What Equip. goes on a GFCI?

[Gools]

I'm thinking mostly lights, and any submerged pumps/powerheads in my tank and sump. I don't use heaters. Can anyone else think of things that should be put on these plugs?

I'm doing my electrical work right now and I'll be going out to buy reg plugs and GFCI plugs, and didn't realize how expensive they are, so if not needed all the better. Thanks

[OneDayMatt]

The lights probably aren't as necessary. The things you really want on GFCI are the things submerged in your tank or things that, in the case your tank was to overflow ... would get wet

[LockeOak]

Anything that touches water, ideally.

[barjam]

Look at your GFCIs, normally they protect everything hooked up past them. There should be a sticker on the bottom set of connects indicating this.

On my tank, for example, I have two circuits and three outlets with only two GFCIs yet everything is protected. The only reason I use two circuits is that if one breaker trips the tank won't die.

Ideally you want everything hooked to the GFCI. If a light falls in the (salt) water, or a spill gets on a ballast and it isn't GFCI protected you could have an explosion not to mention you could be killed if you were touching the same water. 10-15 amps is a lot of juice.

[Gools]

I'm just worried that things won't come back on if th power goes out, because you have to manually reset them. I was reading a thread and mentioned the main pump didn't come back on after the power went off.

[Gools]

And I didn't see the point of spending extra money if my skimmer and reactor that would be a few feet away and that aren't really close to water. But if it is a good idea I will do it

[OneDayMatt]

If you've got a short in your circuit, you don't want that power to come back on. The other option you have is to put each item on it's own GFCI circuit. That would be a pricey proposition, but it would make sure that you would only shut down the item that created the short.

[Roy G. Biv]

Originally posted by Gools
I'm just worried that things won't come back on if th power goes out, because you have to manually reset them.

Thats strange that I keep hearing this. All my gfci's.. 3 bathrooms, kitchen, fish tank, laundry room, sump room, garage all have gfci's. I never ever had this problem.

[Frick-n-Frags]

the wall GFI's usually are less touchy than the portable ones.
the right glitch in the line voltage will kick all my GFI's out . they are portables.

to answer the question, I have GFI's for pumps and heaters. As said, the "in water" stuff.

regarding what a GFI will do for you if you are getting electrocuted by a light = ZERO (unless the ballast with the mains fell in). because the potential powering the bulb is not WRT ground anymore. it is now transformer isolated and is WRT itself, like a 200v car battery.

[cardiffgiant]

Originally posted by barjam
[B]Look at your GFCIs, normally they protect everything hooked up past them. There should be a sticker on the bottom set of connects indicating this.

On my tank, for example, I have two circuits and three outlets with only two GFCIs yet everything is protected. The only reason I use two circuits is that if one breaker trips the tank won't die.

This is a good point. The GFCI should be the first outlet in the circuit, not the outlet closest to water. Then the entire circuit is protected.

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

IMO, everything in, on or near the tank should be on a GFCI. Certainly anything you could be touching and also be touching the tank at the same time. That's the law in most places in relation to sinks, bathtubs, and such and grounded reef tanks are no less of a concern.

I use many individual GFCI outlets to minimize the problem that occurs if and when one trips. Ideally, every device on its own GFCI.

[MrSpiffy]

Originally posted by OneDayMatt
The lights probably aren't as necessary. The things you really want on GFCI are the things submerged in your tank or things that, in the case your tank was to overflow ... would get wet

You DEFINITELY want your lights on a GFCI!! They're right above the tank. What if they fall in? Get splashed and explode a bulb? Water gets sprayed into the power strip they're plugged into? You have a faulty wire and get a short circuit? Do you really want a few thousand volts just waiting for you to stick your hand into the tank? That GFCI could save your life, prevent fires, save all your livestock, etc. I would never take that risk and not GFCI my lights. Especially around all of that saltwater (which is highly conductive!).

I've read several stories of people getting shocked by their halides, most getting saved when their GFCI tripped. One or two were lucky to be able to let go of the item shocking them. But that's scary stuff. You can feel free to die by shock or burn your house down by not having GFCI'd sockets. Me..? I'll take the safe route.

To answer the original question, I'd put just about anything requiring electricity through a GFCI. Pumps, heaters, lights, everything. No sense in taking chances. And put anything near the tank on GFCI, too. If the tank overflows and floods your place, your nearby outlets are protected, too.

[Roy G. Biv]

Originally posted by cardiffgiant
This is a good point. The GFCI should be the first outlet in the circuit, not the outlet closest to water. Then the entire circuit is protected.

Both of my tank circuits are 20 amp gfci breakers in the box.

the right glitch in the line voltage will kick all my GFI's out . they are portables.

aahhh. I had a tile saw that did that. It was built in the cord. When I unplugged it, it would trip.

[Lucky-rc]

IMO anything that can end up in the water already in the water or you could touch while in the water should be on GFCI. why? Because if your in the tank and the light falls in.... or if your kids are playing over there and they knock oner that lamp over there (or whatever) and go to fix it before they get in trouble....

Thes things are very cheap (gfci) and if you don't know how to install them you can buy extention cords with several outlets on them all GFCI.
Many aquarist have lost a live or their own over a 10-20 dollar gadget (maybe they just wanted to save the cash?) and all while they were trying to clean a several thousand dollar investment.??? Is it worth it?
People we have got to think outside the box on this issue. we may be the only one in our tanks but we are not the only ones around them. And perhaps we know the danger involved, but do we teach it? do th kids listen? PLEASE spend the money. It's not much but it goes as far as a life.

Lucky

Lucky

[Gools]

Well I have my electrian coming in the morning. It wasn't a big deal to get them all to be GFCI plugs, just wasn't sure if they needed to be. So I'll be going all GFCI. Thanks everyone for there input

[Alaska_Phil]

Originally posted by Pmolan
Thats strange that I keep hearing this. All my gfci's.. 3 bathrooms, kitchen, fish tank, laundry room, sump room, garage all have gfci's. I never ever had this problem.

I haven't noticed this with power outages, but I have had the GFI trip when I turned my power strip back on. I'm guessing the start-up spike from the motors is glitching the GFI somehow. It can be reset and run normally through.

Personally I'd rather risk my livestock from a false trip, than risk my life by not having a GFI. Like when I knocked my light into the tank last month. GFI popped and the only thing that died was the ballast. Heck, I wanted to upgrade the lighting anyway.

Phil