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Poll: Do you have a grounding probe?

A

Anonymous

Guest
Ok I'm curious. How many of us use or do not use the grounding probe?

I don't have one.

-Nathan
 
A

Anonymous

Guest
No, but I think I should. I do however have a GFCI for my own and my family's protection. Ninety-five precent of electrocutions are ground-faults; it is a worthwhile investment and is required by US building codes now wherever water may be present. You can protect the whole circuit with one of these on the first outlet. You can also buy the plug-in type. I have one of these on my fishtank at work since the univeristy people will have 8 hemorages if I touch any of their wiring. The latter are actually more expensive.

The ground probe is a separate issue. I don't see how it could possibly hurt. Also, if significant current is leaking, this, in conjunction with a GFCI, will also help by tripping the circuit, thus alerting you to a problem needing correction.

I see no reason not to have one. At the very worst it is a waste of $10. Most things in this hobby waste a lot more.
 
A

Anonymous

Guest
I use one in my sump, and one in my main tank. The reasoning is that in an emergency situatiuon, there may be no water connecting the sump and tank, and it is a long path anyway (20 ft?), which might make the ground less useful if its that far away.

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Randy Holmes-Farley
 
A

Anonymous

Guest
Yes x 2 tanks. Cheap solution for stray voltage in tank.


elvis
 
A

Anonymous

Guest
I have grounding probes at home and work.

I have a GFIC at home, but not at work. I'm now thinking about getting one of the extension cord ones, but I'll start a new thread.

ReefLion

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Where'd my money go?
 
A

Anonymous

Guest
14 systems 14 ground probes.

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Bruce Davidson
Louisville, KY
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[This message has been edited by reefseller (edited 27 January 2000).]
 
A

Anonymous

Guest
Did you buy a probe or make your own? How did you hook it up? Anyone make one from a titanium bike spoke? How do you attach the wire and what kind of wire did you use?
 
A

Anonymous

Guest
had one years ago when someone wrote about it and it made sense. however where i attached it to the copper pipe in the basement turned green at the connection and i disconnected it. i think there is a natural charge in the ocean due to water movement so i doubt it is needed for the animals sake. we reefers tend to buy anything that comes out. bioballs, bale, ozonizers, sterilizers you name it.

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if i knew, why am i reading the boards?
 
A

Anonymous

Guest
have probe
Titanium welding rod about 3 inches in length soldiered to a peice of copper wire with silicone on it and the end just hits the water in the back of the display tank.
Have it ran to a line that is a proper ground that goes to the basement and is in the ground and not attached to water pipe. It's not a good idea to ground your electrical to your plumbing. The lead in the copper pipe joints can leach out of it do to the charge. Well that was what was brought out in the BOCA section of my home appraisal classes.
 
A

Anonymous

Guest
Yes on two tanks. I got the ones with three prong plugs on them so all you have to do is plug them in. Make sure that you have everything that your system running on a GFI circuit. We have a small flood once and I believe that the GFI saved my life.
 
A

Anonymous

Guest
I use a grounding probe. I also installed a gfi outlet where my system plugs in.


Ken
 
A

Anonymous

Guest
Yes. I wouldn't try to make my own. Mainly because they are so cheap it wouldn't be worth the effort.
 
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