Electrical question

[KathyC]

I have been slowly going through all of the fish tank stuff that I have collected over the years and tonight I dug out all of my old heaters & pumps...it's an impressive collection..lol

BUT, I also know that there may be a few in there that might have electrical issues...:eek1:

What I want to know is how do I test them without getting zapped?
I do have access to things like volt meters (would I need one of those?) but I don't know how to use one..or do i need something else?

All I know is I want to keep my hands out of the water until I know for sure they are operating safely.

TIA

 

[mbg75]

If your not sure, I would toss them. But if u must test, then


Get a bucket of water. Put in a grounding probe, ground it. then add the heater. Plug it in, if it trips the breaker, then no good.
Or without a ground probe.
Put the heater in the water, plug it in. Drop one probe of the volt meter in the water (don't hold it). Take the other probe and test to a known ground.
You'll need a powered digital voltmeter.

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[KathyC]

There must be 10 heaters and a dozen power heads...no, not tossing them..they were retired, not taken out because they were broken!

Take the other probe and test to a known ground

What would be an example of a known ground?

 

[duke62]

or get a light bulb and put it in your mouth then put your hand in the bucket if it lights you have stray voltage LOL..or just do what mbg says that will work

 

[duke62]

known ground your boiler there always grounded

 

[Imbarrie]

The middle prong of a three prong plug is a known ground.

 

[mbg75]

Round hole on an outlet, center screw on a normal outlet (not decora outlet).

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[duke62]

round hole isnt always grounded.sometimes people just put that outlet in and its not grounded.only way to check that is to take the plate off and see if its wired

 

[raidernation]

plug in your bathroom or kitchen outlet drop in bucket if it trips its bad, these outlets are gfi no big deal just do it. oh yea of course prior to u will do tha obvious and inspect for damaged wire.

 

[mbg75]

plug in your bathroom or kitchen outlet drop in bucket if it trips its bad, these outlets are gfi no big deal just do it. oh yea of course prior to u will do tha obvious and inspect for damaged wire.

Gfi will only work if the water is grounded....meaning you have to install a grounding probe in the bucket.

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[cupcake]

Youre water main is always grounded!

 

[Imbarrie]

There is a cheap plug like device that you can buy at home depot that will tell you if you are grounded.

 

[KathyC]

Thanks for all of the replies

I've had a lot of new wire/lines run in my home, so I will use one of the new ones that were installed for the A/C's.

I have a grounding probe...so I plug that into a grounded outlet, and put the probe in the bucket - then put the heater into the water bucket and plug into a GFI outlet and turn it on. If it pops- the heater is garbage -- is this correct?

 

[Tonyscoots84]

Thanks for all of the replies

I've had a lot of new wire/lines run in my home, so I will use one of the new ones that were installed for the A/C's.

I have a grounding probe...so I plug that into a grounded outlet, and put the probe in the bucket - then put the heater into the water bucket and plug into a GFI outlet and turn it on. If it pops- the heater is garbage -- is this correct?

kathy i dont know if that would work with minor stray voltage.... best bet use the volt meter. so you know for sure... ive never tried that but i do remember getting hit with stray voltage (i felt it once both hands were in the tank) and everything in my tank was plugged into a gfi outlet and i had a ground probe and it never tripped.

 

[ming]

If it does pop, yes, the heater is definitely garbage. If it doesn't pop, it might be good, or you might have some stray voltage.

 

[KathyC]

So say the heaters check out with the first test...if there is stray voltage will it only give my fingers a mild tingle? I really don't want to get zapped hard... a tingle I can deal with.

...and I do have one of those things to check to see if an outlet is grounded.

 

[Tonyscoots84]

Kathy are you a newb? :lol2:.... you no better, dont take a chance get a volt meter :banghead: god forbid i do not want you to get hurt :hug:

 

[Imbarrie]

Yea a voltmeter will check any level. The analog ones are not too expensive.

 

[jab161]

Set the volt meter to AC voltage (~) stick one probe in the right hole on the receptacle, if it is wired correctly this is hot wire. Stick the other one in the round hole which would be your ground, if the meter reads around 120v the receptacle is grounded. You can then use the round hole as your ground.
As said before put the pump or heater in a bucket of water plug it in and drop one probe from the tester into the bucket. Stick the other in the round hole on the receptacle.