Electrical Help

[Rhino]

Are there any electricians in the club? The wife has given me permission to setup a new tank but I have a few electrical concerns before I settle on a location. First my kitchen and dining room is one large room. The plugs on the dining room side are the same Gfci as half my kitchen. So if I trip the breaker in my dining room plugs I have to go reset the Gfci in the kitchen. This has only happened twice while running a shop vac recently. My concern is will my tank be eating up to much electricity to the point I have I worry about it tripping all the time? My fridge and
Dishwasher are also on this same wall of plugs. I would greatly appreciate any help that anyone can give.

 

[cee]

The GFCI tripping has nothing to do with the load on the circuit. Those are two different considerations. It is possible that you could have too great a load on the circuit but that would trip the circuit breaker, not the GFCI. If your shop vac is tripping the GFCI it is because it is not properly insulated and water is likely getting somewhere it shouldn't be. We'd have to know what is currently on the breaker you're considering and what you would plan to add before determining if you need a new circuit or not. Just stating "dishwasher", etc., is not sufficient; we'd need the amp draw or VA loading. Sounds like you really need an electrician to come to the home and check out what you have in mind.

 

[islander84]

How many amps is your panel box? Do you have any open slots in the panel box?

 

[Rhino]

The GFCI tripping has nothing to do with the load on the circuit. Those are two different considerations. It is possible that you could have too great a load on the circuit but that would trip the circuit breaker, not the GFCI. If your shop vac is tripping the GFCI it is because it is not properly insulated and water is likely getting somewhere it shouldn't be. We'd have to know what is currently on the breaker you're considering and what you would plan to add before determining if you need a new circuit or not. Just stating "dishwasher", etc., is not sufficient; we'd need the amp draw or VA loading. Sounds like you really need an electrician to come to the home and check out what you have in mind.

I am sure at this point I will have to call an electrician I know nothing when it comes to electricity.

 

[Rhino]

How many amps is your panel box? Do you have any open slots in the panel box?

No idea. Will it be listed on the box somewhere? Yes there are multiple open slots.

 

[islander84]

What type of panel box do you have? GE, Square D are the most common 1998 and newer.... when was your house built?

Depending on the type of panel box you have, you can look at the Main breaker and it should be either 100 amps or 200 amps. Then add up the amount of amps being drawn on each breaker..... they should all be 15 or 20 and then maybe a 30 or 50 for the stove/oven and hvac sometimes larger depending on your hvac unit.

 

[Rhino]

What type of panel box do you have? GE, Square D are the most common 1998 and newer.... when was your house built?

Depending on the type of panel box you have, you can look at the Main breaker and it should be either 100 amps or 200 amps. Then add up the amount of amps being drawn on each breaker..... they should all be 15 or 20 and then maybe a 30 or 50 for the stove/oven and hvac sometimes larger depending on your hvac unit.

Will do this as soon as I get home. My house was built in 2003.