Unsolvable issue

[bct15]

So I have been experiencing something over the last few days, and I can not figure it out for the life of me. During the day, my display and frag tank have 32 volts in them but my sump only has 12 volts. At night my entire system has 2.1 volts in it. I have unplugged my lights during the day and no voltage change. Second night in the row I was going to work on the problem and it is gone. I unplug each thing and check for voltage drop and the only thing that presented any drop was my skimmer and frag tank feed pump, which was only six volt drop...but at night with the same pump running my voltage in all three tanks is only 2.1 volts total. Even though unplugging single items doesn't make a difference, unplugging everything does drop the voltage to zero. Even more strange, I have basically everything on two strips...one eb8 and one surge protector. If I unplug only the surge protector the voltage in the tank slowly starts to climb to 70/80 volts by when unplug the surge protector back in I drops to 31 volts. If I unplug the eb8 it just stays at 31 volts.

What the heck is going on?

[bct15]

Ok, I think there is something wrong with the eb8 and it is grounding through my equipment and fishtanks. When I unplug my t5s from the eb8 and the t5s are set to manual off, the voltage in the tank jumps up to 22 volts...but when I plug the t5s back in it drops back down to 2 - 5 volts. Pretty sure something strange is going on with the eb8, will take it offline tomorrow and stick some mechanical timers on a regular surge protector to let you all know.

[bct15]

The reason why I said jumped up to 23 volts as I am messing with it at night, when the voltage reads about 2 volts instead of 30+ volts. I find it sonstrange the voltage is jumping up when unplugging something, that is what have been seeing though. Each time I unplug something during the day the voltage would go up a little instead of down except when I unplugged the skimmer feed pump the voltage dropped.

[Redfish]

I agree with you, its got to be the eb8,,,, Well, it dosn't have to be,,, but thats where I am putting my money. Archie and Wes are pretty good with these type of things. Just wondering, what made you notice this problem?

[bct15]

My acros have had a little less PE and when I reached in the tank and get a small zap

[Shadow1]

Your voltage is jumping when something is unplugged because more is available to leach to your tank. I do not use Apex but do you have some type of ground to protect the tank on the Apex?

[smtwinn]

seems to me that an electrical part has been exposed to the water sending voltage through out. voltage that is sent through the ground doesn't stick around. if a part shorts out/ grounds out its going to find the quickest route to ground. path of least resistance to ground. On 120 volt systems you have a hot, neutral, and a ground. the hot carries the voltage to particular item from service. The neutral carries unused voltage (which is rarely any unless there is an issue with the item). Like a closed circuit thats why it's called alternating current. Unlike direct current where all voltage is used and a ground is supplied for shorts/faults. I would check any electrical part that is in contact with the water. you can use an ohm meter to verify parts with or without a short. if you get a tone from ground that would lead me to believe you have an issue with that item. basically the tone is saying you have a hot or neutral contacting something within the part.

[bct15]

I think it is my return pump, or that is part of the problem. It is adding 15 volts to the tank with only it plugged in. Will continue testing and post results. Why would the voltage be greater during day than night with faulty return pump though?

[Mr Keith]

I have had cracked heaters bite me in the past. Just a thought.

[bct15]

Not a heater, one heater adds 8 volts and the other none. All three submersible pumps in my sump are adding about 20 volts...not sure of that is normal or if they are all faulty? My t5s are adding 70 volts by themselves...so they are definitely screwing crap up. I had to ground the reflectors, then that came undone and redid it, maybe my redo was unsuccessful...probably going replace all three submersible pumps with a single pump with a manifold. Researching pumps now, I see a drastic stand overhaul in the best future.

[bct15]

Also my hydor power head to keep the bottom of my frag tank clean is adding 9-11 volts (it fluctuates)...so that is coming out.

[smtwinn]

Look up grounding aquarium rods

[bct15]

Ok, so anybody who is following this here is what I have kind of figured out what is happening. I grounded my t5 reflectors a while back because of a voltage issue. Well the t5s are still adding a massive stray voltage to the tank, along side that three pumps in my sump and a powerhead are all leaking 15-20 volts. However, when the t5s are off but plugged in the leaking voltages from the pumps are grounding through the t5s. Hence why I'm seeing a lower voltage when the lights are off but it jumps up when I unplug them. Some of the start voltage is dissipating through my other equipment, which is why I'm only seeing 30 volts when lights are on and 28 with them unplugged. Hope I made sense...this is where I am at this point. So in going to isolate my t5s better and replace all three pumps in the sump with a single big pump.

[smtwinn]

I don't understand how your lights are putting stray voltage into the tank....Are they Touching the water? seems to me even if the lights were touching the tank via legs which I assume are metal the rim of the tank is plastic correct? electricity doesn't travel through plastic or glass, so I'm not sure how your lights are putting voltage in the tank.

[smtwinn]

I'm thinking your surge protectors or energy bars have an issue with the ground. maybe go into your electrical panel to make sure all the grounds are connected and tight. stray voltage should find its way back to the panel and reused through the neutral so long there isn't a grounding issue.