I would imagine that a grounding probe would isolate you from the shock. Electricity takes the path of least resistance and a metal wire has much less resistance than your body.
Question about electric fish.
- Thread starter nfored
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So now I am confused, would a ground problem help or would it not help? I really don't understand when you say electric fish is not the same as electric light. There are only two kinds of electricity AC and DC and both require a ground to work. So in my mind I would think a ground probe would work. just don't hook it to a gfic 
Even lighting hitting your car wont hurt you since the car never touch the ground, except for they silly CSI episode. Does anyone have an answer one way or another with an explanation as why they believe that?
Even lighting hitting your car wont hurt you since the car never touch the ground, except for they silly CSI episode. Does anyone have an answer one way or another with an explanation as why they believe that?
nfored;4359976; said:
First, a car does not offer 100% perfect protection from lightning. Lightning can travel miles through the air, the 4" or so rubber gap your tires have is of no consequence to a lightning bolt. My high school teacher had a hole burned in the roof of her car after lightning hit it. Its safer than out in a field but still not perfect.
Secondly, the reason I think a grounding probe would work to keep you sort of "safe" is that electricity always follows the path of least resistance. A grounding probe provides much less resistance than your body. However, you may still feel a zap since if your hand is between the fish and the grounding probe the electricity may travel through your hand.
Additionally, you may also have a problem if you stick both hands in the tank. The salinity of your tissues may provide a better conductive path than the freshwater. In that case if your hands are both in the tank between the probe and fish, the current may travel into your body, pass through your chest(and heart) and exit the other hand on its way to the grounding probe.
I can smell what your cooking here. So then what if you use a ground probe and a rubber mat on the back of the stand and the floor to ensure your not grounded; in this case would you even feel the electric passing through either of your hands before it hits the ground probe? I mean I hold a hot 120 wire all day long with on in each hand if you will; as long as I am not grounded.
Well the electric catfish can give yah a bad day, while an electric kill can kill yah.
If i had either fish I would rather enjoy them not get messed up by them. Thats another reason.
If i had either fish I would rather enjoy them not get messed up by them. Thats another reason.
insulating yourself, or having a ground, as you were asking is not going to protect you unless you are completely isolated from the source. An example would be to wear long rubber gloves to clean the tank, or hip waders if you were traveling inside of their habbitat. Their electricity producing organs work much like a battery, except the water itself is the conductor, anything within reach (until the electricity dissipates) will be electrocuted. In these bioelectrogenesis type fish, and correct me if im wrong, flows from their organs back to the fish, like echolocation. In other words the fish is the ground
