Grounding Probes

Crossbow · #1 12/24/2007, 08:27 PM

Merry Christmas Eve Folks!

Does anyone here use a grounding probe on their tank? Just curious.

m2434 · #2 12/24/2007, 08:51 PM

No here - prefer not to induce current in my tanks...

intresting read:
http://avdil.gtri.gatech.edu/RCM/RCM...ingProbes.html

triggerfreak · #3 12/24/2007, 10:03 PM

I run one on all my tanks.No matter what.Andy stray voltage can kill.I prefer to be cautious.

MikePowell · #4 12/25/2007, 05:19 AM

i use one. you should use one especially if you have an older house, such as mine, or if you just removed wood floors recently. they are just a precautionary device that every tank should have as well as a GFCI. GET ONE!

racksteris · #5 12/25/2007, 09:49 AM

I also use one in every tank I own. A grounding probe has to be used with a GFCI reference before it will work properly. Most GFCI trip range are 5 mA ground faults. If all your equipment are plug in to a GFCI including the grounding probe any ground faults over 5mA SHOULD trip the circuit.

racksteris · #6 12/25/2007, 10:03 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by m2434
No here - prefer not to induce current in my tanks...

intresting read:
http://avdil.gtri.gatech.edu/RCM/RCM...ingProbes.html

''In reality, induced voltages and currents will be small... so small that they are probably NOT an issue for the safety of the aquarist.''

Just a quote i got from that article. {probably NOT }

Crossbow · #7 12/25/2007, 07:21 PM

Thank you to all who responded!

cczarnik · #8 12/26/2007, 07:31 PM

After my submersible heater came apart and electocuted the whole tank, killed all corals, inverts, and fish, contaminated the LR, LS, plumbing, and silicone with copper, I consider a ground probe and GFCI a must.

It was without a doubt the most complete destruction that I've ever seen of a reef tank, short of a tank coming apart and flooding the house.

A ground probe was the first thing I bought when I started over.... I won't make that mistake again!

Chuck

charleskeller · #9 12/30/2007, 01:03 AM

cczarnik...sorry about your tank being fried! i had a heater's remote thermostat short out on me. i didn't have a grounding probe but luckily i was home and heard the sparking and could unplug it before it killed everything or crack my sump. the water
smelled like burnt plastic for about 4-5 days.

One good piece of advice I got from this guys article is to make everything external. That would eliminate the need for a probe and the risk of loosing all power. Although he mentioned using an internal heater there are in-line heaters that should work.

So the addition of a grounding probe will cause the GFI switch to trip when a short occurs, killing the power to the system on that switch, assuming it is grounded somewhere other than the GFI plug. Correct? Hopefully I am home if this ever happens or else the tank with go without power putting the livestock in jeopardy.

IMO...make everything in your system external as the article suggestest and use a probe.

racksteris · #10 12/30/2007, 01:20 AM

''Voltage is not the problem, current is. Voltages can exist without there being any current. For example, birds sitting on a power line may be in direct contact with 10,000 volts, but they are not electrocuted. Why? Because no current is flowing through their bodies. Voltage is the “potential” or force that drives electrons through a conductor. The actual flow of electrons is the “current”. It is current that kills. Were one of the birds sitting on the power line to simultaneously touch one of the other wires on the transmission pole, a current path would be created (through the bird) and it would be electrocuted (and probably incinerated as well). So what are you doing when you add a grounding probe to your aquarium? You are providing a current path that might not already exist.''

This is from that article.

I would rather that grounding probe to providing a current path to ground then MY HANDS AND FEET.

reefmaster805 · #11 12/30/2007, 01:23 AM

GFCI and Grounding equipment are the two best safety precautions us reefers can provide for our homes and aquariums.

reefergeorge · #12 12/30/2007, 10:03 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by racksteris
''Voltage is not the problem, current is. Voltages can exist without there being any current. For example, birds sitting on a power line may be in direct contact with 10,000 volts, but they are not electrocuted. Why? Because no current is flowing through their bodies. Voltage is the “potential” or force that drives electrons through a conductor. The actual flow of electrons is the “current”. It is current that kills. Were one of the birds sitting on the power line to simultaneously touch one of the other wires on the transmission pole, a current path would be created (through the bird) and it would be electrocuted (and probably incinerated as well). So what are you doing when you add a grounding probe to your aquarium? You are providing a current path that might not already exist.''

I would have to totally agree. I would never use a GP in my tank. Just use a few gfci circuits and you will be ok, and Ccz your fish were not electrocuted.

MikePowell · #13 12/31/2007, 06:39 AM

USE A GROUNDING PROBE. if your house house is old and wiring is out of date you need to use one. if you have new wiring then you might want one to be on the safe side to remove stray voltage.

MikePowell · #14 12/31/2007, 06:41 AM

i once had a tank that had a few gfcis on it but i still got shocked. once i put a GP on it the shocking stopped. Another thing is that if you have wood floors you will neutralize the shock but if you have concrete or tile and have stray voltage you will feel it if not properly grounded. i am saying this b/c alot of people who live in the north usually have wood floors.

Crossbow · #15 12/31/2007, 12:06 PM

Thank you all for your replies. I do believe that I am going to use one. I have wood floors but old wiring. My house was built in 1885.

racksteris · #16 12/31/2007, 01:32 PM

Most of the old house only have 2 prong receptacle. They don't carry the third ground prong. Too avoid shock with this type of wiring, A GFCI receptacle should be installed in the location of your tank.

Hey Crossbow, was your house really built in 1885?

reefergeorge · #17 12/31/2007, 02:35 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by MikePowell
i once had a tank that had a few gfcis on it but i still got shocked. once i put a GP on it the shocking stopped.

So you put a band aid over your problem. You either had a malfunctioning part, or it was just a static charge. If you have a PH or something leaking voltage, and add a GP. Now you have a current running through your tank, and every time a fish swims through it it gets a jolt.

Crossbow · #18 12/31/2007, 04:47 PM

Yes racksteris, it was built in 1885 by a doctor. Lots of neat features like a pocket door, nice moldings, very nice hand carved fireplace, granite and brick foundation. I did have a GFI installed by my electrician, but I am going to use the probe as well.

racksteris · #19 12/31/2007, 05:46 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Crossbow
Yes racksteris, it was built in 1885 by a doctor. Lots of neat features like a pocket door, nice moldings, very nice hand carved fireplace, granite and brick foundation. I did have a GFI installed by my electrician, but I am going to use the probe as well.

WOW .. sounds cool...

nikygm · #20 12/31/2007, 06:59 PM

My temperature was slowly dropping, the one day i put my hand in it felt really cold so i checked my temp probe and it was at 74.6 degrees so i check my heater and it was all cracked and a piece was missing, i was lucky i never got shocked

MikePowell · #21 01/01/2008, 08:05 AM

reefergeorge-

what else could i habe done. my house has two wires only, with out updating the wires in my house i found this the most effective way to "fix" the problem. i did try the GFCI outlet but it did not prevent the stray voltage in my tank. it was not a shock from a short circuit just some stray voltage. my problem was that the tank or any of the pumps or lights were not grounded through the recepticle.

m2434 · #22 01/01/2008, 11:05 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by MikePowell
reefergeorge-

what else could i habe done. my house has two wires only, with out updating the wires in my house i found this the most effective way to "fix" the problem. i did try the GFCI outlet but it did not prevent the stray voltage in my tank. it was not a shock from a short circuit just some stray voltage. my problem was that the tank or any of the pumps or lights were not grounded through the recepticle.

What do you mean by stray voltage. If you test saltwater it will always show a voltage, this is because of the ionic nature of saltwater - there is always a voltage potential and when you test it, you are creating a ground and causing current to flow. So you get a reading, however this is sort of a "false" reading because it actually is caused by you and goes away once you stop testing, or remove the ground probe. Readings of up to 10 volts are fairly common due to the ion flow in the salt water alone and not usually a concern.

The concern is a piece of equipment malfunctioning and electrocuting you when you put your hand in the tank! If you test the water and get a reading of 120V you are in trouble, and your fish are probably dead...