Results 1 to 10 of 10

Thread: Almost a BIG disaster

  1. #1
    Grand Master Reefer CarmieJo's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Location
    Raleigh, NC
    Posts
    14,980
    Blog Entries
    4
    Thanks
    69
    Thanked 179 Times in 166 Posts

    Unhappy Almost a BIG disaster

    MY FRIEND was pulling a powerhead out of the tank tonight to clean it. She has the glass tops on her tank and 2 PC light fixtures sit on the top. She lifted the edge of the glass top to get the powerhead out, like she has done a hundred times before, and the other edge slipped dumping the lights INTO the tank! So now she has her hand with the powerhead in the water and turned on lights in the water! While deciding if she was going to get electrocuted she was also trying to figure out how to rescue everything. A small 2x9w fixture was half submerged but just the legs on the big light were in the water. She dropped the powerhead and yelled for Sue (the exchange student) and had her start pulling plugs. Then she got Sue to get the big light and finally got her arm loose and got the small light out of the water. But she thinks she fried something in the small light, it was sizzling before the plugs ere pulled! It is unplugged and she am waiting for a couple days to turn it back on and see what happens.

    The moral of this story is that MY FRIEND should not be lazy and should have removed the tops. Or at the very least taken the lights off the top!

    Seriously, I am lucky I didn't get shocked. I won't do this again and I hope you will take a lesson from me. It really could have been a disaster.
    Carmie


    Only disasters happen fast!





    Carmie's 54 Corner Tank
    Carmie's Cube


    Show people you value their advice! Click the STAR icon at the bottom of the post to add to their reputation.

  2. #2
    Insightful Reefer BrianPlankis's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2006
    Location
    Houston, TX
    Posts
    276
    Thanks
    0
    Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
    Boy CarmieJo, you should make sure you don't invite YOUR FRIEND over to help out with tank chores again. She/he doesn't sound like a good helper, YOUR FRIEND nearly got you shocked!

    Please tell me you have GFCI or will be installing it tomorrow?

    Brian
    www.projectdibs.com and www.talkingreef.com - Finding A Better Way Together

  3. #3
    Our Brotha Down Unda
    V's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2006
    Location
    Terra Australis
    Posts
    6,773
    Blog Entries
    15
    Thanks
    1
    Thanked 29 Times in 28 Posts




    bright idea

    carmie snap crackle & pop!

    watch her go from this...


    to this...


    Last edited by Rob; 09-22-2006 at 12:32 AM.



    Vquilibrium Productions

  4. #4
    Grand Master Reefer Amphibious's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2006
    Location
    Ft. Pierce, FL
    Posts
    4,702
    Blog Entries
    1
    Thanks
    3
    Thanked 122 Times in 91 Posts
    Quote Originally Posted by CarmieJo View Post
    The moral of this story is that MY FRIEND should not be lazy and should have removed the tops. Or at the very least taken the lights off the top!

    Seriously, I am lucky I didn't get shocked. I won't do this again and I hope you will take a lesson from me. It really could have been a disaster.
    Yes, It could have been worse but, thank God it wasn't and your OK. You should spank your "friend" for being so careless. That being said, haven't we all been in simular situations? Please be sure to get a GFI, if you don't already have one. I've been shocked, I hate it, I have a GFI now.

    Glad your still around, Carmie.
    Amphibious

    Good Luck comes to those who research and prepare.


    Our Talking Reef Forum The Cultured Reef Forum
    My tank journal Amphibious' 135 mixed reef.
    The Cutured Reef toll free number - 888 745-0449




    Amblyeleotris randalli commonly, Randall's Goby.

  5. #5
    Grand Master Reefer CarmieJo's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Location
    Raleigh, NC
    Posts
    14,980
    Blog Entries
    4
    Thanks
    69
    Thanked 179 Times in 166 Posts
    It's on GFI but I didn't think of that in the midst of the crisis!

    I've had a couple of big shocks and I never want another one!
    Carmie


    Only disasters happen fast!





    Carmie's 54 Corner Tank
    Carmie's Cube


    Show people you value their advice! Click the STAR icon at the bottom of the post to add to their reputation.

  6. #6
    Grand Master Reefer wwest's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2006
    Location
    Southeastern,Ohio
    Posts
    2,118
    Thanks
    0
    Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
    Im glad you are ok, i dont know what i would do without ya


    Save a coral, Trade a frag.
    Stop The World, I Want Off

  7. #7
    Insightful Reefer bubbletip's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2006
    Location
    Chicago
    Posts
    198
    Thanks
    0
    Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
    Whoa, that must have been scary. I have had a similar situation when I started out myself. I was retrofitting my first PC's and I did not realize the clamps were not holding the PC's tight enough. Well, closing the lid to my canopy caused a PC to fall off the clamp luckily stopped by the middle bracket at the top of the tank. Man, my heart stopped watching the bulb touching the top of the water. It did not break. I can appreciate your friends situation and am glad she did not spark.

    Fasten things tight is the lesson I have learned and it does not just apply to lights.

    Veriann,

    I was dying laughing when I first saw your thread. That dude has the funniest mop I have ever seen. Where in the world do you find these goldies.
    "Jim" - always learning


  8. #8
    Grand Master Reefer wwest's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2006
    Location
    Southeastern,Ohio
    Posts
    2,118
    Thanks
    0
    Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
    Thats actually a picture of V in his "younger" years


    Save a coral, Trade a frag.
    Stop The World, I Want Off

  9. #9
    Our Brotha Down Unda
    V's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2006
    Location
    Terra Australis
    Posts
    6,773
    Blog Entries
    15
    Thanks
    1
    Thanked 29 Times in 28 Posts
    crazy sence of humor & the internet is my friend> and to think im shackled to dial up...haha



    Vquilibrium Productions

  10. #10
    Expert Reefer Victoria's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2006
    Location
    Camp Verde AZ
    Posts
    450
    Thanks
    0
    Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
    Carmie
    I gald you did not get shocked. In this hobby we really need to be careful. Lights and water. I'm an EMT and I would not want to go out on that call! I'm glad nothing happend.
    Victoria

Thread Information

Users Browsing this Thread

There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)

Similar Threads

  1. Return Pump. How Big?
    By christensonjes in forum Pump and current generators
    Replies: 14
    Last Post: 09-15-2006, 08:23 PM
  2. Fish Tales: Some Guys Like 'em Big: The Genus Plectropomus
    By Rob in forum Reefkeeping Magazine
    Replies: 0
    Last Post: 07-23-2006, 01:30 PM

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •