| Author |
 Topic Search  Topic Options
|
Hogie 
Guest
Joined: May 09 2012
Location: Farmington
Status: Offline
Points: 2331
|
 Post Options
 Thanks(0)
 Quote  Reply
 Topic: Stray voltage
Posted: March 17 2016 at 11:20pm |
|
I checked for stray voltage on the tank (duncans are closed) as part of my tank troubleshooting and found my stay voltage to be 50V. Of course the ideal stray voltage would be 0, but knowing that most things give off some stay voltage, what is an acceptable level of stay voltage and when does it start negatively affecting livestock?
|
 |
Krazie4Acans
Admin Group
Joined: December 17 2012
Location: Syracuse
Status: Offline
Points: 24177
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: March 18 2016 at 6:16am |
|
My experience tells me anything above 20v and you are asking for trouble. At 50v you could even start feeling it when your hands is in the water. Turn everything off and then turn things on one at a time until you see the voltage jump. That will be your leaky device that should be replaced. A grounding probe would help as well.
|
My ocean. 90g (yup, won it!), 40g, 28g, & 10g Systems PADI Advanced Open Water Tank Thread:
|
|
Fatman
Guest
Joined: December 23 2011
Location: South Weber, UT
Status: Offline
Points: 1694
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: March 18 2016 at 7:12am |
|
Big tank or the smaller one? I've found that the worst offenders are the AC powerheads followed by the heaters.
|
|
PharmaSki
Guest
Joined: August 05 2014
Location: Farmington
Status: Offline
Points: 214
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: March 18 2016 at 8:16am |
|
I saw you post earlier as was going to comment that Krazie is probably the only one crazy enough to know the specifics of what you are asking...
|
|
Yes, I'm a Pharmacist.
No, the blue lights at my house are not growing "pharmaceuticals"...
|
|
Hogie
Guest
Joined: May 09 2012
Location: Farmington
Status: Offline
Points: 2331
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: March 18 2016 at 11:36am |
|
It's coming from my light. How is it getting into the water? And yes, I have 1 fingernail cut too short and I can feel it on that sensitive skin there.
|
|
Fatman
Guest
Joined: December 23 2011
Location: South Weber, UT
Status: Offline
Points: 1694
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: March 18 2016 at 3:11pm |
|
It's flowing back to one of the other devices in contact with the water, probably through the power strip. Krazie, correct me if I'm wrong here.
|
|
Hogie
Guest
Joined: May 09 2012
Location: Farmington
Status: Offline
Points: 2331
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: March 18 2016 at 4:04pm |
|
Oh, and it's on the 45 gallon.
|
|
Mark Peterson
Paid Member
Joined: June 19 2002
Location: Murray
Status: Offline
Points: 21436
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: March 19 2016 at 8:46am |
What kind of light is it? Is the light fixture properly grounded? Fluorescent lights create an induced voltage which is not harmful. It's kind of like static electricity from walking on carpet, noticeable but not usually harmful. Touching the reflector and the water at the same time makes an electrical circuit. Unfortunately, reflectors are not always well grounded. There is always a difference in voltage, called "ground voltage", in my experience usually anywhere from 15-40 volts, but it has zero current(amps) so it's essentially harmless. A concern may be that the wall outlet or even the entire house is not properly grounded. This can be checked with a simple inexpensive hand held device that plugs in to the wall outlet/power strip. It's also good to make sure that the house electrical ground connection is good. It's usually a copper wire leading from near the outside electric meter to a probe in the ground or connected to a copper water pipe going into the ground. Check the screws, if present, securing the wire to make sure they are tight. That's about all I know about it. Aloha, Mark 
Edited by Mark Peterson - March 19 2016 at 8:48am
|
Reefkeeping Tips, & quick, easy setup tricks:www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=9244 Pay it forward - become a paid WMAS member 
|
|
Krazie4Acans
Admin Group
Joined: December 17 2012
Location: Syracuse
Status: Offline
Points: 24177
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: March 19 2016 at 9:07am |
|
The fixture is creating what's called a ground isolation voltage differential. This is due to something in the light fixture not being grounded properly too the housing or the ground lug on the plug being corroded and not being able to ground the fixture properly.
It is getting to your tank by back feeding through one of the other devices connected to the same cord or power strip. If a power strip is used had it had water spilled on it before? This can corrode the internal ground in the power strip causing this type of feed back loop.
A good surge suppressing power strip should actually be tripping it's internal breaker at between 48-62 volts of differential.
A ground probe to a good ground source will also solve this and it's not harmful to the power system.
|
My ocean. 90g (yup, won it!), 40g, 28g, & 10g Systems PADI Advanced Open Water Tank Thread:
|
|
