Stray voltage

jrpdriver · 07/23/2016, 02:00 AM

So I recently bent a fingernail back, when working on my tank I can feel a mild tingling in the injured finger. I cannot feel the tingling in my other fingers. After unplugging equipment piece by piece I tracked it down to my Sicce pumps. I have two on my skimmer and one as a feed pump for a UV. Each pump is contributing to the tingling, I tried with all of them off and then with each one individually, each pump getting plugged back in makes the tingle slightly stronger. The pumps are all 2 1/2 years old or less and all 3 of them do it, so it seems like Sicce pumps just put a small amount of stray electricity into the water.

My coral look great, I have been battling ich with my fish but over the last few days they have shown significant improvement and many of them look completely healthy again. Sooo, I guess I'm asking, am I putting any type of stress on the fish or can they not feel it? I read a bunch online but there was so many conflicting opinions on testing for voltage in the aquarium and how accurate it is and whether or not it has an effect on the inhabitants. The only universal theme was don't put a grounding probe in the tank, which knew I already. I'm hoping someone has some first hand experience on the matter

iSeeMax101 · 07/23/2016, 09:24 AM

All pumps will put voltage into the water. Some more than less. It's current that you need to worry about. Not the voltage. You will not be able to remove all the voltage from the tank. Do not add a grounding probe because then you are creating a path where there wasn't one before and your voltage will increase. Just make sure the tank is on a GFI. I learned all of this from an amazing thread I found not long ago. I'll try and link it. Think I subscribed. Will really help put things into prospective for you

iSeeMax101 · 07/23/2016, 09:26 AM

This will also show you how to test the amount of voltage running around in the tank and help you decide if your levels are higher than acceptable

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2182599

jrpdriver · 07/23/2016, 09:35 AM

thank you

pciscott · 07/23/2016, 09:48 AM

Are you standing on carpet or a wood floor? Take your shoes off and stand on the concrete with wet feet. Afraid to stick your hand in? My wife was complaining about tingle on her fingers on a old system, I thought she was crazy. Came down one morning fresh out of shower with wet feet on the stone floor and noticed a coral turned over in tank. Zapped the heck out of me. The little tingle found a ground through me. I started to unplug things and traced to a maxi jet 1200. Measured 120 volts from the long neutral pin in a standard outlet to the water of the tank. In my new system I have no 120 volts cords submerged. The only cord in the entire system submerged is a Gyre which is DC. This was planned after I got knocked on my butt fixing a knocked over frag. I run all my pumps external on my big system including the skimmer and everything runs off a manifold and the return. On my 90 I am running skimmer and return submerged, but they are both DC pumps.

To test for how many volts are in the tank turn your multi Meter to AC volts. Put one lead in long pin on Wall receptical, this is the neutral. Put other probe in tank and this should read how big your problem is.

We all should think about murder in the movies, dropping a hair dryer in the bath tub. While most are not scared of 120, it can kill you if the load runs through your body.

I run no heaters on large system as all the pumps and UV keep it above 75 all year, but when I do run heaters I keep the tops with cords out of the water because I have had a few of these leak Voltage as well.

Jason how much Voltage does it read? I would figure something different out with those pumps or call Sicce and see what they have to say. Marineland was quick to send me a new pump and wanted the bad one back to check out.

As far as Danger to the contents of tank I do not know, because I had 120 volts in my tank and the fish seemed fine, maybe like a bird on the wire? I did have a few Across RTN, that recovered after the voltage leak was fixed.

jrpdriver · 07/23/2016, 12:26 PM

Thanks Scott....I just went and got a multimeter. I have 17v in my tank, from what I have read that is low enough that it will not cause any issues for the fish. I'm guessing I can feel it in my bad finger because the nail peeled back and there are probably some exposed nerve endings

iSeeMax101 · 07/23/2016, 12:51 PM

On point

07/23/2016, 02:00 AM	#1
jrpdriver Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Southern CA Posts: 1,463	Stray voltage So I recently bent a fingernail back, when working on my tank I can feel a mild tingling in the injured finger. I cannot feel the tingling in my other fingers. After unplugging equipment piece by piece I tracked it down to my Sicce pumps. I have two on my skimmer and one as a feed pump for a UV. Each pump is contributing to the tingling, I tried with all of them off and then with each one individually, each pump getting plugged back in makes the tingle slightly stronger. The pumps are all 2 1/2 years old or less and all 3 of them do it, so it seems like Sicce pumps just put a small amount of stray electricity into the water. My coral look great, I have been battling ich with my fish but over the last few days they have shown significant improvement and many of them look completely healthy again. Sooo, I guess I'm asking, am I putting any type of stress on the fish or can they not feel it? I read a bunch online but there was so many conflicting opinions on testing for voltage in the aquarium and how accurate it is and whether or not it has an effect on the inhabitants. The only universal theme was don't put a grounding probe in the tank, which knew I already. I'm hoping someone has some first hand experience on the matter

07/23/2016, 09:24 AM	#2
iSeeMax101 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Palmdale Posts: 1,173	All pumps will put voltage into the water. Some more than less. It's current that you need to worry about. Not the voltage. You will not be able to remove all the voltage from the tank. Do not add a grounding probe because then you are creating a path where there wasn't one before and your voltage will increase. Just make sure the tank is on a GFI. I learned all of this from an amazing thread I found not long ago. I'll try and link it. Think I subscribed. Will really help put things into prospective for you __________________ -The Stain

07/23/2016, 09:26 AM	#3
iSeeMax101 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Palmdale Posts: 1,173	This will also show you how to test the amount of voltage running around in the tank and help you decide if your levels are higher than acceptable http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2182599 __________________ -The Stain

07/23/2016, 09:48 AM	#5
pciscott Pirates Cove Reef Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Cypress, CA Posts: 2,582	Are you standing on carpet or a wood floor? Take your shoes off and stand on the concrete with wet feet. Afraid to stick your hand in? My wife was complaining about tingle on her fingers on a old system, I thought she was crazy. Came down one morning fresh out of shower with wet feet on the stone floor and noticed a coral turned over in tank. Zapped the heck out of me. The little tingle found a ground through me. I started to unplug things and traced to a maxi jet 1200. Measured 120 volts from the long neutral pin in a standard outlet to the water of the tank. In my new system I have no 120 volts cords submerged. The only cord in the entire system submerged is a Gyre which is DC. This was planned after I got knocked on my butt fixing a knocked over frag. I run all my pumps external on my big system including the skimmer and everything runs off a manifold and the return. On my 90 I am running skimmer and return submerged, but they are both DC pumps. To test for how many volts are in the tank turn your multi Meter to AC volts. Put one lead in long pin on Wall receptical, this is the neutral. Put other probe in tank and this should read how big your problem is. We all should think about murder in the movies, dropping a hair dryer in the bath tub. While most are not scared of 120, it can kill you if the load runs through your body. I run no heaters on large system as all the pumps and UV keep it above 75 all year, but when I do run heaters I keep the tops with cords out of the water because I have had a few of these leak Voltage as well. Jason how much Voltage does it read? I would figure something different out with those pumps or call Sicce and see what they have to say. Marineland was quick to send me a new pump and wanted the bad one back to check out. As far as Danger to the contents of tank I do not know, because I had 120 volts in my tank and the fish seemed fine, maybe like a bird on the wire? I did have a few Across RTN, that recovered after the voltage leak was fixed. __________________ Scott Steinberger SCMAS/SCRK/MASNA member There is more than One Way to skin a Reef! Current Tank Info: Pirates Cove 400 Gallon Peninsula with 10 Ecotech Gen 4 Pro Lights, SPS heavy mixed Reef, Tank Controlled by Apex back up monitoring by Profilux, Tropic Marin Pro Salt, Brightwell Suplements and Bio Bricks, Way too many Fish! Keep it simple!

07/23/2016, 12:51 PM	#7
iSeeMax101 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Palmdale Posts: 1,173	On point __________________ -The Stain

07/23/2016, 09:35 AM	#4
jrpdriver Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Southern CA Posts: 1,463	thank you

07/23/2016, 12:26 PM	#6
jrpdriver Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Southern CA Posts: 1,463	Thanks Scott....I just went and got a multimeter. I have 17v in my tank, from what I have read that is low enough that it will not cause any issues for the fish. I'm guessing I can feel it in my bad finger because the nail peeled back and there are probably some exposed nerve endings