GFCI Outlet poll

[pdxmonkeyboy]

Maybe ask yourself this... what happens more?

1. Entire tanks dieing from a flipped gfci

Or

2. People killing themselves be reaching into a tank with current in it.

 

[TheHarold]

Maybe ask yourself this... what happens more?

1. Entire tanks dieing from a flipped gfci

Or

2. People killing themselves be reaching into a tank with current in it.

Firstly we need to consider whether their is any significant evidence that people have been killed by their aquariums :). Or is it just a scare tactic promoted by GFCI makers?!?! GFCI circuits can’t melt steel beams!

 

[zalick]

Maybe ask yourself this... what happens more?

1. Entire tanks dieing from a flipped gfci

Or

2. People killing themselves be reaching into a tank with current in it.

Wrong equation. That's not apples to apples.

Tank dying is not equivalent to you or family member dying.

The basic calculation is (chance x severity) v. (Chance x severity)

That said, like I mentioned before, I have my system setup so even if the GFCI flips, my tank won't crash because I or someone else can respond.

I've had heaters fail in tank. So have hundreds of other reefers. It's just not worth even a remote risk of catastrophic consequences when the problem is easily solvable.

 

[BeejReef]

One time my gfci flipped and my tank was crashing. Trying to remove struggling coral and livestock, I knicked my hand and was immediately killed by palytoxins. Crazed by grief, my wife smashed the tank and years after my funeral, my entire family had succumb to mold and fungus. True story ;)

 

[TheHarold]

One time my gfci flipped and my tank was crashing. Trying to remove struggling coral and livestock, I knicked my hand and was immediately killed by palytoxins. Crazed by grief, my wife smashed the tank and years after my funeral, my entire family had succumb to mold and fungus. True story ;)

Same!! Thankful for reincarnation

 

[zalick]

Whenever I see the word “GFCI” on a forum I think “Here come the internet electricians!”

My big tank with two circuits is partially GFCI, keeping the return pump and lighting off GFCI.

None of my smaller tanks are on GFCI. I’d rather see some sparkles than come home to a dead tank :p

Whats an "internet electrician"? Is that like a reef keeper who advises people on internet forums to setup non-code electrical work?

 

[MrsBugmaster]

I have these plug in outlets on any outlet that has water around it. QT tanks, water mixing station, Display Tanks.
It has literally saved my life twice now.

Amazon product ASIN B00YPBITXU

 

[TheHarold]

Whats an "internet electrician"? Is that like a reef keeper who advises people on internet forums to setup non-code electrical work?

More or less. People who are not certified electricians, yet still try to lecture on proper electrical. Especially difficult concepts.

 

[JoshH]

Whats an "internet electrician"? Is that like a reef keeper who advises people on internet forums to setup non-code electrical work?

More than likely, however none of what has been advised within this thread in relation to wall outlets violates any electrical code, atleast in North America. :)

Graduating from the Internet Electrician Institute just recently gives me the authority to say as such :p

 

[zalick]

More than likely, however none of what has been advised within this thread in relation to wall outlets violates any electrical code, atleast in North America. :)

Touche! ;)

Unless people are changing all their outlets in the kitchen or bathroom and installing aquariums there. :O

 

[JoshH]

Touche! ;)

Unless people are changing all their outlets in the kitchen or bathroom and installing aquariums there. :O

Exactly ;)

With all the insane code rules out there I'm surprised Aquariums isn't in there atall. ;Bored

Heck here in Canada if your house is 20+ years old it's not even a requirement to have GFCI in bathrooms or kitchens until you renovate those areas. Cause you know, we live on the edge :p

And I wouldn't mind a bathroom tank, hummm.........;Bookworm ;Writing

 

[TheHarold]

Exactly ;)

With all the insane code rules out there I'm surprised Aquariums isn't in there atall. ;Bored

Heck here in Canada if your house is 20+ years old it's not even a requirement to have GFCI in bathrooms or kitchens until you renovate those areas. Cause you know, we live on the edge :p

And I wouldn't mind a bathroom tank, hummm.........;Bookworm ;Writing

In Canada do they make you shut off your breakers when changing outlets/switches? Because I am way too lazy to do that. Little 120v zap is always a good wake-up

 

[JoshH]

In Canada do they make you shut off your breakers when changing outlets/switches? Because I am way too lazy to do that. Little zap is always a good wake-up

Strictly speaking from a jobsite stand point, yes. From my own experiences, I've been zapped enough, throw in a couple of 240 zaps and one tends to lean towards following those pesky safety rules...

 

[zalick]

In Canada do they make you shut off your breakers when changing outlets/switches? Because I am way too lazy to do that. Little zap is always a good wake-up

The zap lets me know things are working. :) My wife hates me for it.

 

[Brew12]

I am probably one of the biggest supporters of using the GFCI/Ground Probe combinations on the forum, but personal safety is a secondary reason I am a huge fan.

If I have a heater or pump fail and allows voltage in the tank, it will also be releasing toxins. Odds are that there will be exposed copper which will corrode much faster if it is energized. Electrical faults also generate very localized heat. This can melt plastics causing toxins to be released.

To protect my inhabitants I want any deranged equipment to be de-energized immediately and I want to know about it ASAP so I can get it out of the water. A GFCI tripping does that for me.

I also understand the concern about reliability. I would never run a larger system on a single GFCI. I use multiple GFCI's to minimize the amount of equipment lost on a trip. My return pump is on it's own independent GFCI. Even if it trips, the power heads in my tank will keep my system alive and healthy for many hours. Much longer than some of the gunk I've seen released from failed equipment.

You dont need a GFI. Yes, they are nice to have but honestly, I have never heard of a single person killing themselves in a fish tank from a faulty appliance.

It's not a bathtub. Believe me, if you stick your hand in there and there is a lot of current, your body will pull your hand out before your brain even realizes what is going on.

I don't know anyone who has died from their aquariums, but I do know of problems. An R2R member was working in their small reef (I think it was 20g) and got a shock while standing on a stool. They yanked their arm out as expected, but it caught on the edge of the tank as they fell backward. The tank came over with them and crashed on the floor and they needed stitches from the cut they received. They use GFCI now.

 

[zalick]

I am probably one of the biggest supporters of using the GFCI/Ground Probe combinations on the forum, but personal safety is a secondary reason I am a huge fan.

If I have a heater or pump fail and allows voltage in the tank, it will also be releasing toxins. Odds are that there will be exposed copper which will corrode much faster if it is energized. Electrical faults also generate very localized heat. This can melt plastics causing toxins to be released.

To protect my inhabitants I want any deranged equipment to be de-energized immediately and I want to know about it ASAP so I can get it out of the water. A GFCI tripping does that for me.

I also understand the concern about reliability. I would never run a larger system on a single GFCI. I use multiple GFCI's to minimize the amount of equipment lost on a trip. My return pump is on it's own independent GFCI. Even if it trips, the power heads in my tank will keep my system alive and healthy for many hours. Much longer than some of the gunk I've seen released from failed equipment.


I don't know anyone who has died from their aquariums, but I do know of problems. An R2R member was working in their small reef (I think it was 20g) and got a shock while standing on a stool. They yanked their arm out as expected, but it caught on the edge of the tank as they fell backward. The tank came over with them and crashed on the floor and they needed stitches from the cut they received. They use GFCI now.

Thanks for all your electrical contributions here. I just read some of your old posts on the GFCI pigtails and specifically how you had your old Apex setup. I have a new weekend project!

 

[Potatohead]

I'm surprised to hear some people have GFCI's trip for "no reason" so often. I know it happened to BRS, thought that was weird. I have a bunch of them in my house, two tanks each on a separate one, my mixing station on another, and I don't think I have ever had one trip without reason. It's also nice to hear that 'click' when you drop a live cord in the sump (oops).

Of course, now that I said that... ;Bored

 

[Brew12]

I'm surprised to hear some people have GFCI's trip for "no reason" so often. I know it happened to BRS, thought that was weird. I have a bunch of them in my house, two tanks each on a separate one, my mixing station on another, and I don't think I have ever had one trip without reason.

Of course, now that I said that... ;Bored

It was a legitimate issue with older GFCI's running DC pumps and some lighting (my lights aren't on GFCI) because of harmonics. It stopped being a serious problem 8 to 10 years ago so people with newer homes or installations shouldn't have a problem. GFCI's have come a long way since they were first required by code.

 

[piranhaman00]

I just ordered 3 portable GFCI outlets for my 4 tanks lol, scary stuff!

However, I run two 40 watt pentair UV, hoping they dont pop the GFCI like people in this thread are having, any way around this?

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/uv-keeps-tripping-gfci.679977/page-4

 

[zalick]

It was a legitimate issue with older GFCI's running DC pumps and some lighting (my lights aren't on GFCI) because of harmonics. It stopped being a serious problem 8 to 10 years ago so people with newer homes or installations shouldn't have a problem. GFCI's have come a long way since they were first required by code.

Nothing gets the adrenaline flowing like having an old GFCI trip, taking it out and seeing the insides smoking and black....