I keep getting shocked!!!

[Ichthus]

I have a CPR Bak-Pak hanging on my sump and when I put my hand into the sump now, I get the algae shocked right outta me. It did not do this yesterday until I moved my skimmer to pull out my trays full of charcoal and Phos-gaurd and to clean filters. Then when I put the skimmer back..... *zapp*. In the sump is a Mag drive pump, a heater and the skimmer. I turn off the skimmer and no shock, but when I turn it on....Wha-Hooo. I don't see any frayed cords. One thing I did do was extend the screws at the base of the skimmer so that it touches the stand so that it will stand more erect. It sits on the carpet on the outside of the stand and hangs on the sump which sits inside the stand.

What did I do wrong? There was a little water on the carpet that I might have been standing on...But If it was wet or dry I should get shocked right? Do you think that skimmer touching the stand has anything to do with it? It is made out of wood so I am guessing no.

[Geoff]

I hate to give suggestions that will get you shocked again, but I would probably put the blame on the heater. If you can unplug the heater. I am a little surprised that the breaker is not tripping, but you may not be enough load. Unless water is moving to complete the circuit it would not have shocked you.

HTH,

G~

[Ichthus]

I took off to San Angelo Tx. the other day and thought that my tank was OK to be left alone for 1 day. But when I got back the lights in tank were off as well as everything else. I had tripped a breaker. So, I went and flipped switch and came back and the heater in the sump had burst. I am guessing that my sump level got so low that the heater was exposed (250watt) and burst. Luckily I ahd a spare 100w in the garage (different brand) and put it in there.

Isn't there a device that I can use to determine if there is electricity in there?

Unless water is moving to complete the circuit it would not have shocked you.

I don't quite understand how water moving would shock me.

[Ichthus]

One more thing.....I placed several pieces of LR into the tank yesterday to hold while I re-arranged a couple of pieces and maybe it cracked the heater a little??? Would the heater still work if the glass was cracked?

[Geoff]

I am really bad at explanations, so hang with me. The backpak skimmer equalizes using gravity back into the tank. if the skimmer is off the water would not be "touching" the tank and not completing the circuit. Falling water will conduct electricity in either direction. having an external pump makes it difficult to determine whether it was the pump skimmer or the heater in it.

I hope this was better,

G~

[Geoff]

Depending on what the coils are made out of, yes, it still would work for a while. If they were very high grade stainless it is sometimes very difficult to tell when the glass has broken, because they will still work for a very long time. I try and check my heaters once a week for any moisture in the heater. I prefer Ebo Jager heaters for the very reason their glass is really think.

Sorry, i read the original post wrong, I thought you had the heater in the skimmer.

G~

[Ichthus]

I may check that heater if it can still work even though it may be cracked. Yeah, I will be glad it isn't my Mag-Drive pump or skimmer as they cost just a little more than a heater Thanks for the help Geoff.

David

[Jeremy1973]

Originally posted by Geoff
I hate to give suggestions that will get you shocked again,

Oh, don't worry there..go for it! heh heh Ichthus doesn't mind the free hair styling! heh heh

I will even add in some suggestions for the fun of it.

[Minnreefer]

I don't want to preach but PLEASE buy and put in a GFI outlet for your tank, water and electricty do not mix. I would also recomend getting a grounding probe for your tank. Do you have a gfi outlet in your kitchen or bathroom???. If you do then take every item out of the sump and try them in the gfi outlet and a bucket of water, it should trip and let you know what one may be bad. Please try to be safe

Jon

[Ichthus]

Jon....where the heck have you been???? I could have used that little advice about 75 watts ago I will go today and see if I can find the probe. I know I can get the outlet no problem. What exactly will the probe do?

[Minnreefer]

The probe does not help with a dirrect short as much, but some items tend to "leak" power into the water which can stress out the fish. I may be wrong but a grounding probe will take any extra electricty out of the water and connct it to the ground. The main thing is to get a GFI.

HTH

Jon

[Ichthus]

Jon....you are the man of the day. I will go after work and get one. And Jeremy...come over to my house.....I got a little present for you in my sump

[monosentos]

Ichthus,
I'm brand new to the Reef Tank today, just signed up. Scanning the messages I saw and read your issue regarding getting shocked. To qualify my reply I would like to note that I've been in the electrical field since 1954 (4 of which were in the US Navy).

Placing a ground rod in the tank is risky and dangerous to you and the fish. "A quote I saw today seems to say it all; "THE TRICK IS TO KEEP THE ELECTRICITY IN THE WIRE AND OUT OF THE BODY!"

You must use a GFCI (a.k.a., GFI)on any and all products that come in play with water.

(GFCI - Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter)

What is a GFCI? In a mamanner of speaking it is a safety valve. CFCI's were introduced in the early 70's.

When you look at a normal 120-volt electrical outlet used in the United States and Canada, there are two vertical slots and a round hole centerered below the slots. The left slot is slightly larger than the right. The left slot is called "neutural," the right slot is called "hot" and the hole below is called "ground." If an electrical appliance, tank heater, pump, etc. are working properly all electricity (current) that the device requires will flow from HOT to NEUTRAL.The GFCI monitors this balanced flow flowing from HOT to Neutral.If the GFCI detects the slighest imblance, as small as 4 to 5 milliamps it trips the circuit off. It can react as quickly as one thithieth of a second.

FYI, it takes 1000 milliamps to equal 1 amp, so with 4-5 milliamps we're talking a very, very slight imbalance. The thought behind this is that if the circuit is not balanced, that imbalanced current is probably flowing through some person's body. Not good.

If you install.....Let's make that WHEN you install a GFCI and when it's turned on and it immediatly trips you have a circuit imblance and voltage/current is leakaging from one of your devices. Unplug EVERYTHING and turn the CFCI back on. Now start reinstalling your electrical devices one at a time. When the GFCI trips, the device you just plugged in is the potential hazard. Check it, or have it checked for electrical leakage.

Bill

[Ichthus]

Ok guys...I went home at lunch and pulled my heater and stuck it into a bucket and took it to the kitchen where I have a GFI ( I am assuming that is what it is as it has the 2 buttons on the outlet and one of them says "reset" in case it is tripped) and plugged it in and stuck my hand in there. (very reluctantly I might add) and I was not shocked.

So that means that I have my pump and skimmer running in the sump. I stuck my hand in the sump (again...reluctantly) and I was not shocked.

So...I guess the next step is that i put the heater back in the sump and stick my hand in again. THERE HAS GOT TO BE A BETTER WAY THAN TO STICK MY HAND IN THAT TANK!!! Anyone? Anyone?

Ok....so call me a wus

[Geoff]

Welcome Bill!!!

I must agree on the GFI's I actually have 2 on the circuit that goes to the aquarium. One is at the beginning of the circuit to catch all the other is the last one. It allows me to test individual devices without tripping the entire circuit.

G~