GabeB
Guest
Any way around this other than an electrician?
Very Puzzling Thing Came Up - Any Ideas?: Stray Voltage
- Thread starter GabeB
- Start date
GabeB
Guest
@Coral reefer Was right. Just tested the outlet with a multimeter and it's not grounded. Guess I'll get an electrician out here and hope that remedies the issue. In the mean time is there a concern with the current (or voltage?) running through the tank?
Oakland Evan
Guest
Might want to get a cheap grounding probe from amazon in the mean time. I read you can connect them to a metal screw if your outlet is not grounded. I would also check your heater/s first, they are the most likely to leak electricity, a lot of cheap ones do that, even when off.
GabeB
Guest
Not the heaters. I have 2 and even with them both unplugged I feel it. It happens when either of my outlets are plugged in so I think it may be an outlet issue.
Coral reefer
Past President
The outlets are are large part of the issue, but they aren’t causing it so to speak. Something is leaking current.
Oakland Evan
Guest
I guess it could be from a broken outlet cover where the current travels down the line into your tank, but that's doubtful. It probably is something in your tank that is leaking current originating at the outlet. Do you have a UV sterilizer, I had a electric leak from a bad one of those once.
GabeB
Guest
After some experimenting with a multimeter i set up in the tank and grounded, it appears there is no one item that is contributing to the stray voltage. The largest is my return pump. which is about 10 of the 30 volts. Does it still mean there is some 'major issue' if I cannot locate one item causes it. It just seems like everything is slightly contributing to it. Will having an electrician ground the outlet remedy this?
Oakland Evan
Guest
I doubt it, but a grounding probe may. Definitely your cheapest option so would try one of them first.
Amazon.com: Rio RV2735 Rid-Volt Titanium Grounding Probe : Pet Supplies
Amazon.com: Rio RV2735 Rid-Volt Titanium Grounding Probe : Pet Supplies
www.amazon.com
GabeB
Guest
will this make a difference if my outlet itself isn’t grounded though? Because i presume this just plugs into an outlet and the item presumes the outlet is grounded and then grounds it from there?
Oakland Evan
Guest
It says you can connect the ring that's on the plug to the screw in your outlet or other metal object if your outlet is not grounded
RandyC
Supporting Member
Check inside the outlet and make sure the ground wire didn't just come loose.
xcaret
Guest
Even if you place a grounding probe you might still feel the stray voltge.
One piece of equipment is leaking voltage.
If you place a 9v battery on your bare hand, you don’t feel the charge but place it on your tongue and the story is defferent.
I’ve experienced electric shock before specially over an open tiny cut from a voltage leak as well as the full wrath of 120v; not fun. Those times have been due to faulty equipment.
One piece of equipment is leaking voltage.
If you place a 9v battery on your bare hand, you don’t feel the charge but place it on your tongue and the story is defferent.
I’ve experienced electric shock before specially over an open tiny cut from a voltage leak as well as the full wrath of 120v; not fun. Those times have been due to faulty equipment.
GabeB
Guest
I think there's a combination of things going on here from my experimentation but I think it may have to do with Apex. When I have my COR-20 connected to the apex with the aquabus cable I read 29 volts, but when I unplug that aquabus I read only 17 volts (I can still feel this though). However, I think somehow some way my lights are also contributing because no matter what combination of things I have plugged in I end up reading some voltage. The largest difference I can find though is the aquabus cable between the COR controller and energy bar. I think this may be extra weird because I have apex things plugged into both outlets and they can both end up powering the energy bar.
Coral reefer
Past President
Do you have another outlet that is grounded? Can you run an extension cord to it?
ofzakaria
Guest
Man thats alot of voltage to be passed to the tank.
I have a feeling its the aquabus itself. In the past I had voltage leak from the pm2 and was messing with my ph prob reading. it was coming from the aquabus. These modules design is bad when it comes to grounding...I think.
xcaret
Guest
If you don’t mind it why worry? That’s assuming you’re some sort of superhero that can’t die.
Even a small amount of electricity can stop a human’s heart; perhapnot your heart but how about someone else visiting and sticking a hand in there?
It’s one or two pieces of equipment causing the stray voltage.
ofzakaria
Guest
I think 25v will STN his coral and prevent him from having a healthy fish.
I remember once, Rob from neptune had huge coral loss from a 20 or 25v from a broken heater..you can ask him about it and he will tell u how harmful 25v is..