Electric shock in tank

[Scooter90254]

I sporadically get slight tingle in my finger when I put it in my tank. I can mostly feel it when I have a small cut or crack in my skin.

Its not all the time and I'm struggling to find exactly what its coming from. It seems to go away after the initially touch in the water.

Is there a senses on whether or not this is even a concern? Doesn't seem to bother anything.

 

[Halal Hotdog]

Are the electronics of your tank hooked up to a GFCI outlet?

 

[JonJ]

Do you have a gfci outlet or adapter? If not, I’d order one ASAP. Saltwater and electricity are a bad combo. I would unplug one thing at a time until I found the culprit and replace it. Failure to do so could cause a fire or electrocute you, so I definitely wouldn’t leave it.

 

[Scooter90254]

Are the electronics of your tank hooked up to a GFCI outlet?

Yes, Its not enough current to trip the GFI.

 

[redfishbluefish]

I believe you answered your own question in the OP! A small cut will feel like a "tingle" when placed in saltwater.

However, just to be sure, use a VOM (multimeter) to make sure. With it set to AC volts, one probe in the tank, the other to a good ground......the round plug in a wall outlet. Note, you should see some induced voltage.

If you don't have a multimeter, Harbor Freight sells an inexpensive one for a couple bucks.

 

[Crabs McJones]

I believe you answered your own question in the OP! A small cut will feel like a "tingle" when placed in saltwater.

However, just to be sure, use a VOM (multimeter) to make sure. With it set to AC volts, one probe in the tank, the other to a good ground......the round plug in a wall outlet. Note, you should see some induced voltage.

If you don't have a multimeter, Harbor Freight sells an inexpensive one for a couple bucks.

+1

 

[tdileo]

I believe you answered your own question in the OP! A small cut will feel like a "tingle" when placed in saltwater.

However, just to be sure, use a VOM (multimeter) to make sure. With it set to AC volts, one probe in the tank, the other to a good ground......the round plug in a wall outlet. Note, you should see some induced voltage.

If you don't have a multimeter, Harbor Freight sells an inexpensive one for a couple bucks.

I work at my LFS and when I first began replacing filter socks I would occasionally get super tiny tears where it caught the skin at the base of my nails. At first I thought it was stray voltage but learned it was just the saltwater. Agree you should test for current just in case though

 

[cracker]

Thanks Red Fish ! I forgot the steps for stray voltage check made a note of it .

 

[BZOFIQ]

However, just to be sure, use a VOM (multimeter) to make sure. With it set to AC volts, one probe in the tank, the other to a good ground......the round plug in a wall outlet. Note, you should see some induced voltage.

.

What would a multimeter show? What reading would be acceptable, should it normally read 0?

 

[redfishbluefish]

What would a multimeter show? What reading would be acceptable, should it normally read 0?

It most likely will not read zero. Two kinds of voltage....stray voltage (fault voltage) from faulty equipment and induced voltage (primarily from spinning motors (powerheads, pumps, etc).

Stray voltage can be felt with a hand in the tank and you grounded....and potentially very dangerous to you.

Induced voltage can not be felt by sticking your hand in the tank. I know of some tanks that "produce" 20+ volts of induced voltage.

If you find voltage, start unplugging equipment until you find the guilty party. Now closely inspect that piece of equipment to determine stray or induced. If stray, replace that piece of equipment.

@Brew12 might have more to say on this.

 

[Brew12]

@Brew12 might have more to say on this.

Thanks for the invite! You summed it up well.

Yes, Its not enough current to trip the GFI.

If you can feel it, it should have tripped the GFCI. Do you have any equipment in your tank that isn't on the GFCI? Or do you have a metal rim on the tank that the lights rest on if your lighting isn't on a GFCI?

Always a good idea to check the GFCI by hitting the trip button. Some older ones are known to fail and not trip when needed which is why the National Electric Code requires monthly testing. Newer GFCI's self test.

 

[Retro Reefer]

Not a bad idea to put a ground probe in your tank or sump as well..

 

[Scooter90254]

Thanks for all the comments.
My multimeter must be at my cottage because I can’t find it.

I tried the unplug everything one at a time trick and it feels like it’s always there. Lol

I realize that doesn’t make any sense. Haha

I’ll have to try the MM in a week or two when I can pick it up.

 

[BZOFIQ]

It most likely will not read zero. Two kinds of voltage....stray voltage (fault voltage) from faulty equipment and induced voltage (primarily from spinning motors (powerheads, pumps, etc).

Stray voltage can be felt with a hand in the tank and you grounded....and potentially very dangerous to you.

Induced voltage can not be felt by sticking your hand in the tank. I know of some tanks that "produce" 20+ volts of induced voltage.

If you find voltage, start unplugging equipment until you find the guilty party. Now closely inspect that piece of equipment to determine stray or induced. If stray, replace that piece of equipment.

@Brew12 might have more to say on this.

I'll try tonight when home; let's see what the FLUKE shows.

 

[HB AL]

Check with voltmeter, I had same issue, while holding the voltmeter and probes have someone unplug one thing at a time till you see it drop, mine was coming from a power head.

 

[linhigh6@gmail]

Crab McJones, do u live in or near Rhinelander.? Was wondering, 2 yrs. ago very good LFS closed and they were so helpful. Have small Red Sea tank with 1 fish and multiple soft corals an inverts. Had bad luck with fish deaths immediately upon my 45 min. return home trip from Petco. Live aquaria.com has had to hold my hand somewhat..but same day delivery kills me. I'm. Very new to forums, chat room as a rule not liking to put anything out there to strangers but hoping gain more knowledge. Hate the chemical testing. Hope I did this right. Tx.

 

[Brew12]

Crab McJones, do u live in or near Rhinelander.? Was wondering, 2 yrs. ago very good LFS closed and they were so helpful. Have small Red Sea tank with 1 fish and multiple soft corals an inverts. Had bad luck with fish deaths immediately upon my 45 min. return home trip from Petco. Live aquaria.com has had to hold my hand somewhat..but same day delivery kills me. I'm. Very new to forums, chat room as a rule not liking to put anything out there to strangers but hoping gain more knowledge. Hate the chemical testing. Hope I did this right. Tx.

Welcome to Reef2Reef! You did do this just right!

 

[RtomKinMad]

Crab McJones, do u live in or near Rhinelander.? Was wondering, 2 yrs. ago very good LFS closed and they were so helpful. Have small Red Sea tank with 1 fish and multiple soft corals an inverts. Had bad luck with fish deaths immediately upon my 45 min. return home trip from Petco. Live aquaria.com has had to hold my hand somewhat..but same day delivery kills me. I'm. Very new to forums, chat room as a rule not liking to put anything out there to strangers but hoping gain more knowledge. Hate the chemical testing. Hope I did this right. Tx.

If you live in Wisconsin and don’t mind driving there is an awesome store in Appleton. The owner is amazing and I get all my fish there for 300gal, 180gal and 93 gal tanks. We live in Green Bay. the owner will spend time explaining everything to you from chemistry, fish to corals even plumbing! Would be well worth the drive. I just went to see him yesterday on my day off to say Hi and see what’s new in his store. Good luck!

 

[BZOFIQ]

Check with voltmeter, I had same issue, while holding the voltmeter and probes have someone unplug one thing at a time till you see it drop, mine was coming from a power head.

So, I took my trusted fluke, flicked it to AC, one probe touching ground in the outlet and another in the tank, ......48V!

Surprisingly, this holding system is plugged into multiple outlets, all GFCIs, nothing is tripping.



So I switched off all 7 powerheads and it reads little over 1, that's pretty much just a BlueLine AC return pump running. There are definitely no heaters running in the evening.

I plugged in one powerhead at a time while taking measurements, few were plugged in and I was between 7&11V. When the last powerhead was plugged in it went to 48V!

Last year I felt like I was getting zapped but I thought its just the sting I felt when I hit the water with a scratch or cracked skin around my fingernails.

TO SUM UP: How bad is 7-11V of stray voltage and how bad is a reading of 48V???

 

[HB AL]

So, I took my trusted fluke, flicked it to AC, one probe touching ground in the outlet and another in the tank, ......48V!

Surprisingly, this holding system is plugged into multiple outlets, all GFCIs, nothing is tripping.



So I switched off all 7 powerheads and it reads little over 1, that's pretty much just a BlueLine AC return pump running. There are definitely no heaters running in the evening.

I plugged in one powerhead at a time while taking measurements, few were plugged in and I was between 7&11V. When the last powerhead was plugged in it went to 48V!

Last year I felt like I was getting zapped but I thought its just the sting I felt when I hit the water with a scratch or cracked skin around my fingernails.

TO SUM UP: How bad is 7-11V of stray voltage and how bad is a reading of 48V???

Mine was reading closer to 100 and dropped to 3, acros where suffering till i figured it out.