Fail!!

[Steve Canyon]

It's rated at 15amps. It had 2 K4s and a timer that was used for a 36" Coralife CF fixture plugged into it. The GFI never tripped on the powerstrip. The breakers never tripped in the panel. The smoke and sizzling noise alerted the wifeypoo to investigate and save the house. All three items test okay individually. No creep in the area. No moisture in the area. No dog or cat chewing on anything. ????
Thank goodness for stay at home moms.

 

[Capt_Cully]

HOLY SMOKES! Glad everything and everyone is OK!

 

[GMaquarium]

I had a powerstrip fail few weeks ago. Not nearly this bad and most importantly tripped the gfi, thats actually how I found the problem.

Steve you owe her a nice dinner. That was a great save.

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

smoke and sizzle :thumbdown

wife saving the house :thumbsup:

 

[rjmayes34]

wow, close call!!!!! glad it was not worse!!

 

[jfl14609]

That stinks had it happen once a long time ago a little water hit it I am sure and it smelled horrid. Glad she found it before it caught fire

 

[solRNY]

glad that it worked out, scares me that the GFI never tripped, sounds like we need a smoke alarm input into a controller.

 

[EllieSuz]

It amazes me that we don't have more stories like this on, since we all keep water and electricity in close proximity. Glad you didn't have a disaster!

 

[Steve Canyon]

I had a powerstrip fail few weeks ago. Not nearly this bad and most importantly tripped the gfi, thats actually how I found the problem.

Steve you owe her a nice dinner. That was a great save.

You're right about that one G. I owe her. Period.

 

[truebeliever71]

Those Belkins powerstrips are known to have problems. Being a network/computer guy I've seen it happen a lot. That's why I stay away from any Belkin product. Complete garbage!

 

[NirvanaFan]

Those Belkins powerstrips are known to have problems. Being a network/computer guy I've seen it happen a lot. That's why I stay away from any Belkin product. Complete garbage!

+1 to this. I don't trust Belkin products at all. I've heard stories about their quality engineers not passing a product, but management says to ship it anyways. That was from a friend of a friend (you know how that is).

 

[EGD]

FYI, GFI’s are only intended to trip if there is a current differential. That is if the current going out the hot side is different than the current coming back on the neutral. GFCI are intended to detect currents that are going to ground. If the short is to the neutral a GFCI is not designed to trip. However there are products that are called Arc Flash Circuit Interrupters AFCI that will detect a short or arc to neutral, that what you most likely experienced. Arc Flash is the primary cause of electrical fires. All new home construction requires the installation of AFCI for all circuits servicing bedrooms. AFCI run about $30 each and comb GFCI and AFCI run about $60 each.

 

[redrider911]

I have a smoke detector under my cabinet just for this reason.

 

[Steve Canyon]

Okay, so I have another Belkin brand powerstrip acting up now as well. It seems the switch doesn't want to stay on. It runs 2 sets of dual 250 ballasts. Well within the load rating spec'd on the device. I guess I better replace it before it takes a dump, eh? Curious that both are failing within a week of each other. Both were purchased about 3 years ago. Anyone else out there with one that looks like these may want to consider replacement as well.
Thanks for all the input as well. The bottom line seems to me to be... gfi may only be a partial solution.. to keep you and your tank from getting shocked. Arc fault protection protects against the greater risk of FIRE. Why haven't I heard about this before now? and I thought I was a reasonbly well informed person.....

 

[EGD]

Ya GFCI keep you from getting shocked and AFCI keeps you and your house from catching fire. Arc Flash has always been a problem but to build protective devices only became economically feasible about 15 years ago. Then about 10 years ago NEC started making rules mandating their placement. I am sure eventually all residential breakers will be AFCI types. Unless you have built a house recently or in the electrical biz most likely ya would never notice.