Whats your stray voltage?

[aj741986]

Ok the othe day i put up a post about getting my first shock. I found out what it was and took it out. Im re-doing the electrical in my fish room and was wondering what everyone has for stray voltage. Just checked mine and it was 19-20 V.

 

[Brew12]

I use a grounding probe. Mine is 0V. Without the probe I get around 23V.

 

[michael.cser20]

Just tested. Always 0

 

[michael.cser20]

No probe either.

 

[Frop]

Sorry for being a noob but how do I test. I have a volt meter in the office.

 

[Brew12]

Sorry for being a noob but how do I test. I have a volt meter in the office.

Set your volt meter for AC Volts. Put 1 test probe in the water and touch the other to the ground of a receptacle.

 

[Frop]

Set your volt meter for AC Volts. Put 1 test probe in the water and touch the other to the ground of a receptacle.

What does that mean? I can touch a metal part of the stand for the ground? My other tank is surrounded by wood. Would the distance effect the reading?

 

[RamsReef]

What does that mean? I can touch a metal part of the stand for the ground? My other tank is surrounded by wood. Would the distance effect the reading?

Read your volt meter manual.
Set it to read Volts, AC
Put the black probe in your receptacle (assuming USA, in the round hole)
Put the red probe in the water of your tank
Get reading.

 

[Brew12]

Your voltmeter should have 2 probes. One goes in the water while you touch the other one here.

 

[RamsReef]

Your voltmeter should have 2 probes. One goes in the water while you touch the other one here.

Just the tip

 

[Frop]

Ahhhhh now it makes sense p
I didn't realize it goes back into the plug. Hehe

 

[Frop]

Half my house is just 2 prong. So idk if the 3 prong plugs are updated. If that matters.

 

[Brew12]

Half my house is just 2 prong. So idk if the 3 prong plugs are updated. If that matters.

It matters. You can test from the water to the left hand prong of the receptacle instead.

However, this means your house doesn't have grounds installed throughout it. This is common in older houses but isn't allowed anymore because it was recognized as dangerous.

 

[aj741986]

Just tested. Always 0

Wow id love to see your setup. Would like to know how u have 0

It matters. You can test from the water to the left hand prong of the receptacle instead.

However, this means your house doesn't have grounds installed throughout it. This is common in older houses but isn't allowed anymore because it was recognized as dangerous.

 

[Brew12]

Wow id love to see your setup. Would like to know how u have 0

This isn't terribly uncommon in older reef tanks. Typically means there is some salt creep connecting the water to a ground. Acts just like a ground probe at that point.

 

[BiggieJohn]

It matters. You can test from the water to the left hand prong of the receptacle instead.

However, this means your house doesn't have grounds installed throughout it. This is common in older houses but isn't allowed anymore because it was recognized as dangerous.

THIS IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS
If your house is wired wrong, either side of the plug could be "Hot"

If you dont know how to safely test mains current using a multimeter dont do it, using a cheap meter could be even more dangerous

 

[BiggieJohn]

Your voltmeter should have 2 probes. One goes in the water while you touch the other one here.

If your outlets were retrofitted (ie you had/have 2 prong outlets anywhere else in the house)
then the ground might not be connected to anything

 

[BiggieJohn]

I use a grounding probe. Mine is 0V. Without the probe I get around 23V.

I had just received a new ground probe from amazon but had not gotten around to installing it yet.
I checked and I have 22-23V also, put in the new ground probe and it drops to 3mV
It didnt trip my GFCI when I connected it, so I assume the current is low, but now to find out exactly what is causing the stray voltage.

 

[Brew12]

I had just received a new ground probe from amazon but had not gotten around to installing it yet.
I checked and I have 22-23V also, put in the new ground probe and it drops to 3mV
It didnt trip my GFCI when I connected it, so I assume the current is low, but now to find out exactly what is causing the stray voltage.

Capacitive and inductive coupling with the salt water.
The expanding and collapsing of the magnetic fields in your AC equipment will induce voltages due to its relative motion with the sea water.

You have nothing at all to worry about.

 

[Joey waid]

With out a ground probe I have seen over 40 volts. With the probe, zero.