Aquatic Life 61” T5 Hybrid tripping GFCI

[Tom Stevens]

Hi,
I am starting up a new tank and purchased the Aquatic Life 61” T5 Hybrid. It appears it is tripping the GFCI plug. Any ideas on how to diagnose?

Thank you

 

[AquaticLifeProducts]

Hi Tom,

Depending on the GFCI manufacturer and age of the outlet we have found that sometime the high frequency ballast can trip GFCI circuits. This is called nuisance tripping, so we did testing years ago with different GFCI and found that Hubbell and Cooper were best suited for this issue. It has not been as much a concern with the Hybrids but I have had a few over the years. I do know that the Leviton common in hardware stores were the most easily tripped. Something to do with the sensitivity and how they are measuring.

Does it trip with only one fixture plugged in?

Do you see the same fixture tripping or it does not matter?

Let me know will be glad to assist.

 

[Tom Stevens]

Hi,
Thank you for the response. It happens with either fixture wether one or both are plugged in. I have two circuits and two GFCIs plugs and they trip both of them. Sometimes I can reset the GFCI and they will run for a while, but randomly trip. The GFCIs are brand new, but I do not know the brand as an electrician installed them.

Thank you,
Tom

 

[AquaticLifeProducts]

Hi Tom,

Not sure I can help, there is nothing I can replace or remove to make them work. If it was one specific fixture it could be at fault, but both? It would lead me to believe its the combination of fixture and GFCI.

Sorry, I do not have a better solution or fix.

 

[Tom Stevens]

Thank you. I will see about replacing the GFCI with the one you indicated and see if that works. I really would like to use this fixture.

 

[Tom Stevens]

I have another question. When putting the bulbs in there is a red wire and blue wire connector on one side and two yellows on the other. Does it matter which yellow you use for the blue vs. the red wire connectors?

 

[AquaticLifeProducts]

I have another question. When putting the bulbs in there is a red wire and blue wire connector on one side and two yellows on the other. Does it matter which yellow you use for the blue vs. the red wire connectors?

No they are universal, so the yellow wire is in series so the ballast yellow goes in one socket, bridges to the other socket and then a yellow back to the ballast.

 

[Brian_68]

It all depends on the leakage specs of the high frequency ballasts used that will determine how close they are to tripping a GFCI. All high frequency ballasts leak current to ground. Some are designed as low leakage, others that are not may leak current to ground that is high enough to trip a GFCI occasionally or more frequent.

https://www.reynoldsonline.com/ASSETS/DOCUMENTS/ITEMS/EN/UNLI443LSLHTCP000I_Spec.pdf

 

[AquaticLifeProducts]

Thank you. I will see about replacing the GFCI with the one you indicated and see if that works. I really would like to use this fixture.

Let me know I will be glad to help.

 

[siggy]

I like to test new gfci devices with a heavy power tool or a hair dryer.

 

[Tom Stevens]

Let me know I will be glad to help.

Hi,
I have been doing some experiments and it appears it may in fact be a bad ballast. When I plug in both, eventually the GFCI trips. One of them I cannot plug back in as it will continually will trip the GFCI. The other one I can plug back in without tripping the GFCI. I left the bad on off to see if the GFCI trips with the other one on. So far, no trip. This leads me to conclude one of the ballasts is causing the problem.

 

[AquaticLifeProducts]

It’s could be possible. Send us your purchase details at [email protected] and we can start the process. Some cases it’s the combined leak to ground but maybe one has a higher leak.

 

[Tom Stevens]

It’s could be possible. Send us your purchase details at [email protected] and we can start the process. Some cases it’s the combined leak to ground but maybe one has a higher leak.

OK. I will send information but only after one last experiment. Your comment on combined leak to ground gave me an idea. I plugged each into two separate GFCI plugs on different circuits. Let’s see how that goes. If the same T5 bank trips then we know it is not the combined ground theory.

 

[JohnMzreef]

I like to test new gfci devices with a heavy power tool or a hair dryer.

I can see how this might test the circuit breaker (high amp draw) but I don't understand how this tests GFCI.. can you explain?

 

[Tom Stevens]

Quick update. After plugging in the T5s into two different GFCI plugs on seperate circuits, there has not been a trip yet (cross fingers). Combined leakage seems to have been the issue.

 

[AquaticLifeProducts]

Just let us know. Thank you.

 

[BoomCorals]

I've traced down my nascence tripping to one or both of my 36" Hybrid fixtures. I've already tried replacing the GFCI with a few different types but they weren't the brand I see suggested above. I will order a new one and see if that helps. FWIW, mine trip even if they're just plugged in and not on, but it's sporadic and I could go a week or two with no trip then a day where it trips 5 times. I notice a little zap if I'm touching these fixtures and my aquarium water at the same time.

 

[AquaticLifeProducts]

Let us know but if your touching the water and the fixture and getting zapped. Something in the water is grounding through our fixture from the water as our fixtures are grounded and we have seen this happen before. Typically a pump or heater is causing the stray voltage leak.