Zaaaap!!

[Joe0813]

Ok so tonight me and my g/f were checking the salinity of my tank and she got zapped. i stuck my finger in the tank and zap. I know one of my new heaters is messed up.... i shut it off on the controller that came with it took it out of the water 10 minutes later to let it cool down. So i was going about my business and the heater popped and blew the rubber off the end of it... it must have stayed running even though it was off but i guess i have to completely unplug it. so i put the rubber back on, filled my sink to see if it still would heat and it does. it doesnt leak anything and i put it back in my sump to cycle my tank.... and thats when the zapping happened..... I unplugged the heater thinking thats what it is and i stuck my finger back in... nothing. Plugged the heater back in and still nothing..... does wattage have to build up in the tank for me to get zapped again? ill probably get a new heater regardless because that one makes me uncomfortable now that that happen to it. so anyone have any ideas??

[Magnetic Reaper]

you either have electricity in your tank or you don't. there's no build up of electricity. on the other hand, you may or may not have been grounded. for example the first time you completed the circuit by leaning on the metal frame, the second time, you weren't leaning on it, or maybe the rubber on the wire has a tiny crack and when you moved the heater it ended up closing or moving out of the water. there's many other possibility and partial intermittent shorts are one of the hardest electrical problem to fix.

[Joe0813]

ill keep doing things to ground and try to zap myself.... never thought id say im going to zap myself... all my equipment is brand new too which is going to make this even harder to find.

[Magnetic Reaper]

i'm not sure that's such a great idea... it can literally kill you.

[Joe0813]

i have a voltage meter for work i can use that... i wont use myself as a guinea pig

[sleepydoc]

I wouldn't mess around - ditch the faulty heater. A few bucks for a new heater isn't much compared to a bunch of dead livestock or a dead you.

[PincheReefTank]

Are your outlets properly grounded?

[uncleof6]

Are your outlets properly grounded?


That would only matter if the heater has a three prong plug, in which case, the breaker would trip, with a low resistance short to ground, without human intervention. A high resistance fault, would not trip the breaker, just make the heater hot--this could be water in the tube and a high resistance short hot to neutral, or to ground. A GFCI would eliminate the 'risk' to humans, it does not need a grounded outlet to function properly.

[uncleof6]

Ditch the faulty heater, and stop applying for a Darwin award.

[Chuongj510]

I agree with ditching the heater. It's defiantly of worth Risking the livestock.

[cbm369]

and stop applying for a Darwin award.

:lmao:

[Joe0813]

Im going to buy a new heater tonight.... as far as livestock theres nothing in my tank just yet. I still have to cycle unfortunately

[Curtis.H]

ill keep doing things to ground and try to zap myself.... never thought id say im going to zap myself... all my equipment is brand new too which is going to make this even harder to find.

If you know you have a faulty heater take it out. Why risk it? If it breaks while it's in the tank it can kill your livestock and/or leach heavy metals into the water.

Go with a titanium heater when you buy a replacement.

[Joe0813]

If you know you have a faulty heater take it out. Why risk it? If it breaks while it's in the tank it can kill your livestock and/or leach heavy metals into the water.

Go with a titanium heater when you buy a replacement.

Thats what im going to do

[Danzig]

Sounds like a crappy heater what brand? Also get a GFCI power strip that plugs into the wall, and then you plug into that.

[norat915]

put a titanium ground probe in tank and hook to ground of receptacle and you will not get zapped again if something else fails use a meter, stick one probe in water and one probe in receptacle ground while on AC setting and see if ou read a stray voltage if so use ground probe and then check again you should not have any

[Joe0813]

Ive looked everywhere for a gfci power strip but i can not find one... also where can i get that ground probe.

[Joe0813]

Oh and my heater is a finnex hmo with the digital probe

[cordell]

I don't know about a gfci power strip, but what I do is use the product listed below and plug my power strip into it. Probably much cheaper than finding a gfci protected strip.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000P8COIS/ref=mp_s_a_7?qid=1327336714&sr=8-7

It's rates at 15A, which is all most power strips and home outlets can handle anyways. Check it out...

[Joe0813]

I don't know about a gfci power strip, but what I do is use the product listed below and plug my power strip into it. Probably much cheaper than finding a gfci protected strip.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000P8COIS/ref=mp_s_a_7?qid=1327336714&sr=8-7

It's rates at 15A, which is all most power strips and home outlets can handle anyways. Check it out...

Does that need to be wired in or does it plug into the old outlet?

[cordell]

Plugs into the outlet in your wall. Then your power strip plugs into it, and your protected!

[Joe0813]

I think i might just get one.. and replace my heater

[Preble]

You are lucky to have this problem before adding live stock.

Ditch the heater and get a new one its better to lost 30-50 and not 300-500 in livestock.

Sent from my Desire HD using Tapatalk

[Joe0813]

You are lucky to have this problem before adding live stock.

Ditch the heater and get a new one its better to lost 30-50 and not 300-500 in livestock.

Sent from my Desire HD using Tapatalk

I know... phew

[uncleof6]

Power strips (multi outlet device) OUTLAWED, by the NEC (the number 1 cause of fires associated with aqauriums,) for continuous use (over three hours.) Extension cords are also OUTLAWED, by the NEC, as the number 1 or 2 cause of broken bones in the home, for continuous use (over three hours.) A GFCI power strip, or cord connected GFCI, violate both sections of the code.

A ground probe creates a path to ground, that should not exist. This creates a fatal risk, associated with salt water and induced electrical voltage potential, as well as contact with inductive loads. A GFCI will not protect you from this hazard. Hiding the problem, with a grounding probe does not make it safe.

The only lawful way to utilize a GFCI outlet, in continuous use, is properly installed, in wall, GFCI outlets.

[Joe0813]

Well then after reading that ill call my friend who is a electrician and have one installed.

[cordell]

Ah that's all news to me too! Good stuff to know.. Have never seen that info any where else.

I don't think installing a gfci outlet would be any more difficult than installing a regular outlet, would it? I may do this too... Can't be too safe!

[sleepydoc]

A GFI outlet should be standard equipment for any aquarium setup. They cost less than $10 and can easily save your life. There's a reason NEC requires them in kitchens and bathrooms.

Also, be aware that GFI and AFI (arc fault interrupt) are not the same. If you have arc fault interrupt circuit breakers in your house, you still need to have a GFI of some sort.

[sleepydoc]

Power strips (multi outlet device) OUTLAWED, by the NEC (the number 1 cause of fires associated with aqauriums,) for continuous use (over three hours.)

Actually, power strips are not prohibited by the NEC - using a power strip as a permanent installation is (i.e. you can't take a short cut and use a power strip in place of actually wiring an outlet in your wall.) Most aquarium installations fall under the non-permanent category, even though they are not readily movable.