That's great. What happens when the 120v heater or pump leaks voltage into your tank? And as for your fear of phantom trips this is why some, myself included utilize two gfci receptacles or breakers , splitting equipment load, one heater on each etc.
Replace those wear items every year and you'll be fine, a gfci trips when your gone for a few days your tank probably won't be....thats all fine and great splitting and dedicated circuits, but think about normal people, they rent or buy a house with the electric done they don't add new circuits, they just put a 20$ gfci in the wall and say hey look at me im protected!
And also the electrician stops at the wall if your heater is leaking voltage thats a manufacturer defect on their electronics, its not the electricans responsibility, you couldn't sue the electrical company that put in the receptacle to code...
I respectfully disagree...A $20 GFCI combined with ground probe is a great form of protection. Certainly better than nothing at all. As for replacing equipment once a year, why? If it's well built cleaned properly etc its designed to last. There is also the chance of some equipment faulty out of the box or soon after.
No problem. Did you have a ground probe installed as well? Just asking... sometimes if their is damage to both line and neutral the GFCI won't trip. The saltwater is completing the circuit and thus the GFCI sees nothing, situation normal. Ground probe will oft but not 100% of the time alleviate that situation...Thanks guys for relighting the sparks on safety and government protection verses "how a GFCI safety measure killed all my fish" when the power faulted away!
@thatmanMIKEson @CanuckReefer Thanks for your opinions and knowledge and application information.
I put in an additional 240 circuit for my tank, split that down the line into 2 110 GFCI protected power plug runs. One of those was too close to the splash zone and melted a plug on the wall but did not trip the circuit or breaker. I have reached into the tank and been biten by stray current and again the GFCI didn't trip. I know that "can't happen" in theory but I don't have any electric eels that I might blame for the zap!
Feel free to come check out my fine home wiring!
thanks for reminding folks to always get their stuff checked out by a qualified electrician!
Well yes... I agree.
I get the why replace but why do the manufacturers of the products recommend a replacement length of time or a few year warranty.....because they want you to replace it even if its working so things like that don't happen and if they do outside of their recommend time of replacement they won't be held liable....its all about liability in this game of life
Yes, I have probes to ground in the sump and the main tank. I was surprised at the shock (leaking heater!) and the melted wall plug. I was glad the tank was still running since the house didn't burn down.
I am wracking my brain a bit on this one....and likely will a while longer. Obviously a fair amount of arcing with the melted receptacle or cord end... Faulty GFCI? I guess likely, although I'm gonna look into some more theory on this one! Glad you ok, that coulda been real bad...
Some of that equipment “not near or under tank” is still in the tank/water. Unless you don’t have water in your aquarium. FWIW mine does.
Never heard of warranty and liability tied together like that. Think most ppl use something till it breaks then buy a new one, maybe try to get it replaced under warranty. Didn’t know lawyers got involved with this. If length of warranty was a result of fear of liability the manufacturer would simply put in the fine print that their equipment must be used on a tank with a ground probe paired with a gfci protected circuit. Because then there would be virtually no danger from electric unless the gfci was faulty/at fault or someone screwed something up electrically
Lol
Lol
my electrical buddy! Thanks @Paul B , I know you know about electric and its workings...and I forgot to add loud rap music will also trip those gfci's, lolAlso a Master electrician (retired thank God) I don't know the code now but I know in New York at least the code stops at the outlet.
You can legally plug in a nuclear powered submarine with a defective cord that is laying in a vat of salt water laced with sulfuric acid while Britany Spears dances on a sheet of plywood on top of it.
Even a cheap sheet of plywood from Home Depot and not a real lumber yard.
Your insurance company may have another take on that or the Russian Commander of that submarine who you stole it from. But code wise, it is legal.
