Electrical extensions with multiple plugs

[Osama]

Appreciate the info/education dkeller... Here is my load config. May have a bit more load to add maybe after things stabilize.
Everything is working with loads split over the two dedicated circuits (Amp_3 and Amp_6) and a third non dedicated circuit Amp_10. I will be moving Amp_10 to combine with Amp_3. so max amps would be 7.5+5.8 ~= 14 amps. that load will end up on the dedicated 20amps circuit with no GFCI.. If that works then I will remove the GFCI off the other wall receptacle and see how much load it can take on the 20amps circuit.

Amp_6 is at 10 when the 500watts heater is on (800 watts heater is unplugged as it uses 9amps)

 

[Spiderman097]

Beautiful system, don't burn down your house!!

 

[dkeller_nc]

FYI - An 800 watt heater shouldn't pull 9 amps, it should pull 6.7.

 

[Osama]

Hi Spiderman.. My system was installed by pricey "Professionals" So now I have to see if the "professionals" did not screw up the electrical installation. Wife forgives me for water on her wooden floors but a fire or even the hint of fire by smelling electrical short and it will be troubleeeee... Thanks dkeller I just picked up the 9amps draw from the heater's brochure. Moving on slowly and we shall see how it goes....

 

[LatinP]

I hate to argue with anything said on this thread especially with firefighters as I have alot of respect for what they do. That being said wouldn't it make alot more sense to buy something like this over any other 15amp extension cord.

It just seems illogical to me to spnd more than what a energy bar 8 is worth when a Neptune system can be so much more and is actually cheaper and built like a truck. For the price of one of the power strips previously listed at 500 dollars you can get 2 energy bar 8s with a head unit and a few modules and have complete system control.

 

[Osama]

Hi LatinP.. Good to hear from you and thanks... I am using three EB8s and a fourth one is new as spare in case.
For a 700g system with 4 main pumps, 4 MP 60s, 2 Eheims, Skimmer pump, skimmer air pump, 7Razor lights, two htrs, CR, doser, kalkwasser reactor etc... Have to bundle few items together thus the need for extension strips for bundling and for reaching the EB8s when the tank length is almost eleven feet .... AND I am a strong proponent of EB8s and the Neptune system in general

 

[Osama]

If the outlet doesn't have that cut out (( regardless of being GFCI or not )), they outlet is 15 amp --- not to say that they wires and breaker aren't rated for 20, but the outlet itself isn't.

My circuit on the left side has the GFCI and has the cutout. The one on the right has no GFCI and has no cut out. Will the one on the right take say 16 or even 18 amps of load if the wiring and circuit breaker are proper at 20 amps.

What kind of lights do you have? Some T5s have been reported to cause issues with GFCI outlets. I have mine (( ATI 8*80 )), plugged into a non-GFCI outlet, along with my main pump (( actually plugged into my of my EB8s )).

My lights are Max Razor 27 w each. DT has five of the 7 on the system. Each 3 lights are on an extension strip that plugs into an EB8 that plugs into the wall outlet. Tank is eleven feet long so I need extension strips to reach the one end where the electrical is located.

 

[dkeller_nc]

That's an awesome tank, by the way. I'm sure many of us are envious; it's quite an investment.

Question - you say that you have 4 return pumps. What are they (make & model)?

Regarding power distribution - go to Lowes and check out the metal outlet strips I linked to. They're cheap and pretty bullet proof (I've had 4 of them in use for over a year).

By the way - on the current draw for the heater, many electrical aquarium devices will have amperage draws listed for both 50 Hz and 60 Hz electrical systems (the 60 Hz system's in use in the US and Canada, most of Europe uses the 50 Hz system). While the total power consumption is the same on both systems, the current draw is not.

To figure amperage draw for purely resistive loads (lights and heaters fit this category), divide the wattage by 120 (volts) - this yields the current draw in amps.

 

[Osama]

dkeller I have been in the hobby for twenty years. This is my third and latest tank. My first was a 180 Then added a 320 then in 2009 had to give up my hobby for work related travel and now retired and getting back into it. My build is on RC under larger tanks "Osama".
I have four MT pumps all DC10500.. Lost two already that had to be replaced and I understand that there will be a newer version coming out in 2015 that will be more robust.

My previous tanks .. My 180g after about 6 yrs in the making



My 320g



AND my 500g Running ONLY since late Jan 2014 and doing extremely well



THANKS for ALL the help ... Tremendous resources at RC always

 

[dkeller_nc]

Hmm - With experience and a set-up like that, I'm surprised you're posting in the "New to the Hobby" section!

Well, the good news about your failed pumps is that if they're Reef Octopus, they should replace them under warranty.

But I've a suggestion - 4 of these pumps puts out a massive amount of water flow - 11,000 gph at zero head, probably about 8000 gph under load. That's a lot more flow than is recommended for your tank under modern guidelines, which is usually stated as 3X to 5X of your tank volume, with internal propeller pumps providing the necessary circulation in the tank. So in theory you could get away with just one of the Vertex Alpha V6 pumps, though 2 would be ideal when head loss is factored in. They're not inexpensive at $400 apiece, but they're highly energy efficient, use a titanium alloy rotor and an askoll motor block, and should be highly reliable.

Substituting 2 of these pumps for your current set-up would substantially reduce the current draw of your set-up, saving $$ and freeing up more sockets in your EB8s.

 

[Osama]

Thanks dkeller
I post under new to the hobby questions that could benefit newbies as well as myself
only two of my pumps feed the DT each on it's own circuit
third pump dedicated to a huge skimmer
fourth pump for misc: fuge, frag, CR, Kalk reactor
I like your suggestion on alternate pumps and thanks..

Here is my modestly humongously sized skimmer .. Too much IMO

 

[dkeller_nc]

Yeah, the skimmer might be over-sized for your tank. I don't believe in "over-skimming is a problem" from the standpoint of the welfare of the animals, but it does consume a lot of power. And if your skimmer is the beckett venturi type, those really suck the power, though the skimming performance itself is superb.

One idea would be to replace the current skimmer with 2 Vertex 180i's. The power savings would there, although not huge. Unfortunately, you just missed a massive sale that BRS had on these over Thanksgiving - about a 30% savings.

But with a tank like yours, I think my first focus after sorting out the electrical issues would be to set-up an automated RODI supply, mixing station and automatic water changing system. Doing 10% changes in a tank like that once per week would stink, even if I wasn't using buckets!

 

[lllesley]

I dont know if this helps but we had an electrician come out and fix 3 x 6 powerboards. All 3 are then wired into one plug so if we need to use our generator its a matter of one plug runs whole tank. Each power board is then connected to its own clipsal saftey switch so if one board shorts the other 2 will remain active, so heaters in 2 seperate powerboards, pumps the same etc etc. That way if one board fails or trips safety switch the tank will still have heat, flow etc.

 

[Osama]

Illesley .. Good idea to always have two "powerboards" just in case. I have the same idea for the pumps but not for the heaters yet.. I will now be focusing on getting my two independent circuits to be capable of accepting 16 amps of load each -->(80% of 20 amps circuits)

 

[Osama]

But with a tank like yours, I think my first focus after sorting out the electrical issues would be to set-up an automated RODI supply, mixing station and automatic water changing system. Doing 10% changes in a tank like that once per week would stink, even if I wasn't using buckets!

Thanks dkeller.. Skimmer is OK for the next couple of years for sure or longer. and I am fully in tune with U as to first priority is to sort out all the elctricals. As to water changing at my age Ican no longer carry buckets.. so I do have an almost fully auromated water changing system as shown here

Tank on right has RODI unsalted water. On left salt-water. Opening the red valve in basement and going to my PC in the tank room and putting that basement pump on via the APEX command center, gets fresh water to the upstairs tank. Same for emptying the water for the tank, water is pumped into drain that goes to sump in the basement

 

[dkeller_nc]

Tank on right has RODI unsalted water. On left salt-water. Opening the red valve in basement and going to my PC in the tank room and putting that basement pump on via the APEX command center, gets fresh water to the upstairs tank. Same for emptying the water for the tank, water is pumped into drain that goes to sump in the basement

Ahh - that makes sense. Maybe I should peruse your thread in the "large tanks" section instead of asking dumb questions.

By the way, you mention having to "go to the PC in the tank room" to turn on pumps. Are you familiar with Apex Fusion? It's a free web service from Neptune, so you can control your setup from a smartphone (or any computer anywhere in the world). It's fast and easy to set-up, and I don't how I operated without it. Like you, my computer is away from my tank, so it was a "run quick" operation to turn reactor and main pumps on & off during maintenance. With fusion, it's just look down at my smartphone and click a virtual button.

 

[Osama]

Yes dkeller I am aware but do not use fusion on smart phone (YET). Kind of old timer with a Nokia cell phone used only for emergencies.
DT is a divider between a Home Office (my play space now that I am retired) and the family room on the other side of the tank.
here are screen shots with me and my tank using Apex and Fusion screen shots. Camera focused on monitoring the tank and will be useful also on a smart phone..

 

[dkeller_nc]

I get the "smart phone" thing. While I have and use one, it can be an expensive luxury if you don't need it.

If you've an old laptop with a wireless antenna laying around, that'd be one thought for controlling your Apex "where you are".

 

[Osama]

exactly dkeller and I do have one small PC that I can use for that purpose to control Fusion if and when I need to and thanks again..

 

[uncleL]

Harbor Freight has a 12 outlet power strip for $25