Ph shooting up in seconds

[Sboling]

I’m adding two float switches with a breakout box (Neptune). I ordered switches and made my own plastic mounting bracket from leftover plastic from an aquarium hood. Tested the floats and they work as expected. But when I add them to the water the ph goes from 8 to 8.6 in seconds. I pulled them out and it drops back in seconds. I did this a few times with the same result. I even just placed the plastic in the water and the ph shot up as before sending alarms and messages etc.

Any ideas as to why this is happening?

 

[Quietman]

Do the float wires run close to the pH cable?

 

[Sboling]

Do the float wires run close to the pH cable?

Yes very near them. They all go to the same cabinet obviously but I was also mounting it maybe 6-7 inches away.

 

[Sboling]

Do the float wires run close to the pH cable?

Also, I still have the wires hooked up now, just not in the water and there is no ph reading issue. It’s only when I put them in the water. So weird.

 

[Entomophage]

Sounds like interference with your probe. I'm not sure how big your tank is, but the pH definitely isn't changing that fast.

 

[Sboling]

Sounds like interference with your probe. I'm not sure how big your tank is, but the pH definitely isn't changing that fast.

I assumed the ph wasn’t actually changing that quickly. I’m just trying to figure it to stop the readings from going crazy and the alarms to stop tripping. I will try it in a different location.

 

[Sboling]

Sounds like interference with your probe. I'm not sure how big your tank is, but the pH definitely isn't changing that fast.

I moved the float wires away from the ph probe wires. They enter the cabinet through a separate hole. I placed the floats in the other side of the tank - 36 gallon tank. Still has the issue. Goes up slowly with just the mount in the water. Once the floats are submerged the reading shoots up quickly. Driving me nuts.

 

[Quietman]

Do you have anything else hooked up to the break out box?

Try disconnecting the box completely. I'm thinking some stray voltage in your tank.

Either the breakout box could be acting as a ground with a faulty float switch or the box being a source.

You could try measuring tank water in a container outside the tank too. Just make sure pH cable is not wrapped or close to any wires carrying current.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I’m adding two float switches with a breakout box (Neptune). I ordered switches and made my own plastic mounting bracket from leftover plastic from an aquarium hood. Tested the floats and they work as expected. But when I add them to the water the ph goes from 8 to 8.6 in seconds. I pulled them out and it drops back in seconds. I did this a few times with the same result. I even just placed the plastic in the water and the ph shot up as before sending alarms and messages etc.

Any ideas as to why this is happening?

Possibly a ground loop. See next post

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Here is an explanation of ground loops

https://murphyanddickey.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/gl1016.pdf

 

[Sboling]

Here is an explanation of ground loops

https://murphyanddickey.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/gl1016.pdf

I’ll test for that issue as soon as I get home. It sounds like the issue. I read several articles about it however none of them offer a solution?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I’ll test for that issue as soon as I get home. It sounds like the issue. I read several articles about it however none of them offer a solution?

Making sure the float switches aren’t grounded would seem a solution

 

[Quietman]

Ground plug and GFCI for safety for sure. Low voltage on pH probes and USB but still.

Make sure none of the connections have bare wire grounding metal inside the box..you can disconnect one at a time. Also do a check of the connection to the float. If you can't find anything but removing the switches fix the issue buy new switches.

 

[Sboling]

Making sure the float switches aren’t grounded would seem a solution

They won’t work if not wired into the ground though right? The switch needs to close the connection from what I can tell anyway. So how do I avoid ground?