electrical question

[ionredline0260]

Just noticed that the the outlet my powerstrip for my 29G reef plugs into has push buttons on it like you see on hair dryers. you know what I mean? you gotted press in a button for it to turn on. what exactly does it do, and is it helpful to my reef in any way (GFI maybe?)

 

[Young Frankenstein]

Power strips are surge suppressor protected with a fast acting diode to protect against lightning and large electrical spikes of voltage. They are there to protect equipment basically and are not a GFI.

 

[WaterKeeper]

A true GFCI will have both a test button and a reset button. Single button strips are usually just breaker protected to match the powerstrip's amp rating.

 

[Young Frankenstein]

I will have to disagree waterkeeper many surge suppressor outlets have a reset and a test.

 

[WaterKeeper]

I would bow to your experience on that Agios. The one's I have just are the single reset button type but you are probably correct.

 

[Young Frankenstein]

Thanks for keeping and working on this nice forum waterkeeper. I will try to answer as many electrical questions as possible to help our fellow reefers.

 

[WaterKeeper]

And your help will be most appreciated. I live in an abandoned factory so how do I go about wiring the 480 volt, 3 phase in my home to run some 277 volt VHO's for my tank?

 

[MC Lighting]

LOL your lucky you can just get some 277 ballast and away you go

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9544187#post9544187 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by WaterKeeper
And your help will be most appreciated. I live in an abandoned factory so how do I go about wiring the 480 volt, 3 phase in my home to run some 277 volt VHO's for my tank?

 

[WaterKeeper]

Ballast? I want to see the tank not sail it.

 

[ionredline0260]

I have a powerstrip, but I am talking the outlet it self has a push button and reset button on it. I don't know if they had an extra from the bathroom or some thing.

 

[Frick-n-Frags]

I like this O agios guy he said "GFI" again

O Agios, why do you call ground fault interupters GFI's and not GFCI's like everyone else around here (except me)?



Oh yeah, speaking of GFI's, GFI outlets usually have 2 buttons, one called "test" and one called "reset", so it sounds like you are good to go with a nice GFI wall outlet. plug your in-tank electronics(pumps and heaters) into that circuit for sure. Sweet!


actually waterkeeper's joke rings of sensibility. HID lighting runs on 200volts+. stepping up voltage with a transformer always sucks more than stepping it down, so one leg of a 480 powering euroballasts would do it. I have contemplated using a 220 line for HID ballasts already. It would be more efficient.

 

[Young Frankenstein]

"so one leg of a 480 powering euroballasts would do it" NOT SO All ballast have a current limiting capacitor, otherwise the bulb would burn out. Waterkeeper wiring 3 phase 480 to your home? hehehe not so please explain further if you have 277/480v most ballasts come with a multi tap in them and they work with voltages 120/208/240/277/480 so the only thing you probably have to do is change the wiring configuration of your ballast transformer. All ballasts work on 1ph(single phase) theres no need to have a 3ph ballast. GFI,GFI,GFI

 

[ionredline0260]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9547879#post9547879 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Frick-n-Frags
Oh yeah, speaking of GFI's, GFI outlets usually have 2 buttons, one called "test" and one called "reset", so it sounds like you are good to go with a nice GFI wall outlet. plug your in-tank electronics(pumps and heaters) into that circuit for sure. Sweet!

Would I stop the effects if every thing was pluged into a power strip? Man what are the chances that in a new house, with a neq aquarium that it just happends to sit RIGHT NEXT to a GFI outlet, the only "extra" one in the house.

 

[Young Frankenstein]

Home depot sells GFIs that are like power strips. We use them in construction usually 1 in 3 out cost about $30.00 but you are better off changing the wall receptacle to a GFI cost about $15.00 and works better. Remember shut off all the power to the outlets before changing them.