Current shock

[fishboy]

Hmm
Seems that My 4ft planted tank is conducting electricity. No idea from where but whenever i touch the water surface i get a zap mild but right at the point of contact with the surface. Its fine if i wear my slppers and touch but when barefeet i get xapped. The fish seem fine. No exposed wires as far as i can see. Hmmmm any ideas?

[vinz]

Moving this thread to Equipment Forum.

[Allen_1971]

Have you grounded your light set? You might wanna consider adding an earth wire to your lights... also, I've read of some people in the states using grounding lines even in their tank. Not sure how necessary is that, but some people swear by it.

[cyberjoe]

Hi Fishboy

I also exp this mine comes from my internal filter. do you have an internal filter if yes try off and see still have.

[Goondoo]

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On 1/20/2003 12:30:36 AM

Hmm
Seems that My 4ft planted tank is conducting electricity. No idea from where but whenever i touch the water surface i get a zap mild but right at the point of contact with the surface. Its fine if i wear my slppers and touch but when barefeet i get xapped. The fish seem fine. No exposed wires as far as i can see. Hmmmm any ideas?



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I had this problem before too. I was shocked after tried dipping a Test Pen into the tank and it actually lid up. After various trouble shooting, found out it was the cheap power extension cord I got from those "Pasar Malam" that causes the problem. The earth and the neutral was short-circuited. What you experience should be similar. As the neutral line carries low current, it seldom are able to trip those circuit breakers(designed to detect current overflow) you had installed at home. However, high voltage can be deadly too.

How you can isolate the problem,
1) Using a test pen, test if the water contains "Voltage". If Yes, proceed to step 2.
2) pull out all the 3 pins plug connected directly or indirectly used by the tank, test again. (If now you detect no voltage, probably one of the device is faulty or your power extension is faulty. If Voltage still exist go (3)
3) plug out the rest of the 2 pins plug one by one, while testing for voltage in your tank, until your test pen unlid. The previous one is the problem.
4) However, if it is the last connection that unlid the test pen, try changing another power extension and try again from step 1.
5) It once happens to my neighbour that it was part of the walled cable that was short-circuit. It was believed to have caused by some SCV contractors fixing those cables and could have accidentally hammered the wrong PVC which cuts through the earth and neutral cable causing the short.

Note: There's never too many steps from safety.

PS: When earthed, "live" wire short-circuited to earth will trip the circuit breaker due to current overflow, "neutral" wire WILL NOT, due to the low current. It is still safer to hunt for the problem rather then just getting it earthed.

[Allen_1971]

Goondoo,

thats a good troubleshooting analysis... didn't consider that the neutral might be shorted...

[bclee]

"The earth and the neutral was short-circuited. What you experience should be similar. As the neutral line carries low current, it seldom are able to trip those circuit breakers(designed to detect current overflow) you had installed at home."
This should trip the ELCB (earth leakage circuit breaker). Neutral is the "return" for the live should have same current as the live. If this is the case, there could be a problem with your ELCB... dangerous!!


"PS: When earthed, "live" wire short-circuited to earth will trip the circuit breaker due to current overflow, "neutral" wire WILL NOT, due to the low current. It is still safer to hunt for the problem rather then just getting it earthed."

There are 2 sets of circuit breakers. One set that trip on current overload, the other is the ELCB which will trip when there is a small current leaking into the earth. Either one will trip when there is a electrical leakage depending on the type of fault. Getting your appliance earth IS THE SAFEST bet.

BC

[bclee]

IMO, internal filters is the biggest suspect if you are using one. There is also a chance that your external filter maybe leaking electricity through the water flowing through it. Heaters are also big suspects. These are the 3 prime suspects.

Lightings are the other possible source of leakage but they are not directly in contact with the water... check it to be safer.

Don't play play with electricity... kids or other family members may get hurt. Be carefue yourself too.

BC

[pipsqueak]

oh my gosh, thanks for the troubleshoot info Goondoo.
i usually work in my tank (hands up to elbow in water) with everything on, including the internal filter. thank God i haven't been electrocuted!

[tawauboy]

for safety sake, switch off all electrical devices before dipping your hand into your tank.

else, wear a pair of rubber slippers to reduce chances of electric shock and always use keep one hand out of the water.

[pipsqueak]

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On 1/23/2003 11:59:08 PM

for safety sake, switch off all electrical devices before dipping your hand into your tank.

else, wear a pair of rubber slippers to reduce chances of electric shock and always use keep one hand out of the water.
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my house carpeted, so dont wear slippers (what abt static electricity?)
, and yea, i keep one hand out of the tank. what's the science behind that? keeping one hand out of the tank?[:0]

[sherchoo]

To find out which is the culprit, turn of the appliances and switch on one by one and see which is causing the problem.

If it's the lights, ground it. And if it's the filter...... errrrr not much you can do but change it.

These mild shocks are relatively low and at most only stings you and normally higher trips the CB. But without grouding, the ELCB (or now known as RCCB) would not trip even with higher currents. That's why exposed metal area should be grouded.

[Goondoo]

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On 1/26/2003 1:03:10 AM

To find out which is the culprit, turn of the appliances and switch on one by one and see which is causing the problem.

If it's the lights, ground it. And if it's the filter...... errrrr not much you can do but change it.

These mild shocks are relatively low and at most only stings you and normally higher trips the CB. But without grouding, the ELCB (or now known as RCCB) would not trip even with higher currents. That's why exposed metal area should be grouded.
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Errr... what you had suggested can only help IF the Live is shorted. As normal switch only connect/disconnect Live wire, Neutral and Earth, maintain connected regardless if the power is switch on or off. Unless, you disconnect each equipment physically from your power adapter.

For you info, there are chances that the Neutral line carries absolute zero current but enough voltage to set you on fire.

Sorry for not able to log on as often now a days, my laptop was stolen "in the office" when I was out for lunch with a client. My colleague whom suppose to be there then don't even know who stolen it. I will be rather tie up soon to catch up with all my reports and proposal I had lost.

Arrgghhhhhhh!!!!!! Fed up..... []

[sherchoo]

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On 1/26/2003 1:31:26 AM

Errr... what you had suggested can only help IF the Live is shorted. As normal switch only connect/disconnect Live wire, Neutral and Earth, maintain connected regardless if the power is switch on or off. Unless, you disconnect each equipment physically from your power adapter.

For you info, there are chances that the Neutral line carries absolute zero current but enough voltage to set you on fire.
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Billy,
When I say turn off, I meant to disconnect it from the outlet (thanks for the correction).

FYI, severeity of electric shock is dependent on current and not voltage. Don't be mislead with low voltages, currents can be lethally high.

[tawauboy]

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my house carpeted, so dont wear slippers (what abt static electricity?)
, and yea, i keep one hand out of the tank. what's the science behind that? keeping one hand out of the tank?[:0]
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static electricity will zap you once only. it needs to recharge before zapping you the second time.

keep one hand out of the tank.... just to make sure your hand remains dry. in case you hold onto some grounded stuff, there will be less current flowing across your chest, reducing the chance of you heart being stopped by the shock.