What to plug into GFCI?

[BowieReefer84]

I have always plugged everything directly into the wall, and have decided to try and be safer with my new setup. I will be getting a GFCI power supply, and want to know what should be plugged into that versus a standard powerstrip/surge protector?

 

List of things I need to plug in:

1- lights (3 cords)

2- skimmer

3- return pump

4- powerheads & wave maker (3 cords)

5- ato

6- doser pump

7- heater

 

Thanks,

Mike

[smallreef]

if you can fit all..... other than that you can choose to only do ones that come into contact directly with water.. like pump and powerheads, skimmer pumps... that sort of thing..

[Glenn]

I replaced the wall outlet with a GFCI outlet then plugged the Apex into the outlet ..

[icecool2]

Definitely anything that comes into contact with water should be on one. You should also consider getting an arc fault interrupter on the same line. If something sparks, but doesn't actually cause a ground fault, you want that clamped down.

[BowieReefer84]

Definitely anything that comes into contact with water should be on one. You should also consider getting an arc fault interrupter on the same line. If something sparks, but doesn't actually cause a ground fault, you want that clamped down.

 

Maybe I will just call an electrician...

[icecool2]

The AFCI does go in your circuit box, but you can do it yourself if you feel comfortable. You just turn off the power to the panel, pop off the existing breaker, pop on the AFCI, attach a couple of wires and you're done.

[BowieReefer84]

The AFCI does go in your circuit box, but you can do it yourself if you feel comfortable. You just turn off the power to the panel, pop off the existing breaker, pop on the AFCI, attach a couple of wires and you're done.

 

lol... I was an econ major... PASS

[dmatt56]

Considering the hundreds of dollars we put into our fish tanks, I highly recommend plugging everything into a GFCI outlet. Lights can fall and fish can splash. I had mine trigger once or twice because a large fish splashed water out of the tank onto a cord.

[Coral Hind]

I would try to split the load up on two seperate GFCI's or AFCI's so if one trips you don't lose the whole system. Both GFCI and AFCI can nuisance trip but the AFCI's are way worse at it in my opinion. I've removed all the AFCI's feeding my tanks because of nuisance tripping. The arc in the types of lights we use, if enough are on a circuit, can be enough to trip the AFCI. I'm not saying not to use AFCI's, I just can't use them without constantly tripping when my lights come one. So, if you can split the pumps up so if one trips the others still run you will be much better off.

 

Also, all AFCI breakers are designed to have a Class B ground fault trip built into them. Although that's not as sensitive as the Class A 5mA GFCI which the NEC requires for some areas, the Class B 30mA GFI, is still better than nothing and unless you already have a weak heart will prevent you from dying. 50 to 100 milliamps normally leads to ventricular fibrillation.

[Integral9]

Also, FYI, when plugging in flourescent fixtures into GFCI circuits. There is a tiny amount of current leakage in the ballasts and given enough of them, they will trip the GFCI. eg: 14 x 36" T5s is too much, 10 is not though.

 

I'm not sure what to do with this, the lights hang over my tank, but a GFCI isn't possible. So they are on a regular circuit for now.

[DaveS]

Great post Coral Hind. Could you or anyone provide some more detail on nuisance tripping and what kind of reef equipment causes it? There have been various stories about GFCIs tripping and causing tank crashes (splitting pumps will help unless you only have 1 pump).

 

This has led people to only plug in certain types of equipment but not others. Some say don't plug lights cause they WILL trip, some say don't plug pumps in case they GET tripped, etc. It may be nice for everyone to have a full picture of what can happen and how to address it.

 

I see that Integral9 kind of hit on this question as I was writing my post.

[BowieReefer84]

I think Coral Hind should come over my house and do a complete tutorial on setting up a new tank incorporating GFCI's. I will take detailed pictures and do a complete writeup for everyone else.

 

I will need a shopping list to prepare.

 

[mogurnda]

GFCIs will trip, so it has to be accommodated. Better to have a risk of losing fish/corals than a risk of losing you.

 

My strategy is multiple levels of redundancy. I have two separate circuits, each protected by a GFCI for each of the tanks. Each circuit is capable of life support (circulation, and, in winter, heat) on its own. One of my rooms has outlets from two breakers, and even having a separate circuit wired was not as expensive as I thought it would be, and it has paid off during surges when I have been away.

 

After the last power outage, one of the GFCIs tripped sporadically when both halides were plugged into it. Since it did not do this when each was plugged in alone, I assumed the GFCI had gone bad. After replacing the receptacle, it has behaved just fine. I guess they can go bad if abused.

 

Question for the knowledgable: is a 20A GFCI less likely to trip than a 15A?

[flooddc]

Mike, You should have a GFCI BBQ party!

[Coral Hind]

Question for the knowledgable: is a 20A GFCI less likely to trip than a 15A?

Yes, if you are talking about running 16A on the circuit.

 

No, if you are talking about ground fault tripping with both having a class A rating. They are both designed / required to trip on anything above 6mA but not trip on anything below 4mA.

[mogurnda]

Yes, if you are talking about running 16A on the circuit.

Sometimes I like to use the blow dryer and toaster while sitting and watching my fish

[Coral Hind]

Could you or anyone provide some more detail on nuisance tripping and what kind of reef equipment causes it?

 

The problem with making that list is it depends on the equipment and how it is made, used, aged, and other factors. What makes mine trip might not make another's outlet trip. It comes down to the accumulation of mA that adds up to the threshold where the device trips. As intergral9 mentioned, one T5 might not be enough but a group of them is enough.

 

The problem with lighting designs and GFCI's can be found in this old post:

http://www.wamas.org...post__p__281994

[Coral Hind]

I know that Coral Vue had a statement in their instruction manual for my MH lights that said not to use electronic ballasts on a GFCI outlets as it will trip.

 

Read section two on this link which states the issue of ground leakage with electronic ballasts.

http://www.tvss.net/pq/ballast.htm

[Integral9]

I'd like to add that I never had a problem with my T5s tripping a GFCI until I went to a really big T5 fixture. I don't know how many ballasts it has in it or what kind they are, but it's got to be at least 3 as there are that many leads coming out of the fixture to power it and the number of feet of fluorescent bulbs they drive (12 - 18), means to me that they are not the small kinds. 2 of the plugs run 4 bulbs each, and the third plug runs 6 bulbs. If anyone knows what ballasts Aquactinics puts in their fixtures, I have the 72" Constellation fixture, maybe they can post it.

 

fwiw: The supak (iirc) ballasts I have on my 48" 4-bulb DIY fixture and the same brand that came in my 24" Outer Orbit Pro (4 x 24" bulbs) did not trip the GFCIs I had them on.

[BowieReefer84]

If I were to use this http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/POWER-FIRST-Single-Outlet-GFCI-Adapter-5YL43?Pid=search

 

Can I plug a power strip in, and then powerstrips off the main powerstrip?

[Coral Hind]

The problem with most portable types is that when the power goes off they need to be re-set manually. It is a safety issue so if the power goes out and the guy walks away from the saw or equipment, when the power comes back on the unit doesn't continue to run. You will need to find a portable GFCI which has an "automatic" reset.

 

The one linked below is labeled automatic and should work. http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/POWER-FIRST-GFCI-11X429

[Mike Mann]

go to lowes and buy a shock buster its a six outlet GFCI that will plug into a normal recpitical. It works i have learned first hand. and it resets automatic when loss of power

Edited August 14, 2012 by Mike Mann

[davelin315]

Sometimes I like to use the blow dryer and toaster while sitting and watching my fish

Dave, you're weird, I only use them when inside the tank for cleaning purposes.

[Big Country]

I've had heaters and pumps plugged into my DC8's pop my GFCI a couple of times, the main problem that I have had is that when the GFCI pops the A level DC8 went off with the loss of power. I had redundancy on the B level DC8 with circulation pumps, heater, and other things, problem was that when the A level went out my ACIII lost contact with the B level DC8 so it wasn't controlling anything, luckily my CO2 was off when the power connection broke so I knew something was wrong when I got a PH alert from my ACIII. I've thought about moving one of my heaters to a Ranco controller seperate from my ACIII just in case I lose power to the DC8 again.

[Coral Hind]

I've thought about moving one of my heaters to a Ranco controller seperate from my ACIII just in case I lose power to the DC8 again.

That's exactly how I have it setup. The ranco is seperated from the ACIII so it is on a seperate breaker.