Anyone a Electrician?
- Thread starter Shnabbles
- Start date
logans_daddy
New member
i do telecom wiring by trade but i did all of the wiring for my large tank. you wont need a sub-panel just for your tank, just a few dedicated circuits. it is very easy to do yourself but you should have a licensed electrician inspect and sign off on your work. i have a copy of the current NEC book if you want to borrow it.
shawn:bum:
shawn:bum:
Shnabbles
New member
Thanks Logans daddy but my wife would never trust me to do this myself lol...
How many "outlets" do you have set up for your large tank?
I would like the whole tank to run on its on circuit then, which is kinda what i thought after i said its on electrical box lol..
Kaptken I could have the builder install extra GFI outlets but since im still in the planning stage Im not 1. exactly sure where im putting what and that sort of thing..
The tank is going to be in the living room and plumbed into the basement.. So ill need some outlets upstairs in the living room that will run on a different circuit then the other outlets in the living room. So to save them from any further confusion ill just do it later lol... They were nice enough to run plumbing from the hot water here to where im going to put a "tank/laundry tub" for free... It will just drain into the houses sump pump...
How many "outlets" do you have set up for your large tank?
I would like the whole tank to run on its on circuit then, which is kinda what i thought after i said its on electrical box lol..
Kaptken I could have the builder install extra GFI outlets but since im still in the planning stage Im not 1. exactly sure where im putting what and that sort of thing..
The tank is going to be in the living room and plumbed into the basement.. So ill need some outlets upstairs in the living room that will run on a different circuit then the other outlets in the living room. So to save them from any further confusion ill just do it later lol... They were nice enough to run plumbing from the hot water here to where im going to put a "tank/laundry tub" for free... It will just drain into the houses sump pump...
kaptken
New member
It doesn't have to have a separate breaker box, just it's own breaker or two, like one for the basement equipment room and one for the upstairs tank circuit would be nice. but you know, with the housing market slow down, i'm sure the builder would be happy to add a separate small 2 or 4 breaker box and run and mount the basement wiring and GFI outlets right now. or at the worste add a few few bucks to the bill.
If you do the upstairs later you will have to locate the studs, cut the drywall, pull wire from the new breaker box, and install the GFI outlets and connect yourself. or hire an electrician at greater expense. so if you can figure out where to putthe tank, its much easier to get the wiring in now. and have it county inspected by the builder. you know I would consider 4 outlet wall boxes. you never have enough outlets to plug into. so like a double box on either side of the tank. 8 GFI protected outlets.
just keep in mind the load capacity of the line when plugging stuff in. total WATTS divided by 120 VOLTS = AMPS. both outlet boxes will probably be on the same dedicated tank circuit to one basement breaker. normal house circuits are 15 amp capacity, or about 1800 watts max. I would run a little less on them, like 1500 for safety. Estimate how many watts of lighting and pumps and things you might run on the tank. 15 amp should be plenty for let's say a pair of 400 w halides and lots of little powerheads and fans. the heavier load pumps and skimmer and possible chiller(i just use fans) would be on the basement circuit.
remember, to pump water from a basement sump to the top of the tank on the floor above takes a lot more power and watts.
so I would ask him to do the basement box and outlets now. that way the connection to the main house box will be done, and you will only need to connect one circuit later.
If you do the upstairs later you will have to locate the studs, cut the drywall, pull wire from the new breaker box, and install the GFI outlets and connect yourself. or hire an electrician at greater expense. so if you can figure out where to putthe tank, its much easier to get the wiring in now. and have it county inspected by the builder. you know I would consider 4 outlet wall boxes. you never have enough outlets to plug into. so like a double box on either side of the tank. 8 GFI protected outlets.
just keep in mind the load capacity of the line when plugging stuff in. total WATTS divided by 120 VOLTS = AMPS. both outlet boxes will probably be on the same dedicated tank circuit to one basement breaker. normal house circuits are 15 amp capacity, or about 1800 watts max. I would run a little less on them, like 1500 for safety. Estimate how many watts of lighting and pumps and things you might run on the tank. 15 amp should be plenty for let's say a pair of 400 w halides and lots of little powerheads and fans. the heavier load pumps and skimmer and possible chiller(i just use fans) would be on the basement circuit.
remember, to pump water from a basement sump to the top of the tank on the floor above takes a lot more power and watts.
so I would ask him to do the basement box and outlets now. that way the connection to the main house box will be done, and you will only need to connect one circuit later.
logans_daddy
New member
definitely do the wiring yourself and just hire someone to tie them into your panel. here is a little advice.
you dont want your max load to be greater than 80%. with 15 amp circuits you dont want your max draw to be larger more than 12 amps. all of your devices should be labled with their max load.
secondly, DO NOT use GFICs on anything but lights and non waterproof devices that are near the water. for example, you do not want your pumps on GFICs. the are finnicky. you dont want one to trip for no apparent reason and have all water movement stop until you notice.
shawn:bum:
you dont want your max load to be greater than 80%. with 15 amp circuits you dont want your max draw to be larger more than 12 amps. all of your devices should be labled with their max load.
secondly, DO NOT use GFICs on anything but lights and non waterproof devices that are near the water. for example, you do not want your pumps on GFICs. the are finnicky. you dont want one to trip for no apparent reason and have all water movement stop until you notice.
shawn:bum:
logans_daddy
New member
btw....if your not sure where you want them....and your basement will be unfinished or have a drop ceiling you can do them any time. nor hurry.
here is a pic of the wiring i did for my 75gallon upstairs. ignore the wires, i accidentally knocked off the sticky hook that keeps them hidden while i was taking pictures. if i didnt wall fish the outlets you would see wire going from the fixture to the floor level outlets. normally you cant see any wires.
this shot just shows how far up the wall the outlets actually are.
http://img204.imageshack.us/img204/218/tankjournal003is5
and this is a closeup of the outlets themselves.
[URL=http://imageshack.us][IMG]http://img217.imageshack.us/img217/3133/tankjournal002mp4.jpg
shawn:bum:
here is a pic of the wiring i did for my 75gallon upstairs. ignore the wires, i accidentally knocked off the sticky hook that keeps them hidden while i was taking pictures. if i didnt wall fish the outlets you would see wire going from the fixture to the floor level outlets. normally you cant see any wires.
this shot just shows how far up the wall the outlets actually are.
http://img204.imageshack.us/img204/218/tankjournal003is5
and this is a closeup of the outlets themselves.
[URL=http://imageshack.us][IMG]http://img217.imageshack.us/img217/3133/tankjournal002mp4.jpg
shawn:bum:
logans_daddy
New member
sorry...here is the screwup pic
kaptken
New member
Good points Shawn!
I forgot people have some problems with GFICs at the tank. actually ive been running all of mine on just the standard outlets and rely on the breaker. and you are right its best to keep a margin of safety on the circuit load. if you are right up to the limit , any little power surge might trip the breaker.
Thats a good Idea Shawn, putting the outlets above the tank. that eliminates the basic rule number one of tank wiring of a water overflow, powerhead spray, or fish splashing and running down a wire to the outlet then ZZZZZZZZTTTT!!! something gets fried. and its out of site behing your lights. Cool! and a 4 outlet box. Hmmm? are those your ballasts on the floor behind the tank?
Uhhh.... Shawn.. We can only see the top of your rock pile in the picture. Is there more while you're at it??
Ken
I forgot people have some problems with GFICs at the tank. actually ive been running all of mine on just the standard outlets and rely on the breaker. and you are right its best to keep a margin of safety on the circuit load. if you are right up to the limit , any little power surge might trip the breaker.
Thats a good Idea Shawn, putting the outlets above the tank. that eliminates the basic rule number one of tank wiring of a water overflow, powerhead spray, or fish splashing and running down a wire to the outlet then ZZZZZZZZTTTT!!! something gets fried. and its out of site behing your lights. Cool! and a 4 outlet box. Hmmm? are those your ballasts on the floor behind the tank?
Uhhh.... Shawn.. We can only see the top of your rock pile in the picture. Is there more while you're at it??
Ken
logans_daddy
New member
no...what you see in the last pic is a shelf that sits level with the bottom of the tank. i have a power strip there as well as an air pump for my resevoir.
the ballasts are actually integrated right into the fixture which was a big selling point for me.
i went with a four outlet because using traditional timers took up too much space and i couldnt plug in my ac adapters for the moonlights. also, the integrated timers are a much cleaner look and the allow me to set my MH, T5's, and moonlights all independent of one another to simulate dawn/dusk.
the ballasts are actually integrated right into the fixture which was a big selling point for me.
i went with a four outlet because using traditional timers took up too much space and i couldnt plug in my ac adapters for the moonlights. also, the integrated timers are a much cleaner look and the allow me to set my MH, T5's, and moonlights all independent of one another to simulate dawn/dusk.
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