| Skimmers/Equipment/Reactors Archive Threads about skimmers, auto top off, kalk and calcium reactors, etc. |
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07-26-2003, 10:08 AM
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#1
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Look deeply into my eyes
 
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: Location, Location
Posts: 12,042
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Grounding probe- longer is better?
Just wondering,(as a electrician, i 'm ashamed to ask),noticed that the grounding probe the Foster's n Smith carry is about 9" in length..all the ones i've seen/used b4 only have a probe about 2 inches....more is better?
don't nobody go THERE,,,not in the mood for funny one-liners today
just a brain scratcher for me here today,,
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Jeff
1st generation J-Crowd member
PRG Member since '09
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07-26-2003, 10:21 AM
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#2
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Eat more PIE
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Florida Panhandle
Posts: 18,610
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I would say longer is better. 
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07-26-2003, 10:25 AM
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#3
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Look deeply into my eyes
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: Location, Location
Posts: 12,042
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Quote:
Originally posted by Casey
I would say longer is better.
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Casey , yup, i tend to agree with ya,,,,
a "connection" is a connection with the probe no matter what, as far as the probe goes,,,,just wondering here why now they are longer,,,
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Jeff
1st generation J-Crowd member
PRG Member since '09
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07-26-2003, 10:30 AM
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#4
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Eat more PIE
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Florida Panhandle
Posts: 18,610
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humm not sure but when we use them at work we always use the longest one we can find laying around in the truck
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Double your drive space. Delete Windows
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07-26-2003, 10:55 AM
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#5
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Plankton
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Atlanta
Posts: 16
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ok here goes,
I have read in places that adding a grounding probe can actually induce current into a system vs grounding it. Also that the whole grounding idea is a gimmick made by vendors to sell more stuff. I am not sure I agree but, I stopped using mine.. are you sure that using one is the rite thing to do? especially if you have a stray current on your main ground line to begin with?
(I have a EE and have installed many power panels, run circuits etc.. I feel pretty at home around power panels fyi)
what do you people think?
thnx
JP
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95 Tenacor - Softies, mating Percula clowns with Bubble Tip sidekick. 180 Oceanic - various SPS and reef dwellers. All on central 90g sump
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07-26-2003, 11:13 AM
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#6
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Little Fishy
Join Date: Sep 2001
Location: Indiana
Posts: 354
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OK Jeff... if that's true and longer is better, than what do you figure I need for my sump ? About 6 feet ?
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07-26-2003, 11:27 AM
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#7
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Little Fishy
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: FL and SC
Posts: 176
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Quote:
Originally posted by Reefmanic
ok here goes,
I have read in places that adding a grounding probe can actually induce current into a system vs grounding it. Also that the whole grounding idea is a gimmick made by vendors to sell more stuff. I am not sure I agree but, I stopped using mine.. are you sure that using one is the rite thing to do? especially if you have a stray current on your main ground line to begin with?
(I have a EE and have installed many power panels, run circuits etc.. I feel pretty at home around power panels fyi)
what do you people think?
thnx
JP
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I have heard this also. It kind of makes sense, current travels the path of least resitance and such. The way I understood it was if a powerhead shorts or something, the current will travel from the powerhead to the grounding probe. If you dont have a probe, chances are the stray current will stay contained inside the malfunctioning powerhead.
I am deffinatley NOT stating this as fact, just what I heard, anyone care to discuss?
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07-26-2003, 12:28 PM
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#8
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Look deeply into my eyes
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: Location, Location
Posts: 12,042
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Quote:
Originally posted by Pirate
OK Jeff... if that's true and longer is better, than what do you figure I need for my sump ? About 6 feet ?
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No matter to me Scott,,,ain't never puttin my hand in you sump, ever again! 
(i think you have a hydro-electric station in your tank to sump hose already) OWWWWW!
i think those blue zoo's create electrical charges,,,ya need to get them outa your tank,,,,i can keep them for ya,,,LOL 
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Jeff
1st generation J-Crowd member
PRG Member since '09
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07-26-2003, 12:35 PM
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#9
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Look deeply into my eyes
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: Location, Location
Posts: 12,042
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bottom line , a ground probe is pretty much for Induced voltage not really to protect that much against "leakage" from bad components....remember , electricity just needs a path,easier or otherwise to flow,,,,
i work with 138,000 volts o' juce at work,,,my tanks get my most respect,,,,
can still get "bit" with a probe, GFI, and a patron saint medallion of electrician's hanging over the tank,,not that likely,,,but can still happen,,
only wondering here, is the longer length of a probe mo' better than a shorter one?
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Jeff
1st generation J-Crowd member
PRG Member since '09
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07-26-2003, 12:51 PM
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#10
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Plankton
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Atlanta
Posts: 16
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I here ya about induced vs stray current and I understand your point and I can agree with that.. I have been aroung 138kvac.. I prefer to stay away thank you... (I remember taking voltage analyzer line readings on a mega amp panel and a turbine kicked in a few feet away from me while I was attempting to hook up an alligator clip to a strand of the incoming feed.. whoa lost a few years on that one)
Anyhow to anwer your question on grounds being longer also being better.. IHMO the bigger the ground the better for passing any current.. so the larger the ground plane, the easier it will pass any current overall.. as you said the less resistance the easier the flow.. which I am sure you know.. works well in plumbing too! 
thats my two cents.. as far as a short developing in a motor and then frying you in your sump.. I agree a probe would help lots. The only real area that probe can cause problems would be if you already had current on your ground and then its passed to your tank when the probe is installed.. I still am running w/o one for now... living on the edge huh?
cya
JP
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95 Tenacor - Softies, mating Percula clowns with Bubble Tip sidekick. 180 Oceanic - various SPS and reef dwellers. All on central 90g sump
Last edited by Reefmanic; 07-26-2003 at 01:52 PM.
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07-29-2003, 07:30 PM
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#11
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squid
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Salt Lake City Utah
Posts: 4
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As far as living on the edge both my 55gal and my 150gal are both w/o ground rods ...I figure if I my tank inhabitans start acting strange I will test w/ a continuity tester, but until then I will just live on the edge
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just because it isn't leaking doesn't mean it's safe
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07-29-2003, 07:50 PM
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#12
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Good boy
Join Date: Jan 2000
Location: Marietta, GA, USA
Posts: 7,889
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Quote:
Originally posted by inspector eric
As far as living on the edge both my 55gal and my 150gal are both w/o ground rods ...I figure if I my tank inhabitans start acting strange I will test w/ a continuity tester, but until then I will just live on the edge
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I went without one for several years. Then one day while doing some maintenance in the sump I got quite a jolt. An old Mag was leaking some current in the tank. All tank inhabitants were doing fine before and after. I'm a believer now.
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07-29-2003, 08:24 PM
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#13
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Look deeply into my eyes
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: Location, Location
Posts: 12,042
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Quote:
Originally posted by inspector eric
As far as living on the edge both my 55gal and my 150gal are both w/o ground rods ...I figure if I my tank inhabitans start acting strange I will test w/ a continuity tester, but until then I will just live on the edge
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A "Continuity" tester is NOT a good way to test for stray/induced voltages,,,we are talking millivolts here on up. a cont.tester or "wiggy" will not work below a certain voltage,,(i think the ones i use at work operate at 70-80 volts) you need a Digital meter.
on your inhabs acting "strange", they don't need to for stray /induced/leakage voltage to KILL you.
like i said b4, i work with 138,000 V's of electricity at work, my tanks get my most respect.
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Jeff
1st generation J-Crowd member
PRG Member since '09
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07-29-2003, 10:23 PM
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#14
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Plankton
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Atlanta
Posts: 16
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ok ok I get the "jolt" yuk yuk .. I will put mine in after Rick's and Junkzoo's comment... I figure I have one so I may as well use it based on learning from other peoples experiences..
thnks for the reality continuity check.. couldn't resist
jp
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95 Tenacor - Softies, mating Percula clowns with Bubble Tip sidekick. 180 Oceanic - various SPS and reef dwellers. All on central 90g sump
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07-29-2003, 11:37 PM
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#15
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shark bait
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: south of the north pole
Posts: 778
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i am curious as how the grounding probe effects a gfci electrical socket? would the socket trip if the pump leaked current? or would it bypass the gfci socket, and the power remain on to the fualty pump?
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