Gfci & ups

Defuse · 08/24/2011, 03:42 PM

Perhaps my logic is incorrect but it is my understanding that the reasoning behind using a GFCI outlet is to protect your house & your tank inhabitants in the event of a ground fault.

If I have my UPS plugged in to my GFCI outlet and a ground fault occurs in the tank then that fault needs to travel through the UPS to the outlet to trigger but power would still be delivered to the tank via the UPS which negates the purpose of the outlet for protecting livestock.

So assuming that the above is correct then the only thing a GFCI will do is protect the house in the event there is a fault between the UPS and the outlet?

wildman926 · 08/24/2011, 05:11 PM

Due to this very issue, I use a portable GFCI on the back of my up's. They are made by First Alert.

kurt_n · 08/24/2011, 11:04 PM

Yup... if you're using a UPS, you need to have some type of GFCI on the output of that UPS. Otherwise, like you said, as soon as the GFCI trips and saves your bacon, the UPS kicks on and restarts the frying process!

08/24/2011, 03:42 PM	#1
Defuse Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Memphis, TN Posts: 207	Gfci & ups Perhaps my logic is incorrect but it is my understanding that the reasoning behind using a GFCI outlet is to protect your house & your tank inhabitants in the event of a ground fault. If I have my UPS plugged in to my GFCI outlet and a ground fault occurs in the tank then that fault needs to travel through the UPS to the outlet to trigger but power would still be delivered to the tank via the UPS which negates the purpose of the outlet for protecting livestock. So assuming that the above is correct then the only thing a GFCI will do is protect the house in the event there is a fault between the UPS and the outlet?

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08/24/2011, 05:11 PM	#2
wildman926 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: CTX Posts: 2,904	Due to this very issue, I use a portable GFCI on the back of my up's. They are made by First Alert.

08/24/2011, 11:04 PM	#3
kurt_n Registered Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: WA Posts: 2,592	Yup... if you're using a UPS, you need to have some type of GFCI on the output of that UPS. Otherwise, like you said, as soon as the GFCI trips and saves your bacon, the UPS kicks on and restarts the frying process!