grounding probe problem

[Triggerman]

i've been having a electrical problem that just started this week and need some help from some of the electricians around here. i traced back a stray voltage i detected in my sump to a damaged heater, i didn't use a voltmeter or anything i just felt the mild voltage with my finger. i had to unplug everything and one by one go through all my electrical equipment until i finally found the source was coming from a heater. i then decided it was a good idea to add a grounding probe to my unit and as soon as i plugged on the probe i felt another stray voltage. so again i went through everything and the only thing that causes the stray is when i plug the probe on. i really don't know how this can happen as the probe is supposed to remove any stray voltages i did a search on RC but i haven't found a solution. i'm stumped on this one, any ideas? an aquarist has to be a jack of all trades plumber, electrician, carpenter, etc.

ray

[Isis]

It would still be a good idea to keep the grounding probe since there can always be stray voltage from other items in your tank and you would never know until your fish started growing legs or something... :-o

[captexas]

Ray-
It was a good idea to unplug everything and then just plug in one at a time to figure out where the problem was coming from. If the heater is putting out an electrical current into the tank water, you need to remove it completely and replace it. Those kind of problems will only get worse over time and having a grounding probe won't fix the heater problem.
As far as the principals of how the grounding probe works in a fish tank, I am not sure if this is 100% accurate, but here goes. Water and the human body are conductors of electricity, meaning electricity can pass through it just like copper wires. When you are electrocuted, current enters your body becuase you have provided a path for it to complete the circuit. When electricity travels through water, it needs a path to a ground. That is why you get zapped when you put your hand in the water as your body is acting as a path to the ground. If you could hover in mid air and put your hand in the tank, you wouldn't feel the current as you are not providing a circuit for it to travel. Supposedly, if you were to jump up in the air right when a lightening bolt were to strike you, you wouldn't be fried. Sounds good but no way am I trying it! :o The ground probe is simply giving the stray current a path back to the ground of the electrical outlet it is plugged into. Theoretically, this is supposed to help prevent you from getting electrocuted and help prevent ill effects on your tank inhabitants. There have been studies done that show stray current, even in minute amounts, can have bad effects on fish. Especially on fish that use electrical pulses to navigate.
Now if you did remove your heater completely and you are still getting shocked, try doing the same thing as before, but with the ground probe in the tank. Unplug everything and plug only one thing in at a time and see if there is something else causing problems. If this doesn't help, you might want to call the manufacturer of the grounding probe and ask them about it.

Hope that helps!
Chris

[Triggerman]

thanks cap for the info. whenever i found the heater causing the stray i did take it out. i might have to try unplugging everything again and check one more time. it's only a slight stray so i might need to measure with a voltmeter.

ray