Poll: Do You Use Ground Probes

[ReeferRoo]

I will check the finnex heater for grounding.

 

[don_chuwish]

AFCI and GFCI are two different animals. A stray voltage or even leaking current will not cause an AFCI trip.

Ah good to know, I thought since code was requiring AFCI everywhere now that it must cover GFCI as well. But now that I think about it, the contractor put GFCI receptacles on AFCI circuits where needed, so... duh.
I may have to make some changes...

 

[Brew12]

Ah good to know, I thought since code was requiring AFCI everywhere now that it must cover GFCI as well. But now that I think about it, the contractor put GFCI receptacles on AFCI circuits where needed, so... duh.
I may have to make some changes...

AFCI is arc fault current interruption. It trips on sparking related events by looking for distortions in the AC waveform. GFCI compares current in the hot leg to the neutral leg making sure they match. You can also get combination AFCI/GFCI breakers that look for both.

 

[don_chuwish]

Just double checked, GFCI receptacle on the AFCI circuit for the tank. ;Joyful

 

[BigJohnny]

Set it to the "ohm" reading and test the resistance from the exposed titanium on the heater to the ground prong on the heater. It should be 0.2 ohms or less. Then do the same thing on the Reefkeeper from the ground socket you removed the heater to a ground on a house receptacle and see what you get there. Again, it should be 0.2 ohms or less.

So the reason my finnex hmo titanium heaters weren't acting as ground probes is because they are two pronged and don't have a ground! Anyone who has finnex hmo titanium heaters, they ARE NOT a replacement for ground probes. Maybe the stand alone titanium ones have a 3 prong plug but the HMOS do not.

 

[Bow69]

Ok guys, so I just had a Hydor Head go bad in my sump. I have a grounding probe, but no GFCIs. Obviously the current made it through my system as all corals were immediately ticked and looks like I may even lose some sps. I also run titanium heaters so my ? Is this: Is it necessary to run the probe once I put in the GFCIs? Or is it a bad thing to have both?

 

[Brew12]

Ok guys, so I just had a Hydor Head go bad in my sump. I have a grounding probe, but no GFCIs. Obviously the current made it through my system as all corals were immediately ****** and looks like I may even lose some sps. I also run titanium heaters so my ? Is this: Is it necessary to run the probe once I put in the GFCIs? Or is it a bad thing to have both?

It is best to run both. Although, if your titanium heaters have a 3 prong plug you don't need the ground probe. The nice thing about the ground probe/GFCI combination is that it will immediately take the failed components offline reducing impurities added to the water.

 

[NowGlazeIT]

It is best to run both. Although, if your titanium heaters have a 3 prong plug you don't need the ground probe. The nice thing about the ground probe/GFCI combination is that it will immediately take the failed components offline reducing impurities added to the water.

+1

 

[NowGlazeIT]

I am currently waiting till I have my gcfi installed before installing my probe. For the reasons that brew mentioned. When in combination the gcfi will trip and cut power to the stray voltage

 

[Bow69]

It is best to run both. Although, if your titanium heaters have a 3 prong plug you don't need the ground probe. The nice thing about the ground probe/GFCI combination is that it will immediately take the failed components offline reducing impurities added to the water.

Ok, that’s what I thought, but wanted to be sure ty for the help.

 

[NowGlazeIT]

Ok, that’s what I thought, but wanted to be sure ty for the help.

That’s what your reefing community is here for