could've been a disaster

[tuffy1845]

I just a note to warn everyone..........please watch your lights carefully.

This morning I got up and turned on the lights over our big tank and went about my business, within 30 min. I could smell something on fire as I followed the smell it also woke Butch up and he came down and we discovered after he lifted the canopy lid we had a fire.

Our coralife t-5 light fixture had shorted out and caught on fire creating enough heat to start our canopy on fire as well as left a melting mark on the acrylic tank, so it was a pretty hot fire.

Luckily we were home when it happened, the thought of what could have been, sickens me. But luckily it was just the canopy that can be rebuilt and not much can be done about the tank but thank god the boys and us are ok as well as the house.

Just keep an eye on your lights. I also wrote the company whether or not I receive a response or not we will see.



Angie

 

[jdieck]

Insure your aquarium equipment is plugged to a GFCI and that the circuit is protected with the right breaker.

 

[lllosingit]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8761100#post8761100 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jdieck
Insure your aquarium equipment is plugged to a GFCI and that the circuit is protected with the right breaker.

GFCI most likely would not have sensed anything wrong because the short was probably after the ballast.
And the right breaker probably wouldn't have helped for the same reason at least not until the ballast itself shorted internally.
This does bring up a good subject though, Your GFCI will most likely fail you if your messing with the light fixture wiring that comes from the ballast to the bulbs or the bulbs themselves.
Always unplug the light before doing anything with it.