Is This Stray Voltage

Omer · Sep 11, 2018

Okay so on a small cut on my finger there is a small but noticable pain. The more things I unplug the less noticable it becomes. All my fish and corals look great and so do my hermit crabs. But my snail and emerald crab died within hours of getting them. But so did most of my fish and corals when I got them from that store. Should I be worried. The pain goes away completely if I were shoes. And it only occurs on cuts.

reeferfoxx · Sep 11, 2018

When you stick a voltameter in the water does it show a reading?

Omer · Sep 11, 2018

reeferfoxx said:
When you stick a voltameter in the water does it show a reading?

I don't have a voltmeter but when the more stuff I unplug the less the pain is. No one thing is producing the current

User · Sep 12, 2018

reeferfoxx said:
When you stick a voltameter in the water does it show a reading?

Just sticking a voltmeter in won’t show anything. Voltage is the *difference* in electrical potential between two states (live and ground). To measure if your tank has stray voltage, put the black probe into the ground hole of an outlet, and the red probe in your water. Then it’ll show a value.

Alternatively, just preempt all of that messing around trying to find the source and put in a grounding probe. It connects ‘the circuit’ between whatever is leaking voltage to your house electrical ground.

If it was me though, and it was that noticeable, I’d identify the equipment that is to blame and replace it.

chipmunkofdoom2 · Sep 12, 2018

Placebo trials, both for medication and surgery, exist because people are so bad at determining cause and effect when it comes to their bodies and external stimulus. There's no way that perceived pain can be used to test for stray voltage. You'll need to test the tank with a multimeter.

reeferfoxx · Sep 12, 2018

neilp2006 said:
Just sticking a voltmeter in won’t show anything. Voltage is the *difference* in electrical potential between two states (live and ground). To measure if your tank has stray voltage, put the black probe into the ground hole of an outlet, and the red probe in your water. Then it’ll show a value.

Oh man. I was seriously just suggesting that he drop the entire meter in the water. Your way is much better. Thanks!!

User · Sep 12, 2018

reeferfoxx said:
Oh man. I was seriously just suggesting that he drop the entire meter in the water. Your way is much better. Thanks!!

To be honest though- you didn’t exactly say not to do that. It’s easy to say ‘stick a voltmeter in’ but if that person doesn’t own one, he’s unlikely to know how to use one in this context and would just be guessing.

If someone is going to offer ‘helpful’ ideas, even more helpful would be to include a little direction on how to implement it.

If I stick an emoji on this, will you excuse the tone [emoji106]

WVNed · Sep 12, 2018

You cant tell how many nitrates are in your water by tasting it so you buy a test kit. A digital multi meter to test your tank for voltage is cheaper than a nitrate test kit.

Just like the test kit it comes with directions and is as easy to use as the test kit.

My tank usually has 14 volts in it. Since I have already measured it I can quickly tell if something has changed.

reeferfoxx · Sep 12, 2018

neilp2006 said:
To be honest though- you didn’t exactly say not to do that. It’s easy to say ‘stick a voltmeter in’ but if that person doesn’t own one, he’s unlikely to know how to use one in this context and would just be guessing.

If someone is going to offer ‘helpful’ ideas, even more helpful would be to include a little direction on how to implement it.

If I stick an emoji on this, will you excuse the tone [emoji106]

No. Just add the eye roll like I did.

On a serious note, I suggested the proper form of measurement regardless if instructions aren't included with a voltmeter.

User · Sep 12, 2018

reeferfoxx said:
No. Just add the eye roll like I did.

On a serious note, I suggested the proper form of measurement regardless if instructions aren't included with a voltmeter.

Thank you for contributing 50% of the solution [emoji57]

reeferfoxx · Sep 12, 2018

neilp2006 said:
Thank you for contributing 50% of the solution [emoji57]

Listen, your contribution to the forums is always welcome but please, do not treat people like they eat paint chips.

User · Sep 12, 2018

WVNed said:
You cant tell how many nitrates are in your water by tasting it so you buy a test kit. A digital multi meter to test your tank for voltage is cheaper than a nitrate test kit.

Just like the test kit it comes with directions and is as easy to use as the test kit.

My tank usually has 14 volts in it. Since I have already measured it I can quickly tell if something has changed.

Literally no multimeter you buy is going to have instructions for testing the voltage that exists in a reef tank. That’s why people need to add some instruction to their helpful advice.

User · Sep 12, 2018

reeferfoxx said:
Listen, your contribution to the forums is always welcome but please, do not treat people like they eat paint chips.

Ok, listen (I hate saying that obnoxious phrase, but you used it).

I didn’t do that. All I did was state that while giving general advice is a good first step, it’s far more helpful if people try to explain *how* to do a particular thing, and not just say *do this*.

Particularly if the person is asking a fairly common question which would indicate they are pretty new at the hobby.

Now, I’m not going to participate in any further ‘***-for-tat’ nonsense. You stayed your advice, I expanded by detailing the “how”.

Thanks

WVNed · Sep 12, 2018

You test a reef tank the same way you test anything else. Set the meter and read across where you want to read the voltage.

Mine came with directions. You can get a meter on Amazon for $9 now.

If you are going to keep a box of saltwater you stick your hands in with electrical stuff in it I consider it to be an essential item to have and know how to use.

reeferfoxx · Sep 12, 2018

neilp2006 said:
Ok, listen (I hate saying that obnoxious phrase, but you used it).

I didn’t do that. All I did was state that while giving general advice is a good first step, it’s far more helpful if people try to explain *how* to do a particular thing, and not just say *do this*.

Particularly if the person is asking a fairly common question which would indicate they are pretty new at the hobby.

Now, I’m not going to participate in any further ‘***-for-tat’ nonsense. You stayed your advice, I expanded by detailing the “how”.

Thanks

Please don't forget that you literally clarified my suggestion as not a suggestion at all. I understand you want to be right 100% of the time, all the time and you are. There is no doubting that. Just be mindful.

User · Sep 12, 2018

WVNed said:
You test a reef tank the same way you test anything else. Set the meter and read across where you want to read the voltage.

Sure. But look at it from the perspective of someone who’s never used one before. Where do I stick the probes? One on the wire for the pump and the other in the water, or the wire for the heater and the pump, or the pvc pipe and the glass...

You see my point? There are 100 things in a tank you can stick two probes on.

All I did was actually give the guy some accurate instructions. I literally don’t understand why people are having trouble recognizing the fact that clear detailed instructions are a helpful thing and not some slight at some other reefers intelligence.

chipmunkofdoom2 · Sep 12, 2018

neilp2006 said:
To be honest though- you didn’t exactly say not to do that.[emoji106]

In fairness to @reeferfoxx, this is generally how advice is given on the forums. When someone gives advice to test phosphates using a Hanna checker, they don't write a page worth of disclaimers and tell the end user not to dunk the Checker in the water. It's understood that when someone gives you advice on a reefing forum that you do a cursory bit of searching to determine how to do it correctly, especially if you don't know how to do it.

And you didn't give a complete solution either. You didn't mention that the end user has to set their multimeter to measure AC voltage. This is rather important, as almost no multimeters will automatically sense what type of current is flowing through them. Certainly not the cheap ones that a hobbyist might order off Ebay to test stray voltage. You also didn't tell the end user how to identify the AC voltage mode on their multimeter. If they are unlikely to know how to use a multimeter, they will likely need that important piece of information.