Heater Electrocution

[Gr8KarmaSF]

This question has probably been asked before, but is it true or a myth that one can get possibly electrocuted by having your heater or other electric device plugged in while working on your tank?

 

[repair]

If your fish are floating don't put your hands in....

I guess anything is possible.... I had a heater crack and it shorted out in the water..... didn't hurt any fish just triped the breaker.

 

[guppy]

I had one with a minor short that gave me a bit of a zap before I replaced it and have seen scorcthed drapes from a shattered one, a quick arc occured as the breaker tripped, it was a steel framed tank.

 

[shookONES]

It's possible, and a surefire sign that something is wrong with the heater. At my store, it's happened before. Unplug the heater and replace it asap.

 

[vzgoth]

I've had fish break them before.
They just shorted out but didn't damage anything.

 

[Waldo]

it's not a death zap... it's just a 9v on the tongue zap. you will know if it's happening. I've had some pretty bad settups in the past.

 

[sohfatfish]

Faulty equipment can leak current.. and the current can kill. I thin its a good habit to install grounding probes into your tanks so that stray current does not flow to you. However checking all equipment regularly and buying reliable ones like eheim is still the safest method.