Weird issue w/ stray voltage... electrical whizzes I need ya!

[cr500_af]

John, I know that's why you'll always read some trace of current in SW, but 60 Volts??? And I definitely felt a very real "tickle" when I touched a ground with my hand in the tank.

 

[ichthyoid]

It was reading AC. Electrolysis from metal ions would only generate a DC potential.

 

[johnr2604]

ichthyoid;451865 wrote: It was reading AC. Electrolysis from metal ions would only generate a DC potential.

You are correct, just throwing it out there so I could confuse Barry more

 

[ichthyoid]

The thing about capacitors is that they get charged up til you discharge them, when lifted or isolated from anything conductive. That's why they are sometimes referred to as 'charge buckets'. What has me flustered on this one is Barry was measuring VAC. I know the circuit in the meter, and it will only respond to a varying field or potential (AC).

It would have been possible to read a DC voltage until he grounded the tank, and then it not come back. Not AC!

 

[jmaneyapanda]

60 volts is BAD. Does anything your using ahve a capacitor? Ie- a wavemaker or other "timer"? These will "store" the charge and discharge, after the fact (think windshield wipers on delay).

Othewise, you HAVE to have something energized. Whether it be a powerstrip that has a salt creep connection, or something, but a tank will have NOWHERE near 60 volts with everything unplugged.

 

[cr500_af]

Jeremy, it didn't have 60 with everything unplugged... it had 60 the entire time while I unplugged (and re-plugged) devices one at a time. No single device made it drop.

After shutting down the whole thing and adding back equipment one piece at a time, the current never reappeared... making me nervous about when it will come back.

 

[jmaneyapanda]

cr500_af;451899 wrote: Jeremy, it didn't have 60 with everything unplugged... it had 60 the entire time while I unplugged (and re-plugged) devices one at a time. No single device made it drop.

After shutting down the whole thing and adding back equipment one piece at a time, the current never reappeared... making me nervous about when it will come back.

I bet you had a salt creep bridge to something, then. It was probably disrupted by your activity.

 

[jennm]

Excellent thread! I have witnessed lights/timers etc., cause stray voltage and was at a loss to explain "how". I'll have to re-read the thread a time or two (or maybe Bill can explain it to me next time he's by!) Now I understand sort of, how that can happen!

Sorry for your issues, Barry but what a great learning thread!

Jenn

 

[ichthyoid]

I know this may sound like so much 'voodoo science' here, but believe it or not, I have seen much stranger stuff. The good news is, that at the end of the day it can all be explained through good observation and correct interpretation of the rules of physics.

I have found that 'Rocket Science' is only rocket science when looking at the whole rocket. When you systematically take the Rocket apart, things become a lot more clear and understandable.

Or as my Dad used to say...how do you eat a cake?...one bite at a time!

 

[jmaneyapanda]

ichthyoid;451961 wrote:
Or as my Dad used to say...how do you eat a cake?...one bite at a time!

Your father has obviously never met me.

 

[phil47952]

Great thread all, I certainly learned something...this is a keeper

Phil