Stray voltage and wife rage - help a guy out?

Jonas Bergkvist · Mar 15, 2022

After getting zapped in my finger a couple of times i got myself a voltage meter. Not even sure i'm reading it right. I thought I'd post it here and see what you guys think.

Short back story: my skimmer overflowed and i guess two liters came out in the aquarium stand and out on the parquet floor. Floor is a bit ruined, but my wife hasn't seen it yet

I pulled all but return pump and waves out. At first i did not get any voltage readings so i thought i solved it.

After a day i got another zap. Measured again and nothing....but all of a sudden i got a reading once again. Discovered that when i DID get zapped i stood on the moist parquet. So i measured from the moist spot to various things and YAY.....i still have a problem.

Does this mean that the electricity comes from a pump or something, and when i put my finger in the water the electricity passes through me and down somewhere? Because i act as a ground? Fish seems unaffected - i guess the aquarium is isolated.

I guess next thing is to pull my return pump and work from there. I so hope it's not that pump. Does my measurement mean that it's an AC pump that's broken?

Any help/suggestions is much appreciated - i don't want to get electrocuted and i feel uncomfortable doing this. Wait, wife floor-rage-death or electrified-to-death? ;Blackeye

Voltage DCV
Wood floor to socket ground = 0,3v
Tank water to socket ground = 0,001v
Tank water to wood floor = 1v

And here comes the fun part:
Voltage ACV
Tank water to socket ground = 7,6-9,3v
Wood floor to socket ground = 80,5v
Tank water to wood floor = 110v

gbroadbridge · Mar 15, 2022

That is a serious problem and it appears that the socket ground is faulty too.
I'd call an electrician to check the socket and house ground.

The issue will be a submerged mains operated device such as a pump or heater.

Unplug each one at a time and test using the meter to determine which device is faulty.

Harold999 · Mar 15, 2022

Do you have a UV sterilizer which might have a shattered bulb?
Or one of your heaters (if you have more than one) is leak and has water inside.

dvgyfresh · Mar 15, 2022

I’m gonna guess heater and or wave maker these are usually culprits

Jonas Bergkvist · Mar 15, 2022

Harold999 said:
Do you have a UV sterilizer which might have a shattered bulb?
Or one of your heaters (if you have more than one) is leak and has water inside.

I don't have a UV sterilizer but have three heaters that i disconnected. They use the same socket that also controls the heat. I will check again and also take all heaters out and inspect them thanks.

Jonas Bergkvist · Mar 15, 2022

dvgyfresh said:
I’m gonna guess heater and or wave maker these are usually culprits

Thanks, I'll check the heaters again and tomorrow I'll unplug the wavemakers. The wavemakers are not that old - two of them are maybe six months and the third two months. It's Apex Wavs - lets just hope the warranty is still valid if its one of those. They are so expensive it's crazy.

Honestly, the worst case is if the return pump is the problem here - i'm kind of short of money and as you know a return pump is essential in a reef tank ;Dead

dvgyfresh · Mar 15, 2022

I had a faulty heater , in my case the charge would still be in the water for a little bit but the next day after turning off heater / removing I felt no charge/shock. I would replace

Dbichler · Mar 15, 2022

First thing I would make sure is you fix the ground issues with your electrical then get a grounding probe which is like 15$. No money is worth being killed for a fish tank. Your most likely is one of your powerheads if no heaters are connected.

theMeat · Mar 15, 2022

You should have the tank plugged into a gfci protected outlet, and a ground probe in the tank. Guessing you have an external skimmer? Ime it’s a flood waiting to happen.

vetteguy53081 · Mar 15, 2022

Do a process of elimination.2
Unplug powerheads and check. If gone, you know the source. If not, leave unplugged then . . .
unplug heater- if gone- heater. if not leave unplugged and unplug next component- you get the drift.

A grounding probe will also help alleviate until you correct issue :

WVNed · Mar 15, 2022

Or your tank is grounded through a heater or something and the wood floor installers put a nail in an electric wire.
And here comes the fun part:
Voltage ACV
Tank water to socket ground = 7,6-9,3v Normal
Wood floor to socket ground = 80,5v not normal
Tank water to wood floor = 110v very not normal, something is energized

gbroadbridge · Mar 15, 2022

vetteguy53081 said:
Do a process of elimination.2
Unplug powerheads and check. If gone, you know the source. If not, leave unplugged then . . .
unplug heater- if gone- heater. if not leave unplugged and unplug next component- you get the drift.

A grounding probe will also help alleviate until you correct issue :

Based on the original post, I believe the outlet ground or building ground to be faulty.

vetteguy53081 · Mar 15, 2022

gbroadbridge said:
Based on the original post, I believe the outlet ground or building ground to be faulty.

No doubt a ground issue

WVNed · Mar 15, 2022

No doubt you need a electrician

redfishbluefish · Mar 15, 2022

@WVNed pointed out the main issue.....voltage between the ground and wood floor.....ouch!

I'd start by picking up or borrowing an outlet tester. If you need to buy, they are relatively inexpensive. Will test that outlet and let you know if that is the issue. The one problem I see is if that comes back normal I don't know were to start with an energized floor????

WVNed · Mar 15, 2022

I have seen almost any part of a house energized through a broken ground or a nail or screw contacting an electric wire.
Appliances, floors, heating ducts, a single nail to hang a picture.

If you are seeing 110 V you need an electrician.

Tsquared · Mar 15, 2022

Probably a good idea to wear rubber sole shoes and rubber gloves if you are testing it or making adjustments.

WVNed · Mar 15, 2022

or walking through the room

ZoWhat · Mar 15, 2022

If you had a GFCI outlet like you do in your bathrooms and kitchen.... you'd know immediately which device plugged in is faulty bc the GFCI would trip almost immediately upon plugging it in

Lavey29 · Mar 15, 2022

vetteguy53081 said:
Do a process of elimination.2
Unplug powerheads and check. If gone, you know the source. If not, leave unplugged then . . .
unplug heater- if gone- heater. if not leave unplugged and unplug next component- you get the drift.

A grounding probe will also help alleviate until you correct issue :

If your surge protected power strip already have the 3 pronged plug in your outlet aren't you already grounded?