Zapped!

[ckac13]

Hi guys! Been trolling through here for a long lOng time, but finally set up my tank. I bought a tank that was up and running when I picked it all up. Everything went great and it's been running since Saturday. The one issue I'm having is electrical. Now I'm pretty handy, and done a good amount of electrical work in my day. Each time I touch the water, or the metal tank I get zapped pretty good. One by one I unplugged everything and stuck my hand in the water. Still zapped each time. I'll spend a little more time tonight testing, but as I sit here at the bar figured I'd see if anyone has had this happen to them. There are 2 heaters, skimmer pump, return pump, lights, and another powerhead.

I might just leave it to mess with my friends!

 

[Turbosnail]

You should keep unplugging things until there is nothing to unplug. Also remember if you are getting zapped so is you livestock.

 

[downreef]

so you unplugged everything and still got zapped? do you have a voltmeter?

 

[Cherokee_Dude]

If everything is unplugged and you're getting zapped, you have a bigger problem than your tank.

Was everything unplugged? Powerstrips, back-up heaters, that little pump you never see for ATO? etc... It must be something, there must be an electrical source providing the current or you've solved our energy crisis by turning reefs into a power source! Which would be awesome and you should patent your setup ASAP!

 

[Dashiki]

Are you keeping electric eels?

Is the tank in a room with carpet?

 

[ckac13]

No eels! No carpet! Ok, interesting... When I unplug it all, I get zapped 4 times and then it stops. So I'll have to try each item 3-4 times and see what happens. Never thought it would seemingly hold a charge like that.

 

[Skeeter7424]

It cant hold a charge, that doesn't work. Something is still plugged in, it has to be. Every electrical leak I have had has been with a pump of some sort. Once it was a powerhead, once it was my return.

 

[mnavick]

Is the tank or stand pinching a wire where you set it up (behind/underneath/sides/under carpet?)
Is the tank or stand touching a copper pipe or something else metal in the room?
Liked mentioned you could have a larger issue going on in the entire house. May not be tank related and receiving currrent from elsewhere.

 

[Turbosnail]

While you are doing this are your lights still on or have you unplugged them also?

 

[Ford625]

Unplug it all one by one until there is nothing else plugged in. You're likely to find your problem soon. Do you have a wrought iron stand? Wood?

 

[ckac13]

Wood stand, no wire at all touching anything at all. All disconnected... Still get shocked reaching in the main tank. Reach in 1, 2, 3 times... All shocked. 4th time, nothing.

 

[mnavick]

Any cuts on your fingers?
Sounds silly but I have noticed with any open wounds when I put my hand in it feels like an electrical shock.

If no, just to recap you have absolutely nothing plugged into anything (not just turned off but unplugged)?

 

[s_kelley]

Sounds like a perfect excuse to buy all new equipment!

 

[mnavick]

Sounds like a perfect excuse to buy all new equipment!

^ +1

 

[seapig100]

sounds like a problem in the house somewhere I would go to the home depot and pick one of these up and start with this. Go around to all you plugs and test them sounds like one is not right and this will tell you.



http://www.homedepot.com/Electrical...splay?catalogId=10053&langId=-1&storeId=10051

 

[ckac13]

I actually have one. I just stopped at lowes and picked up a breaker. Just going to run a new breaker to the tanks tonight. Also, I probably have 40 small cuts on my hands, and have felt what you're talking about. That's a much sharper pain though, but you're right.