Are GFCI's Necessary. A Thought for not having them for your tank

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

I didn't read through ALL of the older posts, but for situations where lights seem to trip the GFCI, ferrite cores/chokes can be a solution. Simply put, some AC devices and lights (in my experience it was T5 ballasts) can emit electromagnetic and radio frequencies (EMI/RFI) that the GFCI misinterprets. Adding a ferrite core to the power cord can help with this.
(*I was advised by an electrician to use these on my previous T5 fixture and it worked; YMMV, and I welcome any input regarding this application)

 

[piranhaman00]

I didn't read through ALL of the older posts, but for situations where lights seem to trip the GFCI, ferrite cores/chokes can be a solution. Simply put, some AC devices and lights (in my experience it was T5 ballasts) can emit electromagnetic and radio frequencies (EMI/RFI) that the GFCI misinterprets. Adding a ferrite core to the power cord can help with this.
(*I was advised by an electrician to use these on my previous T5 fixture and it worked; YMMV, and I welcome any input regarding this application)

Thank tou!! Going to try these on pentair UV, do you need a specific type? I just picked some up on Amazon , they just snap over the tank costing power cord?

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

Thank tou!! Going to try these on pentair UV, do you need a specific type? I just picked some up on Amazon , they just snap over the tank costing power cord?

Yes, I had inexpensive ones that attached to the power cord.

 

[piranhaman00]

Yes, I had inexpensive ones that attached to the power cord.

Nice! I ordered 8 for each cord hoping it works haha

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

Nice! I ordered 8 for each cord hoping it works haha

I used 1 per cord.

 

[Tankkeepers]

I think everyone here has spelled out how important GFCI receptacles and their use on our aquariums. Some say we don’t need them, well when was the last time someone dropped a curling iron or blow dryer in a bathroom sink that was full of water? Or dropped their toaster in the kitchen sink? But yet we have protection in those areas. When was the last time a kid tried to stick something in a duplex receptacle? But yet we are now required to install tamper proof receptacles in all homes and in commercial facilities where children have access to that area.

A man I knew for 40+ years was working on a water pipe that was leaking underground. There was a 120v line in the same ditch that energized the mud he was digging up to find the leak. Although it was not enough to kill him instantly he could not pull out of the mud he was standing in and after some time his heart stopped. Another individual a few miles from my house was cleaning out his attic, he was soaked in sweat when he laid on his back to fetch something from a low spot in the attic, coming in contact with a piece of romex with a nick. He also was not able to get off, and he lost his life that day.

So many times I have heard stories of people coming in contact with 120 volts and say “120 volts is not that bad”. What they do not understand is they were partially insulated either by standing on dry carpet and padding, or having adequate soles on their shoes. Adding water to the mix increases the grounding potential and takes that minor shock up to something that can stop your heart or get it out of rhythm.

First of 120v shock is not that bad enless you already have a heart condition

Continues 120v shock will kill you as will most continues shocks with a decent amp rating

Second we install protected outlets for kids cuz they try and stick things in outlets all the time

So to awnser you posting yesterday was the last time my year and a half old tried to get the plug cover off to stick a doll hand in the outlet

She never got the cover off as I glued them in becouse of this

if you want safty your better off to run a true ground with a 6 ft copper rod in the actual ground bypassing any household grounding this is the only real way to ground anything

Most outlets are not actually grounded like they should be most ground to the metal box and stios there with no path to the dirt even tho they are soposed to have a true ground within 6 ft

Don't trust household outlets for safty

 

[piranhaman00]

I used 1 per cord.

The cores did not work.

 

[Tankkeepers]

The cores did not work.

Sounds like you may have a Ground fault somewhere or you might have really dirty power like I do I'd suggest running everything threw an av power cleaning strip like monster has

Or i run a backup battery to serve as a power cleaner everything runs off the battery while the wall charges it so i clean and stabalize the power this way

Plug in a sterio with nothing playing turn the volume up and lisen for inconsistencies in the noise

and honestly if you have clean power you should not hear anything at all otherwise you are getting interference from the powerline itself and a ferite core wont help

Thank tou!! Going to try these on pentair UV, do you need a specific type? I just picked some up on Amazon , they just snap over the tank costing power cord?

This is not logical. GFI only trip if the equipment is faulty, which is really dangerous for the Reefers, the family, the house and the fish.
Even if it is my main pump I rather have no electricity to a cracked main pump than getting electrocuted or all the fishes and animals killed by copper release into the tank due to the cracked pump.

Gfi aka gfci do not only trip when there is faulty equipment

They will explode and catch fire due to high humidity

They will trip if you have a surge protector

Some won't trip when they should had this happen house almost caught fire as the outlet burst into flames inside the wall

Relying on the gfi to save you is not a good plan

Making sure your safe when working in a tank is the only real plan all others are just a fail point and will eventually cause problems

Your better off making sure your not grounded

Also other then copper leaking into the water a broken piece of equipment in your tank dumping electric into the water is not dangerous to the fish at all enless the tank is grounded by either you(shock)or a prob otherwise it's completely harmless

It's the same as a bird on a power wire