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

[Cory]

I have a power bar with an on/off/reset button. Is this a gfci?

 

[OrionN]

No. That is not a GFCI. It only a GFCI if it said it is and there is a test button to test if the GFCI is working.

 

[KStatefan]

Thank you for the very informative read, every tank I have set up so far I've installed a GFCI and no doubt because of a reminder like this thread. For me, living in an apartment, I have more than my own safety to be concerned with and I think that the risk of fire is the greatest concern.

My question: Is there a premium GFCI on the market that would be less prone to false trips?

There are hospital grade GFCIs but I do not think the circuitry is different just a better plug retention method.

 

[alton]

There are hospital grade GFCIs but I do not think the circuitry is different just a better plug retention method.

Most receptacles trip at 4 - 6 milli-amps. Hospital grade trip at 5 ma, a more accurate GFCI

 

[jduong916]

I'll never use a GFI or grounding probe. GFIs always trip. Grounding probe will kill your fish and coral when a short happens. Just make sure the outlet doesn't get splashed on.

 

[Brew12]

Grounding probe will kill your fish and coral when a short happens.

Why do you feel a grounding probe would be more dangerous to your fish and coral if a short happens than the copper being released into the tank during that short?

 

[OrionN]

I'll never use a GFI or grounding probe. GFIs always trip. Grounding probe will kill your fish and coral when a short happens. Just make sure the outlet doesn't get splashed on.

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.

 

[KStatefan]

Most receptacles trip at 4 - 6 milli-amps. Hospital grade trip at 5 ma, a more accurate GFCI

PASS & SEYMOUR Hospital Grade GFCIs are rated at 4-6 mA and 0.025 seconds like there standard GFCIs.

 

[jduong916]

Why do you feel a grounding probe would be more dangerous to your fish and coral if a short happens than the copper being released into the tank during that short?

I don't know what you mean by copper being released into the tank, I'd feel the stray voltage way before any copper would corrode in the tank. As far as a grounding probe goes; Its similar to birds on a power line. They aren't grounded so they don't get shocked. If they touch both lines then zap current goes through and they're dead.

 

[jduong916]

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.

GFIs will trip for no reason at all, moisture in the air can cause a GFI to trip (which is kind of the purpose I guess). I just don't want to be out of town for a few days and my pump goes out for no reason at all. If I'm not messing with the tank there should be no reason why the outlets are in contact with water. I know if saltwater is splashed on an outlet it will smoke, but I don't see how this would happen unless you are there working on the tank. In that case I don't need a GFI to tell me I got some issues, my eyes will take care of that.

GFIs weren't even required back in the day, hell ground wire wasn't even back in the day, and those houses and building haven't all burnt down. Yes it's a safety precaution, but a power outage to the tank is also something I don't want to risk.

 

[Brew12]

I don't know what you mean by copper being released into the tank.

If you have a fault voltage then you have exposed copper from the electrical wiring touching the water. This copper will break down much faster with voltage present and release more copper ions into the water than if it were de-energized. This is one major reason I prefer to run with a GFCI and ground probe. I want any faulted equipment tripped ASAP to minimize copper leaching, along with other possible contaminants.

Its similar to birds on a power line. They aren't grounded so they don't get shocked. If they touch both lines then zap current goes through the and they're dead.

Unfortunately, this line of thinking doesn't work in a reef tank. The birds live in air, which is an insulator. Marine fish live in salt water, which is a conductor. The fish have a much higher resistance than the water they live in so most of the current will flow around them, not through them. However, when used with a GFCI, any current flow over 5mA should be stopped when it trips.


Just something to think about.

 

[Silver14SS]

I'll be setting up my tank soon, is there a specific GFCI and grounding probe that you recommend? My apologies if I overlooked it in the prior pages.

 

[Brew12]

I'll be setting up my tank soon, is there a specific GFCI and grounding probe that you recommend? My apologies if I overlooked it in the prior pages.

I think all of the GFCI's you can get at Lowe's or Home Depot are fine. I wouldn't risk an off brand from Amazon. As for grounding probes, they are so simple that any probe will do as long as it is titanium.

 

[NY_Caveman]

I'll be setting up my tank soon, is there a specific GFCI and grounding probe that you recommend? My apologies if I overlooked it in the prior pages.

I used the Vertex Titanium Grounding Pole. Cheap and simple. It is plugged directly into the GFCI outlet as is my power center for the rest of the equipment.

 

[wsoldier]

Assuming I don't have any other large power demands on the circuit, is going the GFCI breaker route the best bet to protect the tank's nearby receptacles since they aren't currently GFCI, or is that less effective from a human safety standpoint?

Otherwise I imagine I'd need to open up some walls and do some wiring to retrofit each of the receptacles.

 

[Brew12]

Assuming I don't have any other large power demands on the circuit, is going the GFCI breaker route the best bet to protect the tank's nearby receptacles since they aren't currently GFCI, or is that less effective from a human safety standpoint?

Otherwise I imagine I'd need to open up some walls and do some wiring to retrofit each of the receptacles.

Changing out a regular outlet to GFCI is fairly easy. No opening up of the walls required.

 

[piranhaman00]

Bump!

Anyone use gfi but have a return pump isolated on non gfi?
@Brew12

 

[vetteguy53081]

Bump!

Anyone use gfi but have a return pump isolated on non gfi?
@Brew12

Return pump is one of the components known for causing stray voltage and I make it a priority to be plugged into a gfci
All my components grounded as salt and electricity don’t play well together.
im more comfortable knowing my circuit will trip than risk of spark

 

[n2585722]

Bump!

Anyone use gfi but have a return pump isolated on non gfi?
@Brew12

I have everything on GFIC outlets. That said my tank has gone over 4 hours without any return pump running thanks to the rolling blackouts we had last year in February. I do have my MP10's on a Ecotech batter backup though.

 

[Sleepydoc]

Completely agree with @vetteguy53081 for the exact same reasons.