Pump had a crack and electrocuted me :-((

[RominK]

So, I was doing a water change yesterday and when I plugged everything back on, my chiller pump wasn't working. Felt a little tingling feeling in my fingers as I took it out of the sump area of my 29 G biocube. When I took it out to take a closer look at, I saw a crack in the case housing, under the cover plate. Good news is, from what I've seen, my two Acan colonies are very closed for the past few days, and that's the only livestock affected so far (as far as I can see).
I need to know from you experts out there, how do you monitor if there is any current in the tank?
Appreciate your feed-back !
Happy Monday to you all.
Romin

[Aquattro]

I need to know from you experts out there, how do you monitor if there is any current in the tank?


Same way you did. Put your hand in the tank :)

[Borderjumper]

Same way you did. Put your hand in the tank :)

Yup.. That's what men are for!

[RominK]

Okay, I found a solution online; Titanium Ground Probe
When I went to Marine Depot's site (since J & L on my iPhone is not very user friendly after they changed it), I started reading the reviews and noticed this one.

"Stray voltage is real by DOREN SMITH

Posted: 07/21/2013 from BLUE RIDGE, VA UNITED STATES

Experience Level: Intermediate

Comments: As an electrician, I was intrigued by the idea of stray voltage in my tank. All my gear is brand new and the outlet was changed to a GFCI receptacle for safety. I was VERY surprised to get a reading of over 12VAC from my water to the receptacle's ground position. So, I cut a piece of simple wire and ran it from the water to the receptacle's grd outlet and the meter then showed ZERO volts! When I pulled the wire out, the meter instantly showed 12VAC again. That sold me right there. So I have just ordered the probe because it's titanium is more suitable for long term exposure to water than an exposed copper wire of course. Good product and great price! Happy fishkeeping to all

[SeaHorse_Fanatic]

For a real "good" time, wait till a heater cracks and you stick your hand in the tank. Yowza!!!:redface::surprise::wink::twised:

[Aquattro]

For a real "good" time, wait till a heater cracks and you stick your hand in the tank. Yowza!!!:redface::surprise::wink::twised:

That one was fun :) Another good one ws grabbing a powerhead in my sump, right on the exposed wire. Surprised I didn't remove the whole sump with that jump! lol

[RominK]

I think one of the probes I'll be hooking up to my future Apex will be a voltmeter probe. Any suggestions? Or has someone already thought of that one too ???!!!

[spit.fire]

That one was fun :) Another good one ws grabbing a powerhead in my sump, right on the exposed wire. Surprised I didn't remove the whole sump with that jump! lol

try dropping a t5 fixture in the tank and panicking to grab it....

[mike31154]

Is all the sparky gear running your tank GFCI protected? If so great, if not, a grounding probe on it's own is not a good solution. I don't have a grounding probe myself, but darn tootin' anything with a wire going into or near my tank is GFCI protected.

[byee]

I've got all my equipment plugged into a GFI outlet as well as a titanium grounding probe.

Can't be too careful around salt water!

[RominK]

Another problem solved, now I wonder what's next ???!!!

[Aquattro]

try dropping a t5 fixture in the tank and panicking to grab it....

Best I did with lighting is light my canopy on fire.

[kien]

Reading this thread, how are you guys still alive??? Yikes!

[Aquattro]

Reading this thread, how are you guys still alive??? Yikes!

It's just electricity! I probably get shocked 9 out of every 10 times I play with it. Changed all the outlets in the house, got zapped twice and blew the side of my cutters. Got zapped by 220 in a commercial water heater, that one stung!!

I get zapped once a month doing something dumb lol

[kien]

I guess you're right. It's probably fairly common yet we never hear about people dying from accidental electrocutions. Just the odd house fire. You're probably more likely to die from your house fire.