️ Electricity Issue ! GFCI tripping when turning off geae ️

[SomeHappyFish]

Tittle typo


When I turn off my skimmer or my reactor for maintenence, it will trip the GFCI. This doesn't always happen... Like once every 10 times.

GFCI adapter
ProX Power Strip (X-PC10USB) 15 amp fuse.
Skimmer bubble magus curve 3.0

Voltage in tank is about 30-40v and from what I remember 0v when everything is off.


I have no idea why...

 

[Sisterlimonpot]

Voltage in tank is about 30-40v and from what I remember 0v when everything is off.

Have you pinpointed what's leaking that voltage into the tank?

 

[SomeHappyFish]

Have you pinpointed what's leaking that voltage into the tank?

I thought that 30-40v is normal because of the electrical equipment that is producing a magnetic field that induces a DC current. If you had a faulty equipment my GFCI would always be tripped and it would have been more than 40v if I understood everything correctly

 

[SomeHappyFish]

 

[Dburr1014]

Unplug things one at a time and check voltage after each item you unplug. When it goes down significantly, you have your culprit.

 

[SomeHappyFish]

Unplug things one at a time and check voltage after each item you unplug. When it goes down significantly, you have your culprit.

Okay so I got all wrong and 30-40V is not induced voltage???

 

[Dburr1014]

Okay so I got all wrong and 30-40V is not induced voltage???

You may see a few volts, but no, not 30!

 

[nereefpat]

You may see a few volts, but no, not 30!

I agree

 

[Sisterlimonpot]

I thought that 30-40v is normal because of the electrical equipment that is producing a magnetic field that induces a DC current. If you had a faulty equipment my GFCI would always be tripped and it would have been more than 40v if I understood everything correctly

I would imagine that any voltage induced in the water would result is some form of electrolysis. I doubt it would result in voltage. I think what you're experiencing is leakage.

 

[SomeHappyFish]

You may see a few volts, but no, not 30!

I agree

Hmmm I might of missed something while testing it.

Il'l go test again.

 

[Sisterlimonpot]

Hmmm I might of missed something while testing it.

Il'l go test again.

From experience, It's either an AC submerged pump or a heater but just about anything with sealed coils or electrical elements could be the culprit.

 

[SomeHappyFish]

From experience, It's either an AC submerged pump or a heater but just about anything with sealed coils or electrical elements could be the culprit.

Ok but what if everything is adding voltage?

Test #1
Base setup only with gyre plugged I get 6v.
Adding the skimmer made it 15v.

Test #2
Base setup gyre 6v.
Adding only the ATO made it 22V.

Test #3
Base Gyre 6v.
Adding ATO + Skimmer made it 25V.

 

[SomeHappyFish]

Am I confused asf.

 

[dwest]

I would replace the GFCI outlet and add a titanium aquarium ground.

I had a GFCI shut off now and then. It hasn’t shut off for a few years since I replaced it. They have a finite life.

I check my voltage quarterly and it has helped me find a bad pump once.

Your voltage numbers are higher than I would expect but it seems like you did good troubleshooting so I’m guessing no equipment problems.

Edit, did you test your heater?

 

[nereefpat]

Is the tank grounded? If not, I would ground the water in the tank and see if the GFCI trips. If it trips, then unplug each device until you find the culprit.

You can also test the GFCI. Most (all?) have a test button. You can also test them by putting a wire between the neutral and the ground, as that will make the GFCI trip.

If the tank is grounded, and you confirm the GFCI works, and the GFCI doesn't trip, then all is well.

 

[SomeHappyFish]

I would replace the GFCI outlet and add a titanium aquarium ground.

I had a GFCI shut off now and then. It hasn’t shut off for a few years since I replaced it. They have a finite life.

I check my voltage quarterly and it has helped me find a bad pump once.

Your voltage numbers are higher than I would expect but it seems like you did good troubleshooting so I’m guessing no equipment problems.

Edit, did you test your heater?

Its a GFCI adapter, I'm not allowed to make changes to my apt.

I also tested the heater but I got 5v. They are both on a inkbird with a ground.

 

[SomeHappyFish]

Is the tank grounded? If not, I would ground the water in the tank and see if the GFCI trips. If it trips, then unplug each device until you find the culprit.

You can also test the GFCI. Most (all?) have a test button. You can also test them by putting a wire between the neutral and the ground, as that will make the GFCI trip.

If the tank is grounded, and you confirm the GFCI works, and the GFCI doesn't trip, then all is well.

The GFCI trip test works. So can I add the ground prope to the power strip that is connected to my gfci adapter ?

 

[nereefpat]

The GFCI trip test works.

How do you know? Does it have a test button, or have you tried to make it trip?

So can I add the ground prope to the power strip that is connected to my gfci adapter ?

You can plug a ground probe into any outlet. It doesn't even have to be on the same electrical circuit.

 

[SomeHappyFish]

How do you know? Does it have a test button, or have you tried to make it trip?

You can plug a ground probe into any outlet. It doesn't even have to be on the same electrical circuit.

It does have a test button and it also does trip sometimes when turning off the skimmer.

 

[nereefpat]

It does have a test button and it also does trip sometimes when turning off the skimmer.

To me, turning something off shouldn't trip a GFCI. So, that would indicate something wrong with the power strip, GFCI, or the device that's plugged in.