Stray voltage, and acceptable levels

Bruce Burnett · Feb 28, 2017

Brew12 said:
Using a grounding probe in conjunction with GFCI will never mask a problem, it will only solve them.

There is a huge amount of bad information regarding ground probes in aquarium. It seems like the bad information resolves around 3 main points. First, people don't understand that fish are less conductive than the sea water they live in and don't understand the impact of this. Second, people assume that it takes the same amount of current to drop an induces voltage as it does a traditionally supplied voltage. This is completely false. It takes fractions of an amp to eliminate an induced voltage from an aquarium. Third, people assume that only current impacts fish. This is true of people but people don't have voltage sensors in our heads and lateral lines.

I really need to write an in depth and technical article about this.

I know after I replaced the power supply for my Jebao wave pumps my stray voltage, induced is is now only millivolts. The grounding probe will work in conjunction with a gfi if you have a 110 leak may not do anything with induced voltage from pumps and lights on a controller as they are isolated from the 110 circuit. I have measured the ground from an outlet to a grounding rod and the ground is slightly above zero.

Brew12 · Feb 28, 2017

Bruce Burnett said:
I know after I replaced the power supply for my Jebao wave pumps my stray voltage, induced is is now only millivolts. The grounding probe will work in conjunction with a gfi if you have a 110 leak may not do anything with induced voltage from pumps and lights on a controller as they are isolated from the 110 circuit. I have measured the ground from an outlet to a grounding rod and the ground is slightly above zero.

A ground probe will reduce all voltages from all sources in your aquarium. By definition, an induced voltage is isolated from the 110V circuit. To the ground probe it doesn't matter. As long as it provides a low resistance source to ground it will reduce all potential in the aquarium to ground potential.

If it is a true voltage leak, a ground probe will cause it to trip a GFCI more quickly. If it is an induced voltage, it will not cause a GFCI to trip.