Avoiding Electrical Danger, and Having Electrical Safety With Your Aquarium
Electrical safety is a very important subject when dealing with aquariums.Oftentimes the combination of water and faulty electrical equipment can cause fatal consequences for the aquarium enthusiast. A basic rule of aquarium management and electrical safety is to turn off all electrical power to your aquarium before putting your hand in the water.
The amount of electrical current that is needed to give a person an electric shock is surprisingly low. With a 110-volt supply, a current of only 10 milliamps coursing through your body to the earth can give a painful shock. A current above 50 milliamps is more likely to be fatal. Most modern aquariums today, incorporate several electrical devices. The average aquarium has a pump, a heater, and a lighting system. Each of these devices carries their own risks, the biggest being concern with the cables around the fish tank.
Make sure each and every cable coming out of your aquarium has drip loops.
One of the most important safety improvements that you can make to ensure electrical safety for your aquarium is to properly secure all loose cables behind the aquarium stand. Routing them through a single extension cord, before they connect to any mains, means that if anything goes wrong you only have to pull one plug. For electrical safety purposes, make sure everyone in your household knows about this plug, and that it's clearly marked.
Another added protection is to make sure each and every cable coming out of your aquarium has drip loops. This means that they should reach down further towards your floor, before coming back up to be plugged in. This may mean mounting your extension block onto a wall in order to accomplish this for electrical safety. A drip loop allows any water, which might escape from the tank and run down the cable to gather at the bottom and drip onto the floor, rather than finding its way into an electrical outlet. It's a simple piece of electrical safety, but it can be a lifesaver for you and your family.
GFI outlets are another important element to electrical safety for your aquarium. They provide the best source of protection, shutting down your power as soon as any problems develop. Although occasionally posing a fire risk, carelessly managed aquariums also can cause electric shocks, which are often painful and sometimes fatal.
The most common cause of these electric shocks is damage to the shielding around the element of your heater. If you have your hands in the water, when such damage has occurred you could get a very painful shock as the current travels down through your body to the ground. Touching bare wires also puts you at risk, as well as switching on devices while your hands are still inside the tank. For added electrical safety you should turn off all electrical devices connected to your aquarium before you make contact with the water.