Electrical Shocks By Stray Voltage!

[Jun Hong]

I got electrical shocks when I put my hand into my newly setup refugium tank water this morning. When I used a digital multimeter to measure the voltage difference between the water and the earth, guess what is the reading? AC200 V

In order to find out which equipment is leaking the current. I turn on them one follow by onother and the accumulated reading is shown as follow:

All equipment OFF: ~5V Maybe due to electron takes time to discharge.

Normal ballast driven light: ~20V

Power head: ~50V

AC Fan: ~200V

I finally found that the high stray voltage is caused by the unearthed AC fan. So I connected the metallic part of the fan to ground pin, the stray voltage drop to around 8V. So I urge your guys who are using unearthed AC fan to cool your tank, please ground the fan ASAP.

I am now looking for Titanium probe to get rid of the remaining stray voltage. After searching the forum, Hongqixian state that the bike shop near to NA no longer stock titanium spokes because they break easily. I have also asked some bike shops, but the onwer don't even know what is the spoke made of. Someone also said that coralife probe sold by SL is stainless steel.

So anyone know where to get titanium probe?

[maze]

I am using coralife probe. Do not dip the probe fully just 10mm will be sufficient. Clean the probe on a regular basis.

[ervine]

You'll be better off finding the reason for the leak and removing it rather than getting a probe to solve your problems.. probe should be like just in case there is a leak, not to solve the leak...

[Froggy]

If you are looking for Ti spokes, you can try bicycle shops. DT used to produce them..

[cheecopeh]

how to ground the fan, pls help

[Achilles Tang]

Here's a link to a pictorial posting of a DIY grounding probe using a titanium bicycle spoke.

I forgot who the original poster is....

But anyway, the pix are here!

[Dazza]

http://avdil.gtri.gatech.edu/RCM/RCM/Aquar...dingProbes.html

Some counterviews on probes thats all.

Think best to go to root of problem & fix the leakage.

[planetg]

i'm confused. add or not add a ground probe?

sometimes you never know when there'll be leaking current right?

[Jun Hong]

how to ground the fan, pls help 

Hi, cheecopeh

Simply use a screw to attach one end of the wire to the hole on the fan and another end of the wire attached to ground pin of a 3 pin plug.

[killfire]

Simply use a screw to attach one end of the wire to the hole on the fan and another end of the wire attached to ground pin of a 3 pin plug.

Thats provided the casing for the fan is metallic and not plastic..

By right if the casing is plastic, you won't need to earth it since the motor is insulated by the plastic casing.. or can it be leaking because its welt with saltwater caused by splashes?? If that is the case better to re-mount the fan where splashes can't reach it....

Any advise from electrical gurus??