So I have a strange theory that I've never really heard anyone bring up. Recently I installed a new timer on my lights and something wasn't grounded properly although I couldn't find the problem which sounds strange but both wires have a good ground connection I just decided to leave it be. I noticed that when I touched my screens which my plants were growing through they had a small charge going through them because the chain that was hanging the screen was touching my hood barely which was charged thus sending energy throughout my system. I stuck my hand in my res and it gave me a nice steady buzzing sensation but was gentle enough I could keep my hand in the water. Grabbed one of my plants and it to sent a charge through my body, mind you very small but could definitely be felt. Since I couldn't figure out the problem I just left it and since then my plants have been growing out of control! It seems they have almost doubled their growth rate which could be attributed to flowering, sure, but the charge I believe definitely may have contributed to the increased growth rate. I've decided to leave it this way until I see any negative affects and I'll keep this thread updated.
Free electricty flowing through screens hoods and water sounds like a disaster waiting to happen. just my opinion
It's definitely not the safest method lol. I would have expected it to kill the plants early on but since it was like that for 3 or 4 days before I even noticed it and I still haven't noticed any ill affects I decided I would leave it till I notice anything.
Keep in mind that if your body had a strong static charge and you touched any grounded metal or liquid, you'd get a jolt just like if the object you touched had shocked you. Whether static is building around you or objects in your grow area, the first thing I'd suggest would be to check all of your grounds & metal objects. Ideally, all metal near any ballasts or similar electrical equipment that is not part of an electrical circuit should be grounded. This is simply connecting a wire from the metal to the lower, round terminal of the three commonly seen on household outlets, or in series to anything already connected to that terminal. The ground will "suck up" any static before it builds enough to shock you, assuming that's what's causing the charge you're getting. When there's no ground, metal objects can absorb static from nearby electronics, to the point of becoming dangerous in some cases. The breaker should always be switched off whenever working on a building's wiring.
AC (Alternating Current) is quite dangerous in such situations. While 110v won't kill you, depending on the current, it can whallop you one good. With every test I've seen, DC current is used, usually with a very high (10,000v) voltage and a very low (<150mA) current. There's a rather large forum discussing this, started by a gent named Dug. Might be worth a look through.
Took 120 from an outlet in my house... I'm 6'3 and I jumped so high my head put a dent in the ceiling no joke.
I've been hit by 120AC a few times. Never grounded. Not as fun as it looks like. My closest call was a120v arc current. Vaporized the leads on my multimeter...the metal leads. Whoo...wow.
Sounds like you have a bad neutral connection and are getting leakage back on the earth/ground. It might not be your grow room wiring, could be the incoming power. But could be dangerous, you could get a shock and fall on your plants!
Spoke with an electrician the other day. He's devised an AC inverter using a doorbell chime, then attached a rheostat he took out of a broken space heater. He's running his first test, but if I hear from him again, I'll see if it worked.
Patently FALSE!!!!!!! Amperage is the determining factor in the relative severity of electrical shock exposure situations. As little as 10 milliamps of current at 110/120v can be FATAL if it travels across your heart, and if you are talking about grabbing your plants, feeling a tingle, and then grabbing something else that is not well insulated, then you are exposing yourself to just that situation. Although it is true that you wind up getting away with it 95/100 times with 110/120v, bad shit can happen. I know two sparkies whose coworkers came back after lunch to find them dead after they decided to work on 120v lighting circuits on their own. Don't ever taking electricity for granted, and don't make the mistake of thinking "Oh fuck it, it's just 110". Sounds like you've got some electrical experience, but please use caution...That said, and off my soap box, your idea sounds intriguing, and your experimental approach is admirable. Good luck!!!
I'm not trying to get ya bro, just have seen way too many bad things happen doing what I do for a living...just lookin out is all. If you can figure a safe way to do it, and it produces results I think that's awesome, but everyone I know who has been in a burn unit will tell you that it is pure hell on earth, and the people who wound up worse are no longer around to say what the experience was like. Good luck with the grow though fer sur!!!
I felt the need to clear something up. 110 can and will kill you. Pay no attention to voltage, current is what does the trick. Lots of people get bit off 110 120, it all depends on your electrical potential, how well you are grounded, and what path the electricity takes through your body. 110 to the chest in wet shoes and you very well may be dead. 110 is nothing to play with