The truth about stray voltage

Giancarlo · Aug 14, 2012

So this is not meant to offend anyone, i am simply curious. I have read many threads where people have issues with their tank, and someone will always mention stray voltage. I have 3 friends who are all licensed electricians, and they all have told me the same thing, that stray voltage will not have an effect on anything because it has nowhere to go, and if you actually do put a ground probe in the water it then causes a connection or something like that where it does more harm than good. I am obviously not an electrician so I don’t know what exactly happens but he put it like this: when you see a bird on those big electrical wires that run along highways, they are never harmed by it because they are only on one of the two wires, but if that bird were to somehow touch the other wire, while it was still perched on that wire, it would then get fried because it completes the current, or something like that (again I am not an electrician but this makes sense because we see this every day). So if there are any electrician reefers out there who might know something, maybe it is different because we are dealing with water as well I don't know, please explain so we can all know the truth about stray voltage.

Thanks
G

Young Frankenstein · Aug 14, 2012

Grounded aquarium = safer for you
Not grounded = safer for corals and fish

GFI=safer for you
No GFI=safer for corals and fish

Notice I said safer !!! because all cases have and will fail.

Always step on a rubber mat when inserting hands in water, when inserting hand with the other don't touch a ground

If you ever feel a tingling sensation thats stray voltage, check everything

Electricity and salt water can be deadly !!!!

VegasRick · Aug 14, 2012

I agree for the most part with what he says above. The jury is still out on the no ground safer for fish. When a bird is on a line that is a complete circuit. Theoretically electricity travels through the birds on a power line going from one foot to the other, but the amount is so small it doesn't bother the bird, the same could be said for a fish in a grounded tank.

Giancarlo · Aug 14, 2012

Makes sense, thanks for the insight!

Reef Breeders · Aug 14, 2012

Well, fish have a lateral line, which is extremelly sensitive to electricity, so yes, it may not "zap" the fish, but it certainly can harm them.

dwilliams87 · Aug 16, 2012

Nice article, I've wondered the same thing. I work in electronics as an engineer and I would think that adding the grounding probe would complete the circuit and therefore hurt the fish. However, The grounding probe would protect you. I've read alot of arguments on this very subject I'm not convinced one way or the other yet.

CJO · Aug 16, 2012

VegasRick said:
When a bird is on a line that is a complete circuit.

I don't think that's right. The potential on both sides (the feet) are the same, therefore no reason for the electricity to flow.

CJ

Dave3112 · Aug 16, 2012

For electrons to flow you need a source, a load, and a ground. If not the path is not complete it is only potential.

bct15 · Aug 16, 2012

From an engineering standpoint, the circuit needs to be complete for electricity to flow. If the tank is not grounded than there will be no current/voltage in the tank. If there is a poorly insulated electronic device in the water, and you stick your hands in te tank and ground the loop, then the current will pass trough you and you will get shocked. The purpose f the ground probe is not to protect your fish but to protect you in case there is a stray voltage it is already grounded (giving it a predicted safe path to follow) and there is less risk of harm to you. If there is a ground probe present however, and a faulty piece of equipment, the. The stray voltage will be continuously passing through the tank. No groin probe, no circuit, no current until the unsuspecting reefer closes the loop OUCH.

Young Frankenstein · Aug 16, 2012

CJO said:
I don't think that's right. The potential on both sides (the feet) are the same, therefore no reason for the electricity to flow.

CJ

......You are correct, in reality there is a .000000000000000001 whatever(between birbs feet)

diffrence due to the resistance of the wire

talking about minute difrence

. But thats how we calculate voltage drops and in low voltage (120 to 5kv) every foot counts.

Young Frankenstein · Aug 16, 2012

bct15 said:
From an engineering standpoint, the circuit needs to be complete for electricity to flow. If the tank is not grounded than there will be no current/voltage in the tank. If there is a poorly insulated electronic device in the water, and you stick your hands in te tank and ground the loop, then the current will pass trough you and you will get shocked. The purpose f the ground probe is not to protect your fish but to protect you in case there is a stray voltage it is already grounded (giving it a predicted safe path to follow) and there is less risk of harm to you. If there is a ground probe present however, and a faulty piece of equipment, the. The stray voltage will be continuously passing through the tank. No groin probe, no circuit, no current until the unsuspecting reefer closes the loop OUCH.

Yes, hundreds of arguments, years of arguments, it is a circumstantial issue, depending only on current circumstances.