Help 9v in display tank!! 43 NOW!

Coderad · #1 11-19-2006, 08:43 PM

What should I do I tryed to figue out which pice of equiptment was faulty, but I unpluged each one one at a time and the voltage fluctuated alittle but never droped much. Where is this coming from how do I get rid of it?

Psyire · #2 11-19-2006, 09:12 PM

Better off to unplug everything, and then plug one thing in at a time. (incase it is from more than 1 source)

Dave C · #3 11-19-2006, 09:15 PM

Better yet, unplug everything & then plug in one item at a time into a GFCI or GFCI extension cord. If a device is losing current to the water it should pop the outlet.

Reefhawk1 · #4 11-19-2006, 10:02 PM

Had the same problem with a power head. I used the old unplug one power source at a time method and stuck my hand in the tank till it went away

Coderad · #5 11-19-2006, 10:34 PM

Well I tryed all of the equiptment in the gfci receptical and they all held so I don't know what is going on. But I changed the receptical that the tank is pluged in to in to a gfci.
And so far it is all good but now I have 43V To ground in the tank.
I dunno. I noticed the first time was scraping the glass and got a shock so I got the meter out and the was 9v. But stick my hand in the tank now no shock and 43 volts with the meter.

Delphinus · #6 11-20-2006, 01:59 AM

The GFCI didn't trip because you need a potential on the ground wire. If you added a grounding probe onto that GFCI I bet it would trip instantly.

It's coming from somewhere... something is adding that. I second the "unplug everything and add things one by one." It could even be your lights, I've had my GFCI trip based on excessive moisture in the hood and the lights would turn on and .. poof .. flatlined tank. I have a fan on 24/7 in the hood now just to keep any moisture from settling on the surfaces.

43V is WAY too much voltage IMO.

Coderad · #7 11-20-2006, 03:19 AM

Well I just tryed everything individually.
light 3v
Heater 35v
Skimmer 21v
Returen pump 26v
Powerhead 1v

Everything 43v

I just check my new 15gal it just finished it cycle a couple weeks ago all of the equiptment is brand new and it has 46v to ground.
I don't know I guess I will have to stop and get ground probe.
Although I don't think a ground prob will do much for me I tryed a pice of copper wire from the tank to the ground and that gfci still won't trip.

mr_alberta · #8 11-20-2006, 04:41 AM

You don't still have that copper wire in your tank do you?

Also, how are you getting a 3v voltage leak from your lights to your tank? That confuses me...

Coderad · #9 11-20-2006, 04:55 AM

No I did not leave the copper in there just tested it for a few seconds.
As for the light it is probable just leakage through the condensation, would be my best guess.