Aquarist found dead

[StirCrazy]

Originally Posted by outacontrol

If the fault is in the light and the ground probe is in the tank, then it is still through you.
On a side note a GFCI must trip at 0.006 Amps so I don't think 0.0059 Amps for a time of 0.0083 will be of any concern.
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also given that the GFI must trip at 0.006amp, it shows that is it 10 times lower than what is concidered deadly to a healthy person. 0.06 amps will kill a healthy person if it travels through the heart. this is why they have GFIs, they will trip befor the amprage is anywhere near what is needed to be deadly. a person with a weak heart will requite over 0.03 amps.

Remember these numbers are only if the current passes through your heart. if you are wiping the glass in the tank and brush your shoulder against the lights and get a zap, it is highly unlikly that it would pass through your heart as the quickest path to ground is in your shoulder and out your hand to the water. now if you were cleaning with the left hand and grab the lights with your right and if the amprage is large enough you had a grounding probe, you would still probably be dead as the probe just insures that your hand is in a ground path. so in a way you have more of a chance of getting shocked by a exteranal fixture if you have a ground probe.

my opinion is to install GFIs and through the grounding probe in the garbage.

one thing to note, is GFI outlets still need to be tested ocasionaly time to time. make this a part of your normal maintenance routeens.

Steve