# Grounding wires.



## Gizmo (Dec 6, 2010)

Alright, here's a major source of confusion I'm having, as an electrical engineer:

I've seen and heard of grounding wires for aquariums, and I readily accept the knowledge that a failed electrical appliance submerged in an aquarium poses a significant threat to anyone who touches the water and makes themselves a path between the electrified tank and earth ground (assuming you have bare feet). However, what are these grounding wires supposed to do? Do they ground to the gravel in the tank? Because that, in my opinion, is not true ground. It is merely some gravel encased in a perfect insulator (glass, or in the case of acrylic, a giant water balloon and the electrical arc is the pin). Do they ground the tank water to an electrical outlet's ground? That would make more sense to me, however, that would do one of two things: Either one, the short circuit will blow a circuit breaker or even worse a fuse, or two, it will melt the wire and light the room on fire.

Either way, the fish are going to be fine since they are not grounded and neither is/should the tank water be. I'm guessing these grounding wires go from tank water to wall outlet to avoid humans getting zapped, correct? Might have to get one, if so. That makes sense in my nerdy electrical mind, I just hope the wire gauge is strong enough to stand 3-12 amps at 120 volts and the breakers actually blow or you're gonna have a fire on your hands.
*c/p*


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

Never heard of it, but I guess I could see the use of them. There is really only one threat in your tank and that it your heater. I guess you could throw powerheads in there too.


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## ksturm079 (Jan 10, 2011)

I'm new to the aquarium world but commercial electrical installation does pay the bills so I'll throw my two cents in.

I haven't seen these grounding wires you speak of but I agree with your statement that grounding it into the substrate within the aquarium would not provide an adequate grounding means. That being said, a grounding means already exists as soon as you plug an appliance into an outlet.

Are you referring to pond/fountain equipment that is made to go outside? Does this equipment come with a plug and cord or did it need to be hardwired?

Either way a proper electrical installation for an aquarium should include a ground fault circuit interrupter as either the outlet itself or as the breaker that provides overcurrent protection for the outlets in question. That would almost certainly negate your doomsday house fire scenario.

Finally see what gauge the grounding wire is, even an 18-gauge conductor rated at 90 degree Celsius is allowed 14A by NEC Table 310.16.


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## WhiteGloveAquatics (Sep 3, 2009)

They are grounding probes, they are useful if you are using pure water as pure water is non-conductive.

Ultralife Titanium Grounding Probe

there are a few styles but this one is the simpliest in form as it uses the eyelet grounding point rather then that and a 3 prong. They get attached to an electrical outlet. Its mainly used for stray voltage and not something that a GFCI can trip with.


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## Gizmo (Dec 6, 2010)

Glad I asked you guys! And it looks like the grounding wire I was looking at might in fact be for a pond as suggested.

Thanks everybody!


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## Mark13 (Oct 21, 2010)

There are grounding probes for aquariums, the probe contacts the water only, not the gravel at all. The cord has a 3-prong plug on it, but only one wire inside it. That single wire goes to the third prong/contact only, the other two prongs are dead, and only serve to help hold the cord plug onto the wall plug.

This is for stray voltage, and should not be assumed to take the place of a GFCI. USE A GFCI WITH ALL AQUARIUMS, either at the plug, or at the circuit breaker.


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