Electrical wires in the tank???

[Becikeja]

Continuing my research on ideas for my new tank I have come across several items that require wires to go inside the tank such as submersible pumps, submersible heaters etc... I have always used products that hang over the side and took great care to keep the wires dry. What gives? It seems to me that you run some very high risks. Electrocution for one. Fish such as an Oscar or a cichlid, or maybe even a pleco chewing into it? Help me justify this, I just can't get my head wrapped around this idea.

[oscarfish21]

i have often worried about the same thing but i saw a heater in the local pet store and it was totally submurged wires and all, depending upon what it is id say it would be ok and it would say on the pkg if it was waterproof or not

[Fishguy2727]

Any of the products intended to be submerged are fine, wire and all. Just keep an eye on the wire with risky species as mentioned. I had pacus chew through a heater wire. It helps if the outlets for the tank are GCFI protected. You may also want a grounding probe if there is any worry.

[gm72]

Submersible means submersible. I have submersible heaters in 9 of my 11 tanks, all are buried in the substrate. Zero problems for years.

[cocoa_pleco]

if it says submersible, its good to go. in most of my tanks besides my reefs i have the heaters sideways and buried under the substrate

[MeganL3985]

My small submersible heater has a little piece of wire that hangs in the water, no problems yet.

[markbob]

IF your that worried about it, you could set everything up for a week or so before you start adding stuff, put a feeder guppy or something in there and ifi something goes wrong he'll be your canary.

[Azear]

I didn't had any problems with electric wires in my tank so far but just to reply to Fishguy, Ground probe might not be a good idea. I've read somewhere that ground probes are bad cauz for example, if you have any notions in electricity, you'll know that the current have to pass from Point A (broken wire) to point B (closest possible exit for the current)... Hence, if you have a broken wire AND a ground probe (that can be on the other side of the tank)... guess what will happen with the current ? it will flow trough the tank and pass through all fishes that are in the way... On the other hand, if you don't have a ground probe and only have 1 broken wire... the current won't go anywhere because it have no exit. THE solution with electric wire is to check them once in a while to make sure they are in good condition. Ground probe will only introduce more problems... I'll try to get that reference cauz I was also very surprised when I read that and after all, it makes sense.

It's only my oppinion... :14:

[MeganL3985]

Good post azear

[65535]

I agree ground probes are what make submerged wiring dangerous, if you fish that are capable of chewing through the insulation on submerged aquaruim products, go out and buy some plastic tubing any color and get it around 2 mm thick or better cut a slit slightly smaller than the wire and use it like conduit get some apporpraitely sized suction cups and attach it, I can't think of any fish that will take the time to destroy plastic tubing, I would recommend 3/8" diameter tubing as the minumum size.

[markbob]

With or with out the ground prong an exposed wire is dangerous. The current will still flow it'll just take a different path to ground. What the ground prong does for you is allow a safe path to ground. With out it the electricity is left to its own devices to find a path of least resistance. This could lead to the frame of your tank, the water any thing that'll conduct becoming a shock hazard. Current is a function of voltage divided by resistance. With the load (heater, power head ect...) out of the way, resistance goes down, current goes up and may lead to a more severe shock. The only thing you've got to save you then is the circuit breaker which will likely pop either way. Just remember, current as low as 0.1 amps is sufficient to kill. Sorry to go technical, I'm an electrician.

[65535]

I prefer to use grounded equipment. If there was a way to make a voltage sesnsor that would disconnect the equipment when voltage across the tank was measured that would be pretty cool.

[gm72]

With or with out the ground prong an exposed wire is dangerous. The current will still flow it'll just take a different path to ground. What the ground prong does for you is allow a safe path to ground. With out it the electricity is left to its own devices to find a path of least resistance. This could lead to the frame of your tank, the water any thing that'll conduct becoming a shock hazard. Current is a function of voltage divided by resistance. With the load (heater, power head ect...) out of the way, resistance goes down, current goes up and may lead to a more severe shock. The only thing you've got to save you then is the circuit breaker which will likely pop either way. Just remember, current as low as 0.1 amps is sufficient to kill. Sorry to go technical, I'm an electrician.

Nicely said and very accurate. I'm not an electrician but know something about it.

[markbob]

There is 65535, all it would require is a switch, logic circuit, analog to digital converter and drive the whole thing off of a meter reading.

[Becikeja]

In summary, I shouldn't worry about it. I do like the idea of putting the wires in a tube. Maybe unnecessary, but I think I will go that way. thanks fo rthe advice

[Fishguy2727]

A GCFI outlet will cut off current if not all of the electricity going out does not come back. I have had lights that were wet and tripped the GCFI outlet. once they dried it was fine, so it is sensitive enough for these applications.

[hungryhound]

I did a quick skim of this post and did not see this mentioned, if it has then ignore me.

Just make sure that you put a drip loop in the lines of your chords that are submersed.

[Only Registered Users Can See Links.]

that way when the water runs down the chord it drips on the floor and not back into your socket.

[gm72]

Drip loops are a good idea, yes. I have all of my cords plugged into a surge protector that is raised off the ground a bit. Instant drip loops!

[sunjwd]

I also have a Visitherm Stealth submersible heater with
the wire in the water.
Although designed to be immersed, for safety reasons I
always unplug it to clean the tank.
This was the advice I got in other threads. Things do fail.

[Azear]

...I
always unplug it to clean the tank.

Isn't that's what we're always supposed to do with all piece of electric equipment when cleaning ? ^_^ :P

[gm72]

Not necessary, especially if the heater in question remains submersed below the water line. I don't unplug anything while doing tank maintenance. Never have. Zero problems.