the right. 200 volts AC.

 

[Johnd651]

 

[Johnd651]

Ohms is the upside down u

 

[the_chef_pierre]

Ok, do I have everything plugged into the ground and in the water and everything up and running before i switch it on to 200 V? and then do i start taking things out one by one?

 

[WVNed]

Start with the tank running normally. You may not have a problem.

 

[the_chef_pierre]

ok, but i plug in the black and red first, then turn the meter on right?

 

[WVNed]

Yes. The meter puts out nothing and is totally safe to handle including the probes. Put the black lead into the center port on the bottom and the red one in the right port on the bottom.

 

[WVNed]

If you have a friend handy a third hand is helpful for this to hold the meter or the probe in the ground port.

 

[the_chef_pierre]

It read 47.5 for a bit and then 0. Think it depends on my angle

 

[WVNed]

It is hard to get a good contact in the hole. you want it to touch on the side so it does depend on the angle. The bottom has nothing there.