Electrical shock

trickyrich · Dec 16, 2015

So my sump keeps smocking me I found that when I turned off my return pump it went away so I replaced it . then the shock came back so I tested with meter instead of finger and found a fairly new pump feeding my chiller was causing it Replaced that and it was gone . then it came back and when I unplugged my chiller it was gone ... The. Back again!!! Replaced another pump that seemed to be the problem and now its back again when my new heaters turn on. what is happening is my luck this bad are all these things really leaking current/voltage into my sump or am I missing something hear.. My outlets are gfi admitted I installed them my self and I'm not much of an electric guy but I think I did alright I tested them with the meter the ground seems to be good when I place the black probe in the ground and the red one in the other part I get like 50 volts and if I out both in the slots and skip the ground it's 120 volts. This seems to make sense . I don't have a grounding probe in the sump didn't want to just cover up the problem I want to fix it. My sump is a 100gal stock tank and has most my electrical equipment in it can anyone give me some onsite on this.???? Thanks

saltyfilmfolks · Dec 16, 2015

Is you polarity at the outlet correct?
Dou you have a polarity checker? it also tests the ground.

With a multi meter you can check those too.
read my last post

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/stray-voltage.225338/#post-2614355

trickyrich · Dec 16, 2015

Thanks I'll check when I get home tonight

trickyrich · Dec 16, 2015

So its showing wired correctly but one of the lights is dim I'm thinking its a poor ground connection based off the fact that my house is supper old and the wiring is 2 wires in a conduit and a third the ground wire a small copper wire looped around and run through the house to all outlets... What's the best step to take next besides rewiring my house

trickyrich · Dec 16, 2015

its the one on the right that is dim

trickyrich · Dec 16, 2015

Also the gfi dose not trip when tested

jgvergo · Dec 16, 2015

One of the most important lessons of this hobby is to know your limits. Get a qualified electrician to check out your equipment before something bad happens.

constantflow · Dec 16, 2015

trickyrich said:
I tested them with the meter the ground seems to be good when I place the black probe in the ground and the red one in the other part I get like 50 volts and if I out both in the slots and skip the ground it's 120 volts. This seems to make sense .

Something is incorrect.

kattz · Dec 16, 2015

You should have 120VAC line to neutral and nothing line to ground. Digital meter might read 1.2-1.6VAC line or neutral to ground... normal.

You should never run a system without a voltage to ground probe in your sump and this wired to a known good GFCI. Would hate for you to become a statistic.

I do wiring as part of my job. You definitely have a problem. 50VAC is always an indicator of a direct short to ground or a floating ground or neutral in your primary or branch circuit.

Get a professional at this point. Something's knackered in your wiring. Also, in my opinion, your wiring looks like a grenade went off nearby. You bring a pro in there and he's going to tell you to clean up before he'll touch anything.

Until you get it sorted, please be extremely careful.

Kev

twilliard · Dec 16, 2015

The easiest way to do this..
Take a meter put one lead in the water and the other lead to ground.
If there is voltage present you will see it.
Now start to unplug one device at a time and for every device watch the meter.
Eventually you will unplug the device that is passing voltage and there is your culprit.
Please do not touch the water if you are grounded in any way as current will pass through you creating that "shock"
Any questions please ask away. 20 years as an electrician here

trickyrich · Dec 17, 2015

Un plugged everything and tested again and found open ground

trickyrich · Dec 17, 2015

Opened op walls and found a broken ground line made a repair and tested all gfci out lest now trip when tested correct voltage is being measured thanks for the help everyone possibly life savers if I get any tax return this year new wires for the hole house is the plan

trickyrich · Dec 17, 2015

Showing 0-10 volts when things are all running tried to take one thing off line at a time but they all seems to be adding just a little to the total nothing makes a big change unless its all off.. Static from power heads and magnets maybe ?? At this point should I go ahead and install a grounding probe or keep trying to track down the cause of the voltage ??