Are you grounded?

So I was wondering if anyone here uses a grounding rod in their tanks? If not have you considered one? I'm thinking about it because I know I have some stray voltage. If my arm touches a grounded object while my hand is in the water, I sometimes get a little static shock. Only if the object is well grounded. (ie the shell of my light fixture) It's a tiny little shock but a shock none the less. I'm tempted to borrow my friends voltage meter and see if I can find out how much juice is going through.

 

I had one installed in my room when I was on dialysis and couldnt have any extra voltage to the machine so one of my outlets is ready to go. (that's the outlet ill be running my 75 gallon off )

 

Gozer - you have your tank equipment plugged into a GFCI outlet right? Could seriously be a life saver.

I've looked into these ground devices as well but I'm not sure...

 

That's what I have in my room Mike. A GCFI

 

Ok for the Aussies that's a ELCB.. TRIPS OUT IF YOU HAVE EARTH LEAKAGE ( cuts the power if it shorts to earth ). Anyone running a tank without one is putting them selves and their loved ones at risk. All new houses in Australia require these by law on all power outlets, if you don't have one.. get one.. it may just save the life of someone you love....

 

So I was wondering if anyone here uses a grounding rod in their tanks? If not have you considered one? I'm thinking about it because I know I have some stray voltage. If my arm touches a grounded object while my hand is in the water, I sometimes get a little static shock. Only if the object is well grounded. (ie the shell of my light fixture) It's a tiny little shock but a shock none the less. I'm tempted to borrow my friends voltage meter and see if I can find out how much juice is going through.

I had a 9 watt flouresent light on Monday fall into my sump and it was in there for a number of hours. That ended up taking out all of my inverts. I replaced a couple of my snails and crabs yesterday. Today I notice the snails are not doing so well. Not moving for hours.

You gave me an idea about the voltage meter. I have a multi-meter. Sure enough there is about .04 volts in there. Not sure how it would still be in there but whatever. I'm going to move my inverts out into my quarantine tank so they don't keep getting zapped anymore.

I just check with my local LFS's and only one carries a ground probe. Too bad the close in 30 minutes. There's no way I can make it there in time.

 

OH NO! I'm sorry to hear about your tank. That stinks. That .04 Volts is probably stray from pumps and such in the tank.

So, I'll be swapping out a certain outlet for a GFI in the next few days. My reef is, in fact, not connected to a GFI. After hearing what happened to Oil-Fan I'm considering a grounding probe even more as well.

 

I wipped out my multimeter I had it set to the DCV 2.0 setting and got 0.01-0.03 v

 

Well, I got a new roommate yesterday and guess what, he's an electrician. Ironically he actually wired the house we are renting. I also picked up a GFCI outlet. ;D He's even going to install a new outlet for me. One closer to the tank. I'm kinda short on outlets in the room my 2 big tanks are in. (A modified garage I call my bedroom. Long story lol) Only has 3 outlets. Haven't asked him about testing for voltage in my tank yet. I'm definitely getting more curious anyway. If it does show some voltage, I think I'll pick up a probe just to see. Can't hurt right.

 

OK, now I get it! in the US you have 2 pin plugs 1x active and 1x neutral
In Australia we have 3 pin plugs, the third pin is a earth, we have ELCD's which shut off the power should you have a short, or power to earth

 

OK, now I get it! in the US you have 2 pin plugs 1x active and 1x neutral
In Australia we have 3 pin plugs, the third pin is a earth, we have ELCD's which shut off the power should you have a short, or power to earth

Actually, it's getting harder and harder to find two prong devices here in the U.S. I think that most building codes won't permit them installed on any new work. I can't remember the last time I saw a two prong outlet for sale. ELCD and GFCI are the same concept. Thing is, with a Ground Fault Interrupt device, it needs to be the first outlet on a circuit to be truely effective, even if the water hazard is the third or fourth plug down the line. Ideally, GFCI breakers would be best. That way, anything on the circuit, plugs, lights, hardwired items, everything would be covered. Now if they weren't five times the cost of a standard breaker...

 

ELCB's are installed in the meter box on all new houses in OZ, so all our power outlets etc are protected... OK so the GFCI Breaker's will cost... ? living with the knowledge that a $250 ELCB could have saved your sons life.. A close friends son pushed a bit of wire into a power point 8 years ago and passed way.. would I put them in.. you bet