GFCI tripped!

Jlobo · 05/03/2011, 10:48 PM

...this evening and I'm glad I noticed it because of course my filter and heater were not on. What in the heck would have caused it to trip?!

PMUnprotected · 05/03/2011, 10:57 PM

Could be a bad pump or powerhead if you have them. Mine tripped bc my pump had a short.

disc1 · 05/03/2011, 11:05 PM

Reset it. If it trips again, start unplugging one thing at a time until you figure out what's tripping it.

Vinny Kreyling · 05/04/2011, 08:41 AM

I had a bad heater trip mine.

roli112 · 05/04/2011, 09:14 AM

More times than anything it would be a bad heater

computeaholic · 05/04/2011, 09:51 AM

+1 for the heater. Usually need to replace once a year.

bluebill · 05/04/2011, 09:57 AM

It could be anything. Including to many things "comming on" at the same time. GFCI's are designed to detect a sudden changes in current and trip. I would not be concerned unless it continues then start with the heater like the other posters have said. Also if the GFCI has tripped alot you may want to replace it also, because like a breaker they are consider no good once the trip (due to its ability to read current accurately over time/contacts become weak).

Jlobo · 05/04/2011, 10:01 AM

Well I hope it's not my 3 week old Jager heater! My fear is that it will trip when I'm sleeping at night and that I will wake up to some very oxygen starved and cold critters.

MalHavoc · 05/04/2011, 10:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bluebill

GFCI's are designed to detect a sudden changes in current and trip.

No, not quite. They detect the difference between the current flowing into a circuit and the current flowing back out of it. The idea is that the device that is causing a problem has become grounded some how, and current is flowing to ground instead of going back through the GFCI.

bluebill · 05/04/2011, 10:13 AM

I do agree. But a circuit being ground is not the only thing. This would continue the GFCI to trip. Sudden changes I mean are more like a spike for example you have a chest freezer in your garage, and while you are cutting wood (from a protected outlet), the compressor to the freezer kicks on at the same time and it trips. But with this it could go on forever.

snorvich · 05/04/2011, 10:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MalHavoc

No, not quite. They detect the difference between the current flowing into a circuit and the current flowing back out of it. The idea is that the device that is causing a problem has become grounded some how, and current is flowing to ground instead of going back through the GFCI.

Yes, I agree. Some devices such as heaters or chillers require a fairly large amount of amps when they start up. Most plugs have either 15 or 20 amps maximum before they trip the GFCI. I always try to load balance because I have a lot of stuff on my tank and that is not even counting lights which are on separate circuits.

MalHavoc · 05/04/2011, 10:54 AM

Yeah. a GFCI will *not* trip because of a load surge when a device is turned on. A panel breaker may trip because of a surge if the surge hits the max rated value for the breaker, but a GFCI compares current in the hot versus neutral, which should only be different if there is a short to ground.

RocketSurgeon · 05/05/2011, 09:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by malhavoc

yeah. A gfci will *not* trip because of a load surge when a device is turned on. A panel breaker may trip because of a surge if the surge hits the max rated value for the breaker, but a gfci compares current in the hot versus neutral, which should only be different if there is a short to ground.

+1

RocketSurgeon · 05/06/2011, 07:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jlobo

...this evening and I'm glad I noticed it because of course my filter and heater were not on....

what's the verdict? did you reset it, and everything back to normal? or was there something a miss?

Jlobo · 05/06/2011, 08:29 AM

Yeah, just reset it and things have been working fine. I really want to rule out my brand new Jager heater so I'm wondering if I could have something to do with my cheap Marineland light timer??? I removed that. So far, so good.

RocketSurgeon · 05/06/2011, 08:36 AM

Keep in mind that GFCI outlets do go bad. They will begin to trip more easily more often.

Jlobo · 05/06/2011, 10:29 AM

ok, I will. I've only had the thing for about 2 months. Maybe it's just a piece of junk and I should just plug everything back into the wall outlet for now??

RocketSurgeon · 05/06/2011, 10:33 AM

NEGATIVE. I don't ever recommend having electricity and water together without a GFCI.

ryeguyy84 · 05/06/2011, 10:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RocketSurgeon

NEGATIVE. I don't ever recommend having electricity and water together without a GFCI.

you should see when a refugium light falls in

, that thing tripped real fast. all the fish survived BTW

Jlobo · 05/06/2011, 09:42 PM

okay, okay, I'll leave it plugged in.

05/03/2011, 10:48 PM	#1
Jlobo Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Lewiston, Idaho Posts: 359	GFCI tripped! ...this evening and I'm glad I noticed it because of course my filter and heater were not on. What in the heck would have caused it to trip?! __________________ 29 cube

05/03/2011, 10:57 PM	#2
PMUnprotected Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Posts: 146	Could be a bad pump or powerhead if you have them. Mine tripped bc my pump had a short. __________________ 55g column style, 10g sump/refugium, 40 lbs LS, 40+ lbs LR, AI Sol Blue, Midas Blenny, Tomato Clownfish, peppermint shrimp, astrea snails, cerith snails, nessarious snails, dwarf hermits

05/04/2011, 09:14 AM	#5
roli112 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Los Angeles Posts: 298	More times than anything it would be a bad heater __________________ 180 gallon mixed reef Current Tank Info: 180g. mix reef

05/04/2011, 10:01 AM	#8
Jlobo Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Lewiston, Idaho Posts: 359	Well I hope it's not my 3 week old Jager heater! My fear is that it will trip when I'm sleeping at night and that I will wake up to some very oxygen starved and cold critters. __________________ 29 cube

05/04/2011, 10:54 AM	#12
MalHavoc Infinitely Prolonged Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Canada Posts: 10,850	Yeah. a GFCI will not trip because of a load surge when a device is turned on. A panel breaker may trip because of a surge if the surge hits the max rated value for the breaker, but a GFCI compares current in the hot versus neutral, which should only be different if there is a short to ground. __________________ Jason "Empathy, he once had decided, must be limited to herbivores or anyhow omnivores who could depart from a meat diet. Because, ultimately, the empathic gift blurred the boundaries between hunter and victim, between the successful and the defeated." -- Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, Philip K Dick

05/03/2011, 11:05 PM	#3
disc1 -RT * ln(k) Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Little Rock Posts: 9,705	Reset it. If it trips again, start unplugging one thing at a time until you figure out what's tripping it.

05/04/2011, 08:41 AM	#4
Vinny Kreyling Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Miller Place, NY Posts: 7,206	I had a bad heater trip mine.

05/04/2011, 09:51 AM	#6
computeaholic Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Oklahoma City, OK Posts: 76	+1 for the heater. Usually need to replace once a year.

05/04/2011, 09:57 AM	#7
bluebill Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Birmingham, AL Posts: 66	It could be anything. Including to many things "comming on" at the same time. GFCI's are designed to detect a sudden changes in current and trip. I would not be concerned unless it continues then start with the heater like the other posters have said. Also if the GFCI has tripped alot you may want to replace it also, because like a breaker they are consider no good once the trip (due to its ability to read current accurately over time/contacts become weak).

05/04/2011, 10:13 AM	#10
bluebill Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Birmingham, AL Posts: 66	I do agree. But a circuit being ground is not the only thing. This would continue the GFCI to trip. Sudden changes I mean are more like a spike for example you have a chest freezer in your garage, and while you are cutting wood (from a protected outlet), the compressor to the freezer kicks on at the same time and it trips. But with this it could go on forever.

05/06/2011, 08:29 AM	#15
Jlobo Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Lewiston, Idaho Posts: 359	Yeah, just reset it and things have been working fine. I really want to rule out my brand new Jager heater so I'm wondering if I could have something to do with my cheap Marineland light timer??? I removed that. So far, so good. __________________ 29 cube

05/06/2011, 08:36 AM	#16
RocketSurgeon Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Houston, Texas Posts: 653	Keep in mind that GFCI outlets do go bad. They will begin to trip more easily more often.

05/06/2011, 10:29 AM	#17
Jlobo Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Lewiston, Idaho Posts: 359	ok, I will. I've only had the thing for about 2 months. Maybe it's just a piece of junk and I should just plug everything back into the wall outlet for now?? __________________ 29 cube

05/06/2011, 10:33 AM	#18
RocketSurgeon Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Houston, Texas Posts: 653	NEGATIVE. I don't ever recommend having electricity and water together without a GFCI.

05/06/2011, 09:42 PM	#20
Jlobo Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Lewiston, Idaho Posts: 359	okay, okay, I'll leave it plugged in. __________________ 29 cube

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