Hey GlassMunky - I am running into the same problems as you are. GFCI tripping with the Pentair on. I have not contacted the manufactory yet, but I will once I figure this out. Originally, I thought it had to be the ballast problem, but now I am thinking the voltage is actually getting into my tank (leak ) and my finnex heater is creating a ground. I unplugged my heater and I now see that I get stray voltage when I turn on my UV (12V). I think the ground is completing the circuit and bang the GFCI pops. No water in the tube. I have 2 of these units. One on my frag and now one on my main display. The frag one works perfectly. The display one does not. The only difference is one is vertically mounted and one is horizontally mounted. The Horizontal one is the one tripping. Is yours Horizontally mounted? I wonder if we put more of an angle on the mount if that will help. Not looking forward to that as I am already plumbed. I am going to try to put my on other GFCI circuit first (by itself) to see if the current by itself will trip it.
UV keeps tripping GFCI??
- Thread starter GlassMunky
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Not all products can run off GFCI unless they are specifically designed to do so and are low leakage. UV are clearly one of them and not intended to use with a GFCI. That does not mean they are not working as intended though.
SteveMM62Reef
Valuable Member
I’ve had problems with House Fluorescent Lamps Tripping the GFCI when there have been minor power fluctuations. “Rural Power Lines, Wind Blowing, Trees Arcing Power Lines.” Also I know that they can trip from poor neutral connections at the Receptacle and in the Breaker panel(s). Also are using a Sub-Panel? If so the Neutral and ground should never be connected in the Sub-Panel or Down Stream from the Sub-Panel.
No sub panels. Ground and Neutral go to different bars on the panel. I would like to keep the UV on a GFCI. The documentation also states that . Not sure how the voltage is getting into the tank. Could that be induction? Anyway, I have had my heater off now for 1 hour and no trip. That is because the voltage can not complete the circuit. I am sure if I plug it in the heater will trip. Even if I leave the heater off (via APex). If it doesn't then maybe the combination of multiple leaks is tripping it. Also thinking of going veritical and/or shorting the bulb in the housing to the front more. Might also just put it on its own circuit.
Ghost Trips
Consider that all GFCI’s must trip at a leakage current of 5 ma. GFCI “Ghost Trips” are caused by electrical devices that have small electrical leakage current to ground. Multiple outlets protected by one GFCI allow for potential cumulative leakage currents caused by multiple appliances each leaking small amounts of current.Example: One pump plugged into an outlet that is part of a four outlet branch protected by one GFCI will not trip the GFCI with its 2 mA leakage current. However, two pumps and a UV with a cumulative leakage current of 7 mA will trip the GFCI. This is a common problem.The solution to the GFCI “Ghost Trip” problem is to operate the device on its own GFCI protected outlet, or, remove other devices from the GFCI protected branch of outlets. If the GFCI is over ten years old, you may want to consider replacing it.
Consider that all GFCI’s must trip at a leakage current of 5 ma. GFCI “Ghost Trips” are caused by electrical devices that have small electrical leakage current to ground. Multiple outlets protected by one GFCI allow for potential cumulative leakage currents caused by multiple appliances each leaking small amounts of current.Example: One pump plugged into an outlet that is part of a four outlet branch protected by one GFCI will not trip the GFCI with its 2 mA leakage current. However, two pumps and a UV with a cumulative leakage current of 7 mA will trip the GFCI. This is a common problem.The solution to the GFCI “Ghost Trip” problem is to operate the device on its own GFCI protected outlet, or, remove other devices from the GFCI protected branch of outlets. If the GFCI is over ten years old, you may want to consider replacing it.
I have used GFCI on all my tanks for over 10 years and they only tripped when something was actually wrong.
Whole tanks don’t die that fast. I used to turn the pumps off for hours to let a slow mandarin eat.
A lot of people probably have battery backup for their pumps anyways these days in case of a power outage. Flow is all the really matters in the short term.
Probably should unplug the GFCI if you are out of town and have no other systems in place to alert you the power is off, otherwise it’s fine in most situations.
SteveMM62Reef
Valuable Member
In you main Panel Neutral and Ground should be inter-connected. Usually this is via a Bus Bar. The one exception to this, is if you have a Breaker or Disconnect at the Meter, and the Neutral and Ground are connected together there, then your Main Panel becomes a sub-panel. I had a house that was like that. Originally the power ran overhead down an alley, behind the house. The utilities ran under ground down the street. I had a breaker panel, with one 150 Amp Breaker next to the meter. My Main Panel had the Bus Bar, between the Neutral and ground removed. This was to prevent a ground loop. Also the grounding rods were placed at the panel near the meter.
Just got a two month old pentair 40w from a fellow reefer and mine is doing same thing. After only couple hours its tripping gfci. Going to install another gfci on adjacent wall and see if it still trips.
Had an older 25w emperor uv and never tripped once. what the heck is up with pentair?? Have heard people say to run on regular unprotected outlet but that seems very dangerous to me even with a grounding probe. If water gets into the quartz sleeve wouldnt that potentially kill you once you touch water in the tank? I already debated pros and cons to running these but thats a BIG con if it could happen lol.
Had an older 25w emperor uv and never tripped once. what the heck is up with pentair?? Have heard people say to run on regular unprotected outlet but that seems very dangerous to me even with a grounding probe. If water gets into the quartz sleeve wouldnt that potentially kill you once you touch water in the tank? I already debated pros and cons to running these but thats a BIG con if it could happen lol.
I have installed a second gfci and isolated the power supply of the uv to it and so far it hasnt tripped but still very early to tell if it will last. Can’t believe pentair would have these defects and not solve it. If this doesn’t work Im going to get a lifeguard 55w. Don’t want to risk electrical shock on unprotected circuit.
JumboShrimp
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Plugged a new 40W Pentair UV into an extension cord with a 4-outlet GFCI box. (I had another extension cord plugged into the box too— but no equipment on that.) The Pentair cut out twice in two days. So I read on R2R that the Pentair ‘doesn’t like’ anything else plugged into the same GFCI. I unplugged the unused cord— so far, four days with the UV plugged in all by itself and no more trips. I am absolutely not an electrician; Could just be a coincidence; might have merely been utility company power fluctuations, as some one else suggested. Just adding my 2-cents.
Thanks I actually do have a few other things plugged in to it and will remove them if it trips. I had older model emperor aquatics 25w and it never tripped once. Sad to see pentair has not lived up to the reputation or the price point. I have decided uv will be run on my tank and if needed will get the lifeguard aquatics unit which honestly looks much better anyway.
DaddyFish
“5 percenter”
Any current leakage from the bulb power to the water column, even microamps, would be enough to trip GFCI. I have yet to find a UV unit that doesn't have SOME water buildup inside the quartz sleeve over time. And I have yet to find a UV unit that when mounted horizontally doesn't accumulate enough moisture to corrode the lamp connections. That's all it takes to create an imbalance and trip GFCI.
As painful as it is to do so, I now mount all my UV units vertically, no exception. That way moisture collects at the bottom of the glass bulb tube and takes a very long time to become a problem.
As painful as it is to do so, I now mount all my UV units vertically, no exception. That way moisture collects at the bottom of the glass bulb tube and takes a very long time to become a problem.
yep I have mine vertical as well. Couldnt get it to pass the water test horizontally. That brings up my second problem with these, the design sucks. How hard is it to design something that is 100 percent waterproof? Im worried I will break the sleeve if I tighten too much but have to constantly check seal with finger and straighten the sleeve. The person I got
It from didn’t use the small black o-ring and honestly looks like it would seal better with just the larger one.
DaddyFish
“5 percenter”
I apply a generous portion of silicone grease (dielectric silicone grease aka spark plug boot grease) to all my UV seals. I find it helps the seal. I also apply it to the connector pins of the bulbs to help resist corrosion.
DaddyFish
“5 percenter”
Hey us Dallas boyz have to stick together!Thanks I was thinking of doing this after fighting it for ever doing the water tests lol. Love this forum man so many good people here
Hmm... I've got the same 40w Pentair and it's been on a EB8 which goes into a GFCI, plain old 20am Leviton from Home Depot for 2+ years no issues. BUT... I feel the fluorescent bulb popping GFCI pain, I had a combination of my 10x80w T5 fixtures that kept tripping the GFCI, I believe splitting the load up helped; it was either a load thing (too much draw) or just splitting the cr4ppy ballasts from the hybrid T5 fixture from my good ones on the ATI 6x80w. I have 2x20amp circuits, and splitting them up helped.
Honestly, if you haven't called Pentair support, give them a ring. When I first got it, I accidentally glued the union without the nut on. Called them up, spent 10 minutes talking to their sales rep, picked up a set of O-Rings while I was at it, and the guy was extremely helpful. Really impressed me with the service.
Apologize if any of this has been covered, but thought I'd add my experience.
Honestly, if you haven't called Pentair support, give them a ring. When I first got it, I accidentally glued the union without the nut on. Called them up, spent 10 minutes talking to their sales rep, picked up a set of O-Rings while I was at it, and the guy was extremely helpful. Really impressed me with the service.
Apologize if any of this has been covered, but thought I'd add my experience.
Thanks for the advice I may call them if I reach the end of my rope lol. My main gfci is also leviton from hd and was tripping every time. The new one I installed is from local mom and pop shop with old looking brand I never heard of. Hoping it will make the difference and will isolate it if it trips.
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