Near epic electrical disaster.

glb · Jul 4, 2015

mcarroll said:
This is the correct method - if the saltwater dries it will crust between circuits and definitely short something out.

Back in the eighties/nineties there were stories that some or all of the Chinese circuitboard manufacturers for computers would wash the motherboards in the river post assembly. The river water is soft enough that it works – RODI would naturally be even better.

Then you want to do something like the rice-in-a-bag trick...or leave it in your car on a sunny day, but not in the sun...maybe in the glovebox or under the seat.

Don't turn it on again until you're positive it's bone-dry inside.

Thanks. I took it apart this morning and wiped off some salt residue. It looked dry but I bought a bigger bag of rice and now it's totally covered.

glb · Jul 4, 2015

Update. It sat in rice for 24hrs and was totally dry. I took it apart again after finishing the rice and wiped off a little salt residue. I plugged everything back in and...nothing. It's totally dead. I'm going to order another one today. Should I get a new power cord too? Is it possible that's what shorted out?

d2mini · Jul 4, 2015

Electrical fire wasn't a good sign.

As to my method above, last year I accidentally dropped my T5 ballast into the tank.
Pulled it out, did the freshwater rinse, left outside to dry completely, plugged back in and it worked fine.
Gotta get rid of that salt.
But unfortunately for the OP, i think there is more than salt to worry about in this case.

Unless your power cord was torched, you should be ok. Just get the new power supply, which may come with a new power cord anyway.

glb · Jul 4, 2015

I just ordered a new power supply and cord. The total with shipping was only $42. As far as tank fails, I should consider myself lucky! I should have it by Tuesday or Wednesday of next week, so the coral won't be without light for too long. I just hope the LEDs are ok!

Windy · Jul 4, 2015

I would not worry about the light, but why either a breaker of GFCI did not trip. That is what is supposed to protect against things like this.

glb · Jul 4, 2015

Windy said:
I would not worry about the light, but why either a breaker of GFCI did not trip. That is what is supposed to protect against things like this.

I don't know. I have a powerful surge protector for all my equipment. My guess is the problem stayed contained in the metal power box and I shut it down almost immediately. The good news is that none of my other equipment was damaged. Today I surrounded the bottom part of the stand (which wasn't enclosed well enough) with acrylic. From now on, everything down below will stay dry. I Velcroed the acrylic so I can take it off.

cu455 · Jul 4, 2015

Rub it down with rubbing alcohol. I have had my share of electical water accidents. I looked at my plugs and there were green from oxidation. wiped it with alcohol and it looked brand new and worked great. If you let it dry it should be fine.

glb · Jul 4, 2015

I'll keep it and maybe if I get it to work I can use it as a backup. But quite honestly, I'm afraid to use it now.

aslmx · Jul 4, 2015

Was it on a gfi

glb · Jul 4, 2015

Not the outlet, but I thought the surge protector had an internal one.

Paulday · Jul 4, 2015

Need a gfi outlet

reefbeard · Jul 5, 2015

glb said:
I'll keep it and maybe if I get it to work I can use it as a backup. But quite honestly, I'm afraid to use it now.

I wouldn't feel comfortable using that thing either. Cut your losses and toss it or spend the cash and have it professionally repaired.

saltyphish · Jul 5, 2015

a power surge strip protects equipment from a surge not voltage going to ground. A GFCI (ground fault circuit interrupter) trips when voltage is detected on ground. Which will save you if something shorts out in the water. A surge strip will not save you. Get a gfci for safety's sake.

Electrobes · Jul 5, 2015

Whoa, that's a crazy story, but thanks for sharing given now I know what I can try should I encounter the same problem. I just threw out my Eheim Feeder after it feel into my tank, but maybe I should have reconsidered...

glb · Jul 5, 2015

Paulday said:
Need a gfi outlet

You're right. Next call is to an electrician. The good news is the outlet is at least six feet away from the tank so there's zero chance it will get wet. I'm planning on getting a bigger tank at some point too, so I'll have both outlets installed at once.

Stephanie11 · Jul 5, 2015

You can buy a gfi plug in with 5 outlets for 16 at lowes. Those have saved the day for me. I've dumped water on them when doing water changes. They trip. Then i wipe down and all is good.

Please throw the burnt unit out. Short story. I'm my town a couple days ago someone lost everything using a cheap iPhone charger. I threw all my cheap ones out and bought good ones. Cheap insurance.

Throw yours out. Free insurance.

Also if electronics smell burnt they are toast.

glb · Jul 5, 2015

Stephanie11 said:
You can buy a gfi plug in with 5 outlets for 16 at lowes. Those have saved the day for me. I've dumped water on them when doing water changes. They trip. Then i wipe down and all is good.

Please throw the burnt unit out. Short story. I'm my town a couple days ago someone lost everything using a cheap iPhone charger. I threw all my cheap ones out and bought good ones. Cheap insurance.

Throw yours out. Free insurance.

Also if electronics smell burnt they are toast.

I think you're right.

DFW · Jul 5, 2015

I know a cb repair shop that when they get in an old, filthy radio, before they work on it, they take it to the car wash to clean it.

glb · Jul 5, 2015

Here's a series of pics that show how I waterproofed the bottom part of the stand. In the first pic you can see the acrylic I velcroed to the stand all the way around: