STRAY VOLTAGE (my tank shocked me)

[Cole presley]

So my tank shocked me - tested it and got 44 volts. Unplugged everything and used an extension cord plugged into a different outlet to plugged in each item 1 by 1 to get voltage readings for each item. can I just use a grounding probe to get rid of the stray voltage????

 

[NanoDJS]

Something seems outa whack , yes ground probe but I am trying to figure out your chart here , is the voltage reading from water to ground with each thing plugged in alone next to the name >?

 

[Peace River]

I would always recommend a grounding probe and would also recommend that you find the problematic equipment.

@Brew12 - thoughts?

 

[Cole presley]

yes. So a grounding probe is safe? im just worried about running that much voltage constantly through the tank

 

[Cole presley]

I would always recommend a grounding probe and would also recommend that you find the problematic equipment.

@Brew12 - thoughts?

see all the equipment seems to give something off so im not sure what is defective lol

 

[WVNed]

Did you check the equipment cords well. If a cord is bare but you moved it the voltage that shocked you may not be there once you moved them.

 

[KrisReef]

Is your equipment ground actually grounded? Lots of stray voltage in your chart. May be time to replace most of your equipment?

Ground the tank now and figure the rest out after that has been done.

Be Safe!

 

[Cole presley]

Is your equipment ground actually grounded? Lots of stray voltage in your chart. May be time to replace most of your equipment?

Ground the tank now and figure the rest out after that has been done.

Be Safe!

see thats the thing - most of my equipment is new! I just set the tank up

 

[WVNed]

You need to measure the current, the amps. In this special case it is measured in exactly the same way as voltage to ground. When you put your hand in the tank you are creating a ground fault.
GFIs trip at 4 milliamps. You should measure much less than that.

 

[Johnd651]

How did you measure? I would put one probe into the water and one to the ground, and then try out each piece of equipment individually in the tank.

Cause I see lights on your list, and those probably were not in the water.

Edit...probes from electrical tester/ volt meter

 

[mcdrichj]

This does seem strange, are you testing with the red probe in the water and the black probe to a ground?

 

[WVNed]

How did you measure? I would put one probe into the water and one to the ground, and then try out each piece of equipment individually in the tank.

Cause I see lights on your list, and those probably were not in the water.

Edit...probes from electrical tester/ volt meter

Something doesn't have to be in the water to produce induced voltage. It is just making a magnetic field that is interacting with the tank or something in it.
In the old days everything was AC so an energized tank read 110 volts but with all the different stuff we use now I am not sure that would be true.

That is why you do the current test. If there is no current available in the tank a ground fault like putting your hand in is not dangerous. You drop in a grounding probe and it goes away.

 

[Johnd651]

Something doesn't have to be in the water to produce induced voltage. It is just making a magnetic field that is interacting with the tank or something in it.
In the old days everything was AC so an energized tank read 110 volts but with all the different stuff we use now I am not sure that would be true.

That is why you do the current test. If there is no current available in the tank a ground fault like putting your hand in is not dangerous. You drop in a grounding probe and it goes away.

Oh I know...I just wouldn't be worried about stray voltage from lighting, since it's obviously not in the tank. Seeing it on the OPs list made me curious as to their test method.

I have some 10kw power lines running through my back fields, they create such an induced current that led bulbs glow without being plugged in when you stand under them.

 

[Cole presley]

How did you measure? I would put one probe into the water and one to the ground, and then try out each piece of equipment individually in the tank.

Cause I see lights on your list, and those probably were not in the water.

Edit...probes from electrical tester/ volt meter

yes That is exactly what I did

 

[Cole presley]

This does seem strange, are you testing with the red probe in the water and the black probe to a ground?

yes

 

[Cole presley]

I have a grounding thing coming tmr

 

[Roosterjack]

What grounding device (probe) do you recommend, and any tips for the safest install?

 

[WVNed]

The ones I use are just a wire with an electrical plug on the end and you put it in a spare 3 pronged outlet. It extends the 3rd grounding wire into the tank. I fastened the probe to something with a cable tie so it always stays under water if I bump the wire. I think it is a titanium probe. It came from Amazon.

 

[W1ngz]

There's a bunch of things to consider, and it's more complicated than just adding up voltages to come to a total.
Stray voltage is normal. It's the current that zaps you. Also the water itself can hold a residual voltage bias. Some are AC, some are DC, some are in, and some are just near the water so it will never add up to the total measured.

To be completely effective, combine the grounding probe with a GFCI outlet or GFCI power bar (or two, which will at least keep half the gear running). That way, the GFCI will pop when there is a dangerous current leak, and will also serve to troubleshoot which device(s) may be leaking electricity.

 

[Brew12]

I would always recommend a grounding probe and would also recommend that you find the problematic equipment.

@Brew12 - thoughts?

Thanks for the invite!

Something doesn't have to be in the water to produce induced voltage. It is just making a magnetic field that is interacting with the tank or something in it.
In the old days everything was AC so an energized tank read 110 volts but with all the different stuff we use now I am not sure that would be true.

That is why you do the current test. If there is no current available in the tank a ground fault like putting your hand in is not dangerous. You drop in a grounding probe and it goes away.

+1 on this!

Some are AC, some are DC, some are in, and some are just near the water so it will never add up to the total measured.

Even a DC pump will convert the DC to some form of 24V or 36V AC. We don't use any true DC motors in this hobby.

To be completely effective, combine the grounding probe with a GFCI outlet or GFCI power bar (or two, which will at least keep half the gear running). That way, the GFCI will pop when there is a dangerous current leak, and will also serve to troubleshoot which device(s) may be leaking electricity.

Absolutely agree with this.

I run my system with critical loads split between 2 GFCI's. I also keep one of these with my aquarium stuff to make troubleshooting easy.
With your ground probe in the tank and plugged into the wall, run each device on this one at a time. If it trips, you know it has an issue.

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Tower-Manufacturing-Shock-Buster-15-Amp-3-Wire-Grounding-Single-to-Single-Yellow-Gfci-Adapter/1000492081