Large Aquarium Ground Probe

[mgrabow]

As an owner of a large aquarium i spend alot of time on aquarium forums like reefcentral, and they are swamped with bad advice on stray voltage and ground probes. I am guessing "bonding probe" may be a beyter word. Here is a link where the youtuber tells you that 21 volts in the tank eater is nor bad.

https://youtu.be/vnof_qYhCDs

Ill just throw that up there for comment. But i am guessing the NEC woukd treat large houshold aquariuns like an indoor pool or hot tub?

 

[tom baker]

Unless you swim or bathe in the tank, no. But a GFCI is always a good idea.

 

[tom baker]

If your aquarium sites say a ground rod provides a path to ground to trip the breaker, leave and don't go back.

 

[Hv&Lv]

Have you checked each piece that’s in the water to see where it’s coming from? I could be from a cheap or bad pump.

 

[kwired]

If your aquarium sites say a ground rod provides a path to ground to trip the breaker, leave and don't go back.

I maybe wouldn't leave, just consider the fact they are not electrical experts and don't take any electrical related advice from such a site. Want to know how to keep healthy environment for your aquatic life, might be well worth some of what you read.

 

[kwired]

As an owner of a large aquarium i spend alot of time on aquarium forums like reefcentral, and they are swamped with bad advice on stray voltage and ground probes. I am guessing "bonding probe" may be a beyter word. Here is a link where the youtuber tells you that 21 volts in the tank eater is nor bad.

Ill just throw that up there for comment. But i am guessing the NEC woukd treat large houshold aquariuns like an indoor pool or hot tub?

Problem is you can have a small voltage to earth on your incoming grounded conductor of your service, the fact that all grounding conductors on your premises are tied to this point means that small voltage is on every item bonded to the EGC. This is a problem with pools, and reason why they require a bonding network around pools. Won't hurt to install such bonding in your aquarium, but is not an application that NEC requires it for.

Similar problems occur at natural and man made bodies of water if there is electrical power ran to something like a boat dock, except it is impractical to create a equipotential bonding network for a large lake or other body of water.

A simple rod or probe will create "equipotential" around it, but only for a very small distance, usually talking about a few inches or a foot before voltage starts to become significant for a system under 600 volts.

 

[Little Bill]

@mgrabow
What is your occupation?