Your Resident Electrician for all your electrical questions!

[Mike1995]

Well.. I have a question. Not directly about electricity but I have a good bit of wires under my tank and I was wondering what might be a good way to contain all of it? Is there something I could get to wrap them up or something?
Could some people post some pictures of what they did?

 

[RobW]

Sure! There are tons of options. There are plastic wire loom you can get it at HD or auto parts stores. There are Velcro straps that can easily be undone in case you have move wiring around.

 

[RobW]

Just depends how neat you want your wires. If you have a crazy amount of wires... dont bundle too many together.

 

[Mike1995]

Just depends how neat you want your wires. If you have a crazy amount of wires... dont bundle too many together.

There's probably 15 or so. Could I get like a electrical box (like the big ones you see in people's basement with all the breakers) and put them in that? Or would that not be safe?

 

[RobW]

There's probably 15 or so. Could I get like a electrical box (like the big ones you see in people's basement with all the breakers) and put them in that? Or would that not be safe?

Do you have a picture of these wires?

 

[Brew12]

Well.. I have a question. Not directly about electricity but I have a good bit of wires under my tank and I was wondering what might be a good way to contain all of it? Is there something I could get to wrap them up or something?
Could some people post some pictures of what they did?

I used these on my old build and they come in various sizes. Keeps the wires looking great. I would not run anything in it that requires regular maintenance such as a skimmer and return pump. At least for me, making it that much more difficult to remove the skimmer and return pump meant I did maintenance on them much less often than I should have.
https://www.amazon.com/StarTech-com...t&qid=1553261455&s=gateway&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1

This is what it looked like on my control panel.

 

[Mike1995]

I used these on my old build and they come in various sizes. Keeps the wires looking great. I would not run anything in it that requires regular maintenance such as a skimmer and return pump. At least for me, making it that much more difficult to remove the skimmer and return pump meant I did maintenance on them much less often than I should have.
https://www.amazon.com/StarTech-com...t&qid=1553261455&s=gateway&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1

This is what it looked like on my control panel.

Oh wow! I'll go look at those!!

 

[RobW]

I used these on my old build and they come in various sizes. Keeps the wires looking great. I would not run anything in it that requires regular maintenance such as a skimmer and return pump. At least for me, making it that much more difficult to remove the skimmer and return pump meant I did maintenance on them much less often than I should have.
https://www.amazon.com/StarTech-com...t&qid=1553261455&s=gateway&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1

This is what it looked like on my control panel.

Those are great for wire management. We use something similar to those when we install panels for automation and control of homes and commercial applications.

 

[K-Philly]

I was wondering if anyone on here can explain how to setup an automated switch that will cut on LED strips inside the stand for seeing at night.

 

[RobW]

I was wondering if anyone on here can explain how to setup an automated switch that will cut on LED strips inside the stand for seeing at night.

How do you want to automated the switch? What are you trying to control it from?

 

[RobW]

You mean like a door switch for when the door opens the lights come on automatically? If that's the case you need a normally open switch for when the door is closed. When you open the door the contact closes and turns the led strips on. Fairly simple operation.

 

[K-Philly]

How do you want to automated the switch? What are you trying to control it from?

Just the opening of the door. I reckon you need a controller for this?

 

[RobW]

Nope. Just a simple jamb switch will work.

 

[RobW]

It's like a plunger switch. Just like a refrigerator door. If you have LEDs with a driver. One wire (the common) goes directly to your led driver from the source of power. The other goes to the door switch then out of the door switch to the other lead of the driver.

 

[RobW]

Something like this would work. But I recommend breaking the low voltage side side with this type of switch. Not the 120volt side. Not good to have exposed high voltage wiring.

 

[Taxus812]

Learning a lot on this site. The tank is setup and I don’t have a gfi on this 15A circuit. I want to have one put in at the panel. Interim, I added this weather cover and a gfci extension which then plugs into the power center (not a large tank and does not consume a tone of power) . I tested tripping it and it is working as I would expect.

Are gfci power cords/strips sufficient for protection?

 

[RobW]

It will certainly help. You could have just changed the actual receptacle to a gfci. And then put the in-use cover on there. How much other stuff is on the circuit that the tank is on? You're limited to 1800 watts max load on that 15 amp circuit.

 

[Taxus812]

It will certainly help. You could have just changed the actual receptacle to a gfci. And then put the in-use cover on there. How much other stuff is on the circuit that the tank is on?

I toyed with that idea and even have a gfci sitting in the box. I just didn’t want to reach through my cabinet to rip out the outlet. The cover was simple to install.

It’s an addition and There isn’t a lot on that circuit. My end table lights and my tv.

The RS max e 170 is 160w (light and pumps)
Heater is 300w
Eflux wave pumps are 40w each so 80w total
=======================
Grand total max wattage is 540w

 

[RobW]

I toyed with that idea and even have a gfci sitting in the box. I just didn’t want to reach through my cabinet to rip out the outlet. The cover was simple to install.

It’s an addition and There isn’t a lot on that circuit. My end table lights and my tv.

The RS max e 170 is 160w (light and pumps)
Heater is 300w
Eflux wave pumps are 40w each so 80w total
=======================
Grand total max wattage is 540w

Should be fine.

 

[Brew12]

I toyed with that idea and even have a gfci sitting in the box. I just didn’t want to reach through my cabinet to rip out the outlet. The cover was simple to install.

It’s an addition and There isn’t a lot on that circuit. My end table lights and my tv.

The RS max e 170 is 160w (light and pumps)
Heater is 300w
Eflux wave pumps are 40w each so 80w total
=======================
Grand total max wattage is 540w

Agree with @RobW that it would be fine. I would consider adding a second one so you can run your heater and light on one GFCI and everything else on the other. The heater is the most likely failure point and you don't it tripping to take out everything. Putting the light on it will let you know if it trips more easily.