Help me! Finnex 500w Water Heater Eletrocution/current Problems

[BenitaSolo]

Well, unfortunately it sounds like both your GFCI and your light fixture are bad. I guess that is better than your home wiring having an issue.

I would try to get a new GFCI unit and see if it trips.

Well now when I unplug both of the lights from the outlets the problem continues. I’m perplexed and frustrated

 

[Brew12]

Well now when I unplug both of the lights from the outlets the problem continues. I’m perplexed and frustrated

Ugh...

Does the light fixture mount still light up the tester?

 

[Dennis McGrath]

Is everything in that tank hooked up to the same outlet? I wonder if there's a voltage potential between 2 different legs on the breaker panel maybe?

 

[BenitaSolo]

Ugh...

Does the light fixture mount still light up the tester?

No.

Is everything in that tank hooked up to the same outlet? I wonder if there's a voltage potential between 2 different legs on the breaker panel maybe?

Same outlet, yes.

 

[Brew12]

No.




Same outlet, yes.

And the ground connection where you plug the lights into doesn't cause the voltage probe to light up?

 

[Dennis McGrath]

I would still get a ground probe to put in the tank no matter what. I just put one in both of mine last week. I had 4 volts in one tank and 27 volts in the other.

 

[Brew12]

I've got to get some sleep, but I'll check back tomorrow to see if you still need help with this.

 

[BenitaSolo]

I would still get a ground probe to put in the tank no matter what. I just put one in both of mine last week. I had 4 volts in one tank and 27 volts in the other.

Wait, I didn’t know I could just do that! Can one of those be purchased from a hardware store?

And the ground connection where you plug the lights into doesn't cause the voltage probe to light up?

I’m going to look into this in the morning as well. I will pull out all he stops tomorrow and work through several scenarios. The problem with the checker I have now is that it’s sensatice and will light up on the side of caution rather than with accuracy.
I was in the middle of a WC earlier so I had to go MIA. I appreciate the help and will report back tomorrow!

 

[Dennis McGrath]

Wait, I didn’t know I could just do that! Can one of those be purchased from a hardware store?



I’m going to look into this in the morning as well. I will pull out all he stops tomorrow and work through several scenarios. The problem with the checker I have now is that it’s sensatice and will light up on the side of caution rather than with accuracy.
I was in the middle of a WC earlier so I had to go MIA. I appreciate the help and will report back tomorrow!

I don't know if a hardware store will have it. I bought mine from Amazon https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0002DGSWE/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o09_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[BenitaSolo]

Okay. So i unplugged everything from the aquarium.put the black part of the tester in the neutral and the red tester in the water.
The low number is with my hand out of tank and the high is with my hand in the tank.
When I put my rubber Chaco sandles on, do not get shocked.
What’s it all mean!?

 

[Brew12]

Okay. So i unplugged everything from the aquarium.put the black part of the tester in the neutral and the red tester in the water.
The low number is with my hand out of tank and the high is with my hand in the tank.
When I put my rubber Chaco sandles on, do not get shocked.
What’s it all mean!?

What tester are you using?

Are you saying you get shocked even with everything unplugged from your tank?

 

[BenitaSolo]

What tester are you using?

Are you saying you get shocked even with everything unplugged from your tank?

Forgot the pics, sorry

 

[Brew12]

Forgot the pics, sorry

That helps!
Those values are both very low.

Did you say you were still getting shocked with everything in the tank unplugged?

 

[ccoffel81]

Had this problem with a few different brands. It’s just a titanium tube with a heating element inside sealed off with silicone then to rubber caps. Through expansion and contraction of the elements heating the silicone fails rather quickly. Definitely should already have a titanium grounding probe in the tank.

 

[BenitaSolo]

That helps!
Those values are both very low.

Did you say you were still getting shocked with everything in the tank unplugged?

No. I was saying that even though everything is unplugged from the tank that number still rises. I do not feel the shock.

When the heater is in the water those values do not change. It doesn’t matter if my hand is in the water or not

Nor do I feel the shock with everything plugged in while wearing rubber soles.

 

[Paul B]

Sounds like induced voltage to me, but what do I know!

 

[Brew12]

No. I was saying that even though everything is unplugged from the tank that number still rises. I do not feel the shock.

When the heater is in the water those values do not change. It doesn’t matter if my hand is in the water or not

Nor do I feel the shock with everything plugged in while wearing rubber soles.

Ok, got it. Concrete is a good conductor so the normal path you have been getting shocked is in your hand and out your feet. Rubber soles blocks that path, so no shock.

Have you tried getting a reading from the light fixture to ground?

 

[BenitaSolo]

Ok, got it. Concrete is a good conductor so the normal path you have been getting shocked is in your hand and out your feet. Rubber soles blocks that path, so no shock.

Have you tried getting a reading from the light fixture to ground?

What’s funny is that after I got the positive read on the light fixture last night it went away after i unplugged the light and plugged it back in...

So light fixture to ground?

 

[Brew12]

What’s funny is that after I got the positive read on the light fixture last night it went away after i unplugged the light and plugged it back in...

So light fixture to ground?

Wouldn't hurt to try it.

When you get shocked, is it a momentary thing or does it last the entire time your hand is in the tank?

 

[BenitaSolo]

Wouldn't hurt to try it.

When you get shocked, is it a momentary thing or does it last the entire time your hand is in the tank?

It lasts. I can only feel it in my finger cuticles and around my nails (nail biter) and when i plunge my hand into the tank I don’t really feel it.

So what’s the general idea here? Something is causing stray voltage in my tank and the titanium element is doing what to it? Grounding it?