GFCI Switch Issue

[Jgoal55]

My apt suffers from regular power surges and it's never really been an issue because it comes back on 2 seconds later and I have a NON-MOV surge protector (from zerosurge.com - highly recommended) to protect all my equipment.

However, the last few times the surge has tripped my GFCI switch and it obviously won't come back on until I reset it. I'm worried that if Im traveling I wont get back on time to reset the switch.

Any ideas why the surges might suddenly be tripping the GFCI?

I have the surge protector plugged into the outlet and all the equipment plugged into the surge protector? Should I just switch the outlet to non-GFCI since I have the surge protector in place?

Not even sure if Im making sense so would appreciate help from the electricians on board. Thanks!

 

[nivram]

Is a ups an option?

I have no idea, but is it possible your gfci is going bad? Or the power surge for what ever reason is higher now?

 

[planedoc]

Sometimes GFCI outlets when older can become more sensitive. I would replace it and see if that makes a difference to start with. Surge and GFCI are not the same and it is always recommended that anything close to water be GFCI protected.

 

[kjohnston]

I've been in construction for a while. If your gfci is tripping then you definitely need to change it, its not hard or expensive , but I would not advise having a tank without gfci protection

 

[Crackem]

Having the same issue my GFCI has been tripping for the last month or so I've had several electrician come over and finally He was able to determine that I am using about 12 A maximum on a 15 amp breaker. We decided to take the portable GFCI out of the equation for now and see what happens. When my chiller would come on we saw it jump up to 22-24 amps. I'm probably going to have him put in two dedicated 20 amp breakers just to run the tank. For some reason electricians are against using a gfci, but what do you do when your out of town and the gfci trips?

 

[imarkspeed]

Just put a regular outlet, no need for a gfci. If its gonna trip it's gonna trip the breaker. U can also can put a gfci 20amp breaker . I would just put a regular outlet. Like u said I wouldn't wanna be able not to be there if it tripped.

 

[Jgoal55]

Thanks all.

I have a non-GFCI outlet right next to the GFCI so I could use that instead. But I've also always heard that running a GFCI outlet is the way to go. What's the danger in not running a GFCI? Wouldn't the breaker trip if there is an excess?

On another note....I decided to test for stray voltage in the aquarium. Not sure if this could be the culprit in the GFCI tripping, but I have close to 40v in the tank which sounds like way too much. I do have a grounding probe, but I noticed today that the probe itself had rust and the grounding end had corroded.

(I'm wondering if this might also be the culprit in my struggle to keep some SPS alive?)

My return pump is putting out about 11v, Heater about 4v, reactor pump 9v, Skimmer about 9v. Scary part, it's all brand new equipment (well, 6mos old).

When I turn off all the equipment, but leave the Apex DC8 (where all the equipment is connected) plugged in, there is a stray 11v in the tank. When I unplug the DC8, the voltage drops to 0.

What should I do? Shouldn't stray voltage be at 0 or very close to it???

 

[planedoc]

What's the danger in not running a GFCI? Wouldn't the breaker trip if there is an excess?

A GFCI basically measures the power going into and coming out of circuit. If more is going in than coming out it trips.
A circuit breaker just limits the maximum current going through a circuit. With only a circuit breaker you could have a small short or power leaking into the water and as long as it's not more than 15 amps (or what ever size breaker you have) it won't trip. Hope this clears up the difference

 

[Jgoal55]

Yup....that helps. Thank you so much. I knew what the difference was but wasnt sure how it applied.