Help me, lpkenneys, you're my only hope.

[reeftard73]

Dude, you've got PM. I'm in need of professional help. (Like everyone didn't know that.)

 

[reeftard73]

If I post this, will it make the situation more dire???

 

[lpkenneys]

Sorry, D...re-PM-ed you

 

[reeftard73]

So, on a 20 amp circuit, following the 80% guideline, I should be able to run 1920 watts.

20a x 120v = 2400

2400 x .8 = 1920

Looking at everything I had plugged in to that circuit, I figured I was running 1495 watts.

Device Wattage
MH 400
light mover 10
Koralia 4 8.5
Koralia 3 6.5
Koralia 2 4.5
Reeflo Dart 160
Mag 12B 110
3 x heaters (250w each) 750
Ranco temp controller
GenxX 1500 20
QuietOne 1200 25.5




Total Usage 1495




1495 < 1920, so why was the GFCI outlet popping? This is what makes me think its a stray current thing. This, combined with the fact that the GFCI outlet popped, and the breaker did not trip.


Thoughts?

 

[NCNBilly]

Likely a faulty GFCI or you have a short or voltage leak somewhere - not necessarily in the tank. Are you sure it's a 20A rated GFCI?

Does it trip right away or after a few minutes?

I have a Kill-a-watt if you want to see the full amp draw on the circuit. A 400W MH lamp will pull a lot more than 400W, probably closer to 550W.

 

[reeftard73]

I assume its a 20Zmp GFCI outlet, an electrician installed.

I, too, have a Kill-a-Watt but haven't seen it in a while and could really use it right about now (ahem....Turbonegro)

 

[lpkenneys]

You have good points Bill, The cheeper GFCI's tend to be 15a rated, and things like pumps, Heaters and Ballast's have higher start up current draws than they will read when running, here is the formula for ohms law that might help...http://www.the12volt.com/ohm/page2.asp

 

[lpkenneys]

Check Pm's also...

 

[lpkenneys]

Check PM's

 

[2turtles]

Ohm's law is great in a text book but if you want to know the true facts, get a multimeter, put it in series and you will know your current draw. IMO if you are within 15 % of the rated value of the breaker your are maxed out and the breaker could trip. Make sure the romex feeding the the tank is of sufficient size for the load.

 

[lpkenneys]

Very true 2turtles... we use a clamp-on amp probe usually. The 80% rule apples to general receptacle use, in our case you would calculate full load to 125% of load.

 

[trippkid]

Look what you started Darin. We will get it going just fine, no worries. Now, my bathroom tiling job is a different story, LOL.
Matt

 

[lpkenneys]

Hahaha..Matt it sounds like you've been on this ride with Darin before? BTW, I have a wet saw for tile if you need one?

 

[trippkid]

Hey Patrick, I think we are just going to hire someone to finish the job, I don't have the time or experience to do our main bathroom now, the wife went from one thing to another to another to another and now will just take me too long and would also like the reassurance of warranty or guarantee. Thank you for the offer though.

I was just talking to Darin a little last night, this all started the day of the swap. I am just going to wire up 2 individual 20 amp circuits with multiple outlets and switches on a panel board for him to split some of the load on his existing circuit for the tank. Not a big deal or too big of a project, he just has to pick some things up first.

I'll check for stray voltage, I didn't have my meter with me the last time and forgot to ask Darin if he had one. I had something to do with either the Ranco controller, the heaters, or just too much current for the one line to handle(just seems a little weird to me for that being the case, this thing has ran fine up until now, this isn't the first time or the coldest day or anything like that, yeah it was cold on Saturday, just seems strange for this to just start happening all of the sudden)
Talk to you guys later.
Matt

 

[reeftard73]

What gets me is I don't think its load at all. The breaker would pop if it was a load issue, correct? If its a stray voltage issue, then the GFCI should pop.


What happened was the GFCI popped.

 

[reeftard73]

Yeah, I'v ebeen down this road with Matt before. More specifically, on Saturday. Came home from the swap and the tank was cool, dark and motionless. SUX!!!

Anyway, he's gona help me out and, like he mentioned, build sopme panels to split the load and see if that helps things out.

Thanks, Pat for the PMs. I appreciate it.

Thanks to all of you for the input, help, opinions, etc.


I just want to get this figured out and get my tank back to normal.

 

[lpkenneys]

I totally understand... by the way don't forget about the pm I sent you about the breaker types as that may also be a problem.. give me a call if I can help...

 

[reeftard73]

Will do, thanks man.

 

[volcom69]

How many outlets are on the gfci. You could have lost a neutral in one of your outlets.

 

[reeftard73]

The entire circuit is one GFCI outlet. Into that, I have a DJPanel with 8 outlets.