chiller putting voltage into water...help!

[markush]

I just happen to be standing on a wet towel on the floor near my sump when i stuck my hand in the water and a cut on my finger tingled. I started unplugging things one by one until i found it was my chiller.

Here's the weird thing...i pulled the fuse on the back of the chiller and i still get a zap as long as it's plugged into an outlet. The outlets are grounded and the ground wire in the chillers power cord is securely attached to the compressors base.

It is still under warranty but i really don’t want to have to pack it up, send it out and be without it for who knows how long. Any electrical gurus have any ideas?

[Icefire]

I really doubt it's something serious as you have an injury in saltwater.

having a cut will ease the flow of electricity so you might be a lot more sensitive.

You could try mesuring the voltage of the water compared to the ground with a multimeter but It's mixed with capacitive/inductive voltage from the pumps. If you get near 120v you have a problem.

[markush]

I didnt measure it but it's no where near 120v. But i dont feel anything with 5 power heads and two pumps...it's just with the chiller plugged in...the part about the fuse being taken out and juce still flowing to the water just makes no sence to me.

[AndyNarwhal]

Are you absolutely positive it's the chiller and not another device like the lights or something else? I ask because a chiller really has no direct electrical connection to the water. The power runs to the compressor which compresses the refrigerant which runs through a coil which is in contact with the water.
It would be really difficult for power to leak to the water. Especially with the fuse removed which should stop all power flow.

The only thing I could see is if there was some sort of connection or salt bridge that has formed on the load line before the fuse that is contacting the heat exchanging coil (which is generally titanium). This is unlikely but possible. If you remove your chiller housing you should be able to see.

More likely it is a heater, powerhead or light fixture. If the powerheads have only two prongs they are ungrounded (as most are) and you may not be able to feel any current unless there is a grounded device (like the chiller) plugged in to create the ground path circuit.

[asm481]

I would look at your heaters. Do they plug into an outlet on the chiller like mine do? Seems nine out of ten times it is the heaters that mess up.

[markush]

I thought about the salt bridge last night and loosened the cover enough to get to the cord and fuse holder...i didn’t see anything obvious. I'll have to disconnect the plumbing to get the cover completely off and that'll be my next step.

I just unplugged absolutely everything electrical on this tank...i plugged the chiller back in (sans the fuse..i love that part ) and i still get the tingle...so yes i am positive it is the chiller.

The chiller is on it's own outlet and a separate circuit from anything else on the tank. And yep i tried plugging it into a half a dozen different outlets with no change.

[DarG]

Is it plugged into a GFCI outlet? If it is plugged into a GFCI outlet or circuit and doesnt trip it I when you have your hand in the tank or otherwise, I would leave it alone.

Do you only get the tingle when you are standing on a wet towel?

[markush]

No GFCI for the chiller...everything else is though. I don't have a grounding probe either...don't beat me up to bad guys.

And yes i can only feel it with the wet towel...but doesn't that just mean it finds me as the easiest way to ground but it is still present...wet towel or not?

[DarG]

Yeah, but oviously it isnt much current. Can you plug it into the GFI, temproary or otherwise? If it doesnt trip it when you stick you hand in the tank, I personally wouldnt sweat it.