So,I got lightly shocked this weekend

[stingythingy45]

Saturday I did a pretty large water change down in the basement sump.
Well,I have a power strip that's plugged into a GFCI that takes care of the heater and skimmer motor.After the change was done I went to plug everything back in and the GFCI tripped.Tried it again and things seemed to be ok but the darn skimmer motor was frozen.So I pull the Sendra out and get that working then pop off goes the GFCI again.So I look at the power strip and there's this brownish stuff near the receptacle.I rub my finger over it and.............ouch.
It looked like water had splashed into it and shorted.I picked up another one and this time mounted it vertical against the stand.
I would suggest that if you're using a power strip to mount it on a wall.Water finds it's way down cords...ect.If it's mounted on a wall with a loop there a place for the water to drip off........lesson learned.

 

[swreef103]

haha i got totally knocked on my keester 1nce from a heater that exploded.had no clue it was exposing the coils and it left me stupified and bleeding.went in 1 finger and out the other.good thing i knew enough to regain my composure cuz i'll tell ya it took all my i energy to get my arm out of the water.luckily i didn't fry my heart...

 

[Doherty]

I had the same issue about 1yr ago...... skimmer outflow got obstructed somehow, collection cup overflowed water was pouring out of the top of my HOB skimmer followed its way down the cord and into the power strip. Good thing we were home, i didn't hear the water coming out....... there was this funny smell of plastic burning, and there it was. Like you said i now have the power strip mounted on the wall making sure there cords are looping so there is no strait path to the electrical supply, so now if the same thing happens the water will drip to the floor.

 

[stingythingy45]

haha i got totally knocked on my keester 1nce from a heater that exploded.had no clue it was exposing the coils and it left me stupified and bleeding.went in 1 finger and out the other.good thing i knew enough to regain my composure cuz i'll tell ya it took all my i energy to get my arm out of the water.luckily i didn't fry my heart...

Holy crap!
I've had my arm straightened out a few times from shocks,but not in water.
Mostly not paying attention while working on machinery at work.
I had a mouse chew through a heater cord for my QT tank a few years ago and the power strip melted.Talk about toxic melted plastic smoke.Found the mouse fried about 3 ft. from the cord.

 

[stingythingy45]

I had the same issue about 1yr ago...... skimmer outflow got obstructed somehow, collection cup overflowed water was pouring out of the top of my HOB skimmer followed its way down the cord and into the power strip. Good thing we were home, i didn't hear the water coming out....... there was this funny smell of plastic burning, and there it was. Like you said i now have the power strip mounted on the wall making sure there cords are looping so there is no strait path to the electrical supply, so now if the same thing happens the water will drip to the floor.

Yup,the first thing I did was grad the cordless and mount the new one on the wall.That was the second one that shorted that I didn't have mounted.
I didn't need 3 to strike out.

 

[JayM]

drip loops are always a good idea in reefkeeping....

I have an outlet mounted in my ceiling in my fish room; that would be the sole exception

 

[ReeferMedic]

I got a zap from a 1,000 watt fireplug style heater a few months back. I was adjusting the temp dial on the top of the unit and felt my arm tighten and straighten out. Once wasn't enough, so I had to try it again just to make sure it was what I thought it was. (I can be thick that way.)Sure enough, I got another just a bit worse than the first one. Needless to say, that heater went in the trash.

Glad you're ok.

 

[stingythingy45]

I got a zap from a 1,000 watt fireplug style heater a few months back. I was adjusting the temp dial on the top of the unit and felt my arm tighten and straighten out. Once wasn't enough, so I had to try it again just to make sure it was what I thought it was. (I can be thick that way.)Sure enough, I got another just a bit worse than the first one. Needless to say, that heater went in the trash.

Glad you're ok.

That's funny,Don.
Cause that's exactly what I did,ran my finger over it again to make sure.