GFCI and Ground Probe combined?

[gprovo]

Two hot subjects and after reading most of the threads on these two I am more confused than ever. I am going to rewire the electric to my tank with a separate line. I will use GFCI for all lights and misc. equiptment and a regular outlet for the main pump (Mag 18). All my equiptment is fairly new (approx. 6 months) so I should not have too much stray current.

So the question is : If using GFCI on all equiptment do I need a ground probe for my protection? and if using a groundprobe will this hurt my inhabitants by have stray current go through the tank?

 

[gprovo]

Bump - anyone?

 

[ostrow]

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=766680&highlight=ground+probe

 

[mhurley]

Why would you not put the pump on a GFI as well?

Just seems odd...it as much at risk as anything else should the pump fail, get wet...etc.
Every single thing in my fish room is in a GFI outlet. Water + electricity = bad

 

[ostrow]

Mike the reasoning is of course what Jose warned about. If not there to notice a tripped outlet, with no circulation animals could be in danger.

Though I agree, that is a risk I prefer to take.

 

[gprovo]

Ostrow thanks for the link, I don't know how I missed that one.
Mhurley, I don't want my main pump shutting off except with the main breaker. (I think).

 

[ostrow]

Think again. Put it on a GFCI. Protect yourself and your home.

 

[mhurley]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8350092#post8350092 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by ostrow
Mike the reasoning is of course what Jose warned about. If not there to notice a tripped outlet, with no circulation animals could be in danger.

Ahhhh....That's why I put my Tunze's on a different breaker.

My main pump tripped due to a leak...I was out of town and my tank went with no overflow circulation for 4 days. The only things on were my 2 Streams and Wavebox and my lights (also a different breaker). I did not lose a single animal.

 

[ostrow]

Yes. This is the great advantage I have with my setup on 2 levels. Two GFCI boxes on a breaker for the stuff in the display. I have 4 GFCIs on 2 breakers in the basement because I had the flexibility to do that, so fuge is on one of them, sump and return pump on the other. Only thing that wipes me out (besides user error of course) is total outage. I have a generator, but have yet to buy the 12/3 cords .....

 

[gprovo]

Mhurley,
My main pump is on a different circuit from the powerheads also. Actually it is in the basement in the fuge with the heater and skimmer. Main tank has the lights and powerheads on their own circuit.
So I think that all on GFCI's should not be a problem and I will put a ground on the fuge only.