jhuntstl
Valuable Member
I've been working to build more fail safes into my reef tank.
Hopefully this weekend, I'll have a dedicated GFCI circuit with a water proof bubble outlet to power my tank. An electrician is helping, don't worry!
Then there's other small things like leak sensors and alarms. I had also heard about the battery backup air pumps. They are a cheap, very simple device that can aerate your tank in a power outage.
So I ordered a Penn Plax Battery Operated Air Pump SAB11 for 13 bucks. I was home for lunch the other day when it was delivered. I didn't have a whole lot of time, but I opened it up, briefly read the instructions, and started to mock it up to the tank. I installed the tubing and airstone and dropped it in the tank. The power cord on this thing is super short, but I was able to just barely get it plugged in to a non gfci outlet I had nearby. Everything I'm doing at the moment is out of ignorant curiosity. I didn't even have the D batteries required to make this a functional battery backup. I was just excited to see how it would integrate into my system.
Something distracted me and while I did not intend to leave this plugged in, I did. I went back to work. I came back home 4 hours later to a very intense burning plastic smell. I could not visually find the cause and initially assumed it was a window AC unit that had burned up. It didn't take too long to realize it wasn't the source. Eventually my nose lead me to this little backup air device I had completely forgotten about.
The airstone and tubing had caused a very slow siphon into the device. It was dripping directly on to the hot and neutral wires from the AC cord plugged into a non-GFCI outlet. It's pretty clear from these photos that was the case.
Now here's the strangest part. It was unplugged from the outlet when I discovered it to be the source. It was no longer arcing, burning, or melting the plastic of the case. Whatever happened was stopped when someone or something unplugged it. But how was it unplugged?
Well to give some depressing context. My old dog, Chewy, is on his way out and I'm expecting to put him down sooner than later. I've been leaving my doors unlocked so family, friends, and neighbors can come visit him while I'm at work.
The first logical explanation I had was a visitor dropped by, noticed the issue, and unplugged the cord from the outlet. I called everyone who had been visiting, but no one is claiming to have prevented this potential catastrophe. I had my neighbor check her Ring door bell camera for the 4 hours I was gone. No one came to my front door.
My next most logical conclusion? Chewy saved the day. There is no doubt he was alerted to the smell, sound, smoke and likely visual electrical arc of the device I so carelessly left plugged in. He must have reacted and somehow unplugged the cord. He's losing his ability to stand and walk with each passing week, but I believe he managed to find the strength and wits to prevent what could have been a serious fire.
This was an unfortunate experience. I made a lot of dumb mistakes. I know better than to leave anything in the tank that can create a siphon. There was no purpose to even plug the thing in to begin with. It was non functional until I had batteries. I was excited because I got a reef delivery.
I probably don't need to point out the irony of a life support device nearly taking out my tank and home.
The good thing is we can always learn from our mistakes.
But feel free to shame me for my ignorant stupidity. I can take it.
The likely hero, Chewy.
Hopefully this weekend, I'll have a dedicated GFCI circuit with a water proof bubble outlet to power my tank. An electrician is helping, don't worry!
Then there's other small things like leak sensors and alarms. I had also heard about the battery backup air pumps. They are a cheap, very simple device that can aerate your tank in a power outage.
So I ordered a Penn Plax Battery Operated Air Pump SAB11 for 13 bucks. I was home for lunch the other day when it was delivered. I didn't have a whole lot of time, but I opened it up, briefly read the instructions, and started to mock it up to the tank. I installed the tubing and airstone and dropped it in the tank. The power cord on this thing is super short, but I was able to just barely get it plugged in to a non gfci outlet I had nearby. Everything I'm doing at the moment is out of ignorant curiosity. I didn't even have the D batteries required to make this a functional battery backup. I was just excited to see how it would integrate into my system.
Something distracted me and while I did not intend to leave this plugged in, I did. I went back to work. I came back home 4 hours later to a very intense burning plastic smell. I could not visually find the cause and initially assumed it was a window AC unit that had burned up. It didn't take too long to realize it wasn't the source. Eventually my nose lead me to this little backup air device I had completely forgotten about.
The airstone and tubing had caused a very slow siphon into the device. It was dripping directly on to the hot and neutral wires from the AC cord plugged into a non-GFCI outlet. It's pretty clear from these photos that was the case.
Now here's the strangest part. It was unplugged from the outlet when I discovered it to be the source. It was no longer arcing, burning, or melting the plastic of the case. Whatever happened was stopped when someone or something unplugged it. But how was it unplugged?
Well to give some depressing context. My old dog, Chewy, is on his way out and I'm expecting to put him down sooner than later. I've been leaving my doors unlocked so family, friends, and neighbors can come visit him while I'm at work.
The first logical explanation I had was a visitor dropped by, noticed the issue, and unplugged the cord from the outlet. I called everyone who had been visiting, but no one is claiming to have prevented this potential catastrophe. I had my neighbor check her Ring door bell camera for the 4 hours I was gone. No one came to my front door.
My next most logical conclusion? Chewy saved the day. There is no doubt he was alerted to the smell, sound, smoke and likely visual electrical arc of the device I so carelessly left plugged in. He must have reacted and somehow unplugged the cord. He's losing his ability to stand and walk with each passing week, but I believe he managed to find the strength and wits to prevent what could have been a serious fire.
This was an unfortunate experience. I made a lot of dumb mistakes. I know better than to leave anything in the tank that can create a siphon. There was no purpose to even plug the thing in to begin with. It was non functional until I had batteries. I was excited because I got a reef delivery.
I probably don't need to point out the irony of a life support device nearly taking out my tank and home.
The good thing is we can always learn from our mistakes.
But feel free to shame me for my ignorant stupidity. I can take it.
The likely hero, Chewy.
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