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Being an Electrical designer for the last 15 years, and after reading his article for the most part I agree with him. I would like to make a point that he stated and re-assert that point. If you use a grounding probe, it could be a double edge sword. One It will save your butt from getting shocked severely but you could still get shocked if conditions are met, example you make a path to ground while your hand is in the water. Even though the probe is the least path, you still could feel a good jolt. Remember salt water, even more so impure salt water will conduct, so if you somehow provide an alternative path to ground you would get some shock but the probes path to ground would still be less than through your body so it should save your life. The point he made was a good one, if the probe does its job then you may take a long time to find the problem, because the probe is delivering that current away. You need to find and fix the problem ASAP! Inspect your pumps and equipment on a regular basis, with every cleaning check the housing closely for any cracks or anything out of the ordinary, replace if necessary, these are cheaper than the alternative. Oh yes 120vac, if shorted out directly in your tank would probably kill livestock all at once, before your breaker could trip, maybe kill everything even with a GFIC but the GFIC wouold protect you. The protection your getting from these devices besides your protection, are typically for small voltages and small leaks, like when a motor or pump has a small crack in the insulator and is conducting very tiny currents. Hopefully you can find the problem and fit it before hurting your fish but for the most part the GFIC is designed to save your butt not the fish. One other good point to make, if you provide no path to ground then current won't flow, you will only have a potential in that case of a damaged pump etc. a probe would trip the GFIC but will also provide a path to ground thus current flow, which could be damaging to your live stock but at the same time helping you discover a problem. So what do you do? I can't answer that one, either way it is up to you to maintain your equipment and do your best preventive chorus. I only use a GFIC but I can't say that is the best way, a probe may serve you well, for problems and your safety.
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? I noticed a small electric charge (not enough to shock you) coming from my reflector above my NO florescent lights? The ballast & end caps are not mounted to the reflector? I have since added a ground wire to the reflector & I haven’t felt that little tingle sensation?
