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Well, it’s multi-factorial.I still have to ask why you think you need additional circuits for the tank? Unless it's a godawful huge tank with giant heaters, 1.21 Gigawatts of lighting, chiller, etc, I don't see a tank using more than 5-6 amps so a typical 15 amp household circuit should be fine.
Great info. That explains why I have 1 GFCI socket with nothing plugged in directly below my breaker box. I was also lucky when I moved in and tried to get the landscape lights back up and running to preemptively replace it (because it wouldn’t reset). Turns out all the landscape lights run through that one socket. Would never have guessed without the luck of going ahead and replacing it.generally kitchen and bath GFCI's are setup so that multiple outlets downstream of them are controlled by one GFCI outlet....sometimes in the same room, sometimes not...so you'll see regular outlets marked that they are GFCI controlled ...i have seen multiple bathrooms run off the same GFCI (you'd think an extra GFCI would be cheaper and easier than over 100ft of wire to link 3 rooms together on opposite ends of the house)...also outdoor outlets may be controlled by those same kitchen or bath GFCIs...generally GFCI outlets are favored over GFCI breakers as they are cheaper and can be inserted anywhere in the circuit
Well it really just needs something to draw more current than the breaker is rated for. Of course a direct short will do that also.to kinda oversimplify things...a normal circuit breaker really requires a dead short to trip...literally touching the hot and ground wires together like sticking a fork in an outlet..
That’s awesome! My main LFS closed so LFS just = petco for me. No real community here.I just set up a 80 gallon last week. In Virginia beach I had a local company who was noted for lower/fair prices 23 ft from box to living room one box 4 outlets they quoted $750. Went to my lfs afterwords to ask if they thought that was fair and was put in touch with a local reefer that is an electrician. He came out 2 weeks ago $140 he brought everything with him.
This is true and he is ripping you off. a second circuit is almost no extra labor and a very small cost for a breaker and extra wire, depending on how far it is.In addition, he said running a second circuit would be double the price which seems crazy to me given the only difficult part is the fishing!
GFCI should be a requirement. Its to protect you. I do understand that its possible it could trip and shut off equipment. But the question you should ask yourself. Whats more important. Human life or the fish?We’re putting in a new tank and it seems everyone recommends not running a tank without 1-2 dedicated 20 amp electrical circuits for larger tanks (GFCI or not is debated). The cost varies widely by how much you DIY, location, home layout and distance from the breaker box, etc. So I’d like to know how much you guys actually ended up spending making this happen in your homes. If you ran the wires yourself but had an electrician just hook it up to the box, include the breakdown in the comments!
20 amp circuits require #12 wire or cable. Its not compliant to use 20 amp breakers on #14 wire. If this passed inspection, the inspector needs inspecting.Installed 2 20amp breakers and ran 2 runs of 14/2nmb with 2 GFCI outlets for my tank.
I did the entire thing myself(pretty handy DIY skills as we rewired our entire home, and passed electrical inspections lol). So other then material costs, and my time, labor was $0, but materials was around $200 all said and done.
One tandem breaker will serve two wires. So each tandem used will free up one single pole breaker slot. But you must look at the panel legend to see if they are approved for that particular panel and where they can go in that particular panel.Very true, but if there isn't an open spot for even the tandem breaker, you have to install a new box to accommodate the extra breaker(s).
Easy is not the same as safe and compliant.If you competent enough to afford and setup a reef , electrical work should be easy. Material isn't bad, the tools and equipment isn't that expensive either. The hardest part is running the wire from the panel to where every you are running it to. If you are lucky enough to have an attic, should be easy. However, many have to go through walls, which will require dry wall work then cost just went way up.
For me, I am lucky enough where the builder installed 2 circuit panels in my house so I got plenty of space to add additional circuits. I also have an attic above all parts of my house. So its just material as I already have all the tools. I ran 220 in my garage and it cost me $50.
GFCI is to protect you from electrical shock or worse. A standard breaker does not protect you. Not using GFCI is your choice. But to inadvertently advise against it is short sighted.I ran one dedicated circuit, it was easy because my tank is in the basement and running the line was nothing more than securing the line to the rafters.
After much consideration, I did not include a GFCI, my primary thinking was that all the GFCI that I have in the house inevitability get tripped, it happens and they have to be replace every so often. In 25 years in my home, I have only had a circuit breaker trip a handful of times. I can't say the same for my GFCIs
Regarding cost, see if you can run the line yourself and if you are not comfortable with electrical, have the electrician make the final connections.
This will save you a ton
If you have an existing system without AFCI, there is no requirement to use them. Same with GFCI. I'm not saying to not use them. I am saying its not required.I will just put this out there but to stay up to code you need to be using AFCI breakers or combination AFCI/GFCI breakers for all locations except unfinished basements and garages. And if you are adding an aquarium to your basement, an inspector would not see that as unfinished. Remember the NEC was created to help Insurance companies
Depends on the equipment. All the equipment must be counted and watts considered. It is only then you can decide if your current power availability is sufficient.I still have to ask why you think you need additional circuits for the tank? Unless it's a godawful huge tank with giant heaters, 1.21 Gigawatts of lighting, chiller, etc, I don't see a tank using more than 5-6 amps so a typical 15 amp household circuit should be fine.
Bathrooms must be on there own circuit. Kitchen receptacles serving counter tops cannot be mingled with any other circuits either. Outdoor GFCI circuits can be shared with other general GFCI household circuits.generally kitchen and bath GFCI's are setup so that multiple outlets downstream of them are controlled by one GFCI outlet....sometimes in the same room, sometimes not...so you'll see regular outlets marked that they are GFCI controlled ...i have seen multiple bathrooms run off the same GFCI (you'd think an extra GFCI would be cheaper and easier than over 100ft of wire to link 3 rooms together on opposite ends of the house)...also outdoor outlets may be controlled by those same kitchen or bath GFCIs...generally GFCI outlets are favored over GFCI breakers as they are cheaper and can be inserted anywhere in the circuit
GFCI monitors current between the hot and the neutral. No ground is required for a GFCI to trip. This is the reason GFCI can take the place of two wire ungrounded circuits.to kinda oversimplify things...a normal circuit breaker really requires a dead short to trip...literally touching the hot and ground wires together like sticking a fork in an outlet...a GFCI senses a short to ground, particularly when YOU are the ground...this is why they are required in kitchens, baths, outside...anywhere water is involved...you can have an exposed hot lead in your tank (pump, heater etc) but it really has nowhere to go till you put your hand in and complete the circuit...an arc fault AFCI breaker senses an arc...a spark jumping between 2 wires that really isnt a direct short and since theres resistance involved a regular breaker would just think its a load....such as a loose screw on an outlet...the extra resistance causes heat and stuff melts and burns while a normal breaker just thinks you're using the toaster...my buddy's house burned because a drywall screw got put through the wire to his water heater....again not enough to trip the breaker but it just fried over time....now the fun part of AFCI/GFCIs is that the internal electronic circuitry that makes them work is designed to be overly sensitive and err on the side of caution and are subject to nuisance tripping or complete failure on a pretty regular basis...and yes they can interpret the small amount of arcing on the brushes of an electric motor or refrigeration compressor as a fault...even lightening strikes can trip them