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stray voltage

4K views 8 replies 7 participants last post by  mjp83 
#1 ·
i have been doing some research on stray voltage and found this article and thought it would be good as a sticky since this is something that is so overlooked in our hobby, and if it is not sticky worthy then maybe someone will find it helpful


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Whenever electric appliances are used in close proximity to saltwater aquariums, the potential for problems increases dramatically. Fortunately for most saltwater aquarists, a vast majority of equipment used in conjunction with an aquarium is of high quality and seldom fails. However, when an appliance does fail and leaks electricity into a tank, it is called "stray voltage".

Stray voltage, even in small amounts, can cause a number of subtle or dramatic problems in an aquarium.

HLLD (Head and Lateral Line Erosion Disease) - Anecdotal evidence in aquariums as well as observations of fish in close proximity to hydroelectric dams have indicated that stray voltage could be a possible cause of HLLD in fish.

Sudden Death of Tank Inhabitants - Many aquarists have tested for voltage leaks in their tanks after experiencing a sudden and otherwise inexplicable loss of fish in their tanks and found that a faulty appliance used in conjunction with their tank was the cause.
Unusual Behavior of Tank Inhabitants - When continuos strange behavior such as a rapid and jerky swimming pattern or frequent quivering of tank inhabitants is observed, many aquarists have discovered that the cause was stray voltage.

How To Test for Stray Voltage
Purchase or borrow a voltage meter. They can generally be found for less than $20 at most automotive parts or hardware store.
Turn the selector to "120 AC Voltage".
Insert the tip of the black probe into the third or "grounding" hole in an electrical outlet.
Insert the metal tip of the red probe into the tank water.
Watch the meter needle for any movement. Any needle movement indicates a voltage leak in your system.

How To Identify the Voltage Leak Source
One at a time, disconnect each electrical appliance (heaters, pumps, lights, chiller) associated with your tank, retesting for voltage as described above after each unit is disconnected. Heaters and pumps (powerheads) are the most frequent cause of voltage leaks.

How To Solve the Voltage Leak
Replace (recommended) or repair the faulty unit. Test the tank once again to make sure that you have eliminated the problem.
Install a simple grounding probe in the tank to avoid damage to the tank inhabitants. This may temporarily take care of the symptoms of stray voltage, but it does not cure the cause of the problem.

Many aquarists test their tanks for stray voltage on a regular basis as a part of their normal tank maintenance routine. Detecting a voltage leak problem in its early stages can help eliminate or reduce problems in the future.
 
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#4 ·
est.922. Thanks for bumping this. I was wondering how to test.
 
#5 ·
I had looked into a grounding probe awhile back because i houht i had stray voltage. I thought i had read that stray voltage isnt really a problem, but current is. By putting in a grounding probe you complete the circuit and create current. also if you use a grounding probe wih a gfci that it can cause it to trip off.
 
#6 ·
I think using a grounding probe is to save you and not the fish. It completes the circuit instead of you when you put your hand in the tank.
 
#8 ·
Here are a couple more links that go into depth about the dangers of a probe in the absence of a GFCI or an ARC-Interrupter type breaker.

From what I understand, one should not simply add a probe to your tank without having a GFCI breaker on the system, as doing so can cause a safery hazard for you.

In a perfect scenario I would have the main return pump plugged into a standard outlet and the support electrical devices such as power heads and heaters plugged into a GFCI protected power strip, like the ones sold at Grainger. I don't want to risk my entire system on one GFCI that can trip when I am away from the house.

Better explained here:

Aquarium Grounding Probes

Technical Details of Stray Voltage in Aquaria

Larry
 
#9 ·
Just FYI, I got zapped in my tank last week, tested for voltage (per method above), and came up with 100v!!

Had wife unplug power heads etc, one at a time, and it dropped to 0 when she pulled one of the Korallia 850's. I removed all three Korallias and run 12 v powered jebao wave makers.

Thank you for the sticky!
 
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