Ouch, shocked !!

wetcoast · #1 03-30-2008, 03:18 PM

A Multimeter that can be picked up at Princess auto for $9 will work wonders to see if you are drawing power. A grounding probe in this case may or may not help.

I know it doesnt help after the fact, but thick rubber gloves may help you while troubleshooting.

Doug · #2 03-30-2008, 03:41 PM

Thanks. I do have a ground probe but its not in the sump yet. I,m off to purchase a meter. Do I measure from the same places I get zapped, water to the reflector?

hillbillyreefer · #3 03-30-2008, 03:48 PM

The bad part about Princess Auto is you go in looking for a $9 item and come out with $250 worth of stuff. I love that place. A multi meter should help you find the problem. I would start with the water to the reflector just to see how much voltage you have. Try from the refector to something grounded next. That way you can eliminate the new light as the source of the trouble. Probably be best to hook up your ground probe to do these tests. HTH. Good Luck, be safe.

michika · #4 03-30-2008, 03:49 PM

I'll point your thread out to Krazykuch when he wakes up. You might be able to get around this without buying a multimeter.

Doug · #5 03-30-2008, 03:53 PM

Cool. Thanks everyone.
Half of my equipment is on a GFI/Arc fault and the other half on a GFI circuit. None of them have tripped. I on the way to put my ground probe in.

mark · #6 03-30-2008, 05:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Doug

Cool. Thanks everyone.
Half of my equipment is on a GFI/Arc fault and the other half on a GFI circuit. None of them have tripped. I on the way to put my ground probe in.

Assuming your talking breakers here, are you sure a it's a GFI/Arc fault breaker? Never really looked into be thought these were separate devices and the functions not combined (basically a Arc fault breaker won't trip under the same conditions a GFI will).

Doug · #7 03-30-2008, 10:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mark

Assuming your talking breakers here, are you sure a it's a GFI/Arc fault breaker? Never really looked into be thought these were separate devices and the functions not combined (basically a Arc fault breaker won't trip under the same conditions a GFI will).

Yes. Most new places now require them by code in bathrooms/bedrooms.

KrazyKuch · #8 03-31-2008, 12:24 AM

I'm an electrician and I have never heard of a combo breaker...Bathrooms by code have to have a GFCI while bedrooms have to be on an ARC fault breaker....An ARC fault breaker will not trip when their is voltage leaking to ground it will only trip when their is a all of a sudden increase in current kinda of like the same way a normal breaker trips but ARC faults are much more sensitive cause they use a MCU instead of a Bi-metalic strip!

It's odd to here that with absolutly nothing plugged in that their is 9 volts in your a aquarium, I am leading to believe that the meter is faulty...check it by putting it into a recepticle to make sure that you are indeed reading 120 Volts.

Once you've had 600 Volts surge through your body, 120 volts seems like child's play!!!

Zylumn · #9 03-30-2008, 03:58 PM

You need to start by finding a spot that shows a consistent reading from a meter or ?. You then need to eliminate plugged in objects in your tank one at a time until you find your culprit. Good luck
Kevin

wetcoast · #10 03-30-2008, 04:05 PM

May want to find out how much stray voltage is running around in the tank as well. The grounding probe if you could put it in your display tank just in the event for some reason there is breaks in the water and the sump probe doesn't affect the display. Remember, it'll be AC voltage. Try with the lights on, off, and just for fun, unplug all other components to see if you can track down the one, it may or may not be the lights. Of course try to trip it with your power bars, as well. Sounds like an annoying Sunday!