Stray voltage

MS139 · Jul 5, 2021

I was rearranging my trachy in my tank last night. I noticed a small tingling when i touched the water surface with my middle finger. I thought it was due to the small cut on my finger. So I switched off everything and the tingling was no more.

I switched off my equipment one by one. I can still feel the volts. Switched off my skimmer last and i dont feel anything. Thought my skimmer went bad. So I switched on everything except my skimmer. I CAN STILL FEEL THE VOLTS! It is driving me crazy.

So I switch one of my equipment only. one by one. I can feel the tingles!

Skimmer on. The rest off, tingles.
Lights on. The rest off. Tingles!
Return pump on. The rest off. Tingles!
Wavemaker on. The rest off, still!

Is every of my equipment faulty? This is driving me crazy

WVNed · Jul 5, 2021

Wear some shoes. The better you are grounded the more you will tingle.

It is induced voltage.
https://www.theaquariumsolution.com/i-feel-slight-electric-shock-my-aquarium-cant-find-where-it-coming#:~:text=Induced voltage is the most,have a route to earth.

Place a ground probe in your tank

Staghorn · Jul 5, 2021

I had stray voltage. I think you should get a cheap multimeter and test your equipment one by one. I had a pump that started leaking current after like 6 years of use. For some reason that tingle is deceptive, it’s better to test with a meter.

Staghorn · Jul 5, 2021

I may be wrong but it doesn’t seem to be induced current because when you unplug certain items you say it goes away. But like I said the tingle is deceiving.

WVNed · Jul 5, 2021

It is impossible to explain but if you have ever been shocked by an energized tank at line voltage like me the difference is clear.

There is so much electricity flowing where many of us live there is voltage that is measurable on almost everything around us. This knowledge came to me through training at work because we replaced electronics at work and had to get a component from its special packaging into place in a piece of equipment without breaking it from power bouncing around in the environment.