New electric control panel

[comatose]

I built this panel yesterday, it is fairly basic design, the orange and also the black wire coming out the top just plug into the wall.
All the tan recepticals are always hot, and all the white recepticals are either timer or switch operated,
the middle row of timers operate each plug next to it and is pluged in by the orange plug. these will operate all the tank lights only,
The black plug will operate the top row and the bottom row.of recepticals.
The bottom row has a three button switch. the bottom button operates the two plugs all the way to the left, the middle button operates the left side of the double receptical and the top button operates the right side of the double receptical.

sometime this weekend i'll install the panel under the tank

 

[orlenz]

Nice job, I love those digital timers, I use them too.

 

[got2lb]

where do you get those timers like that?? And how much do they run.

Thanks

 

[Stile2]

$29 at my local Home Depot. I love those timers. I use them under the tank as well as in my mini-fishroom.

Keith

 

[comatose]

Thanks
Yes, the timers work really well, they are better than those huge plug in digital timers, these are easy to program and have many functions.
the timers are at Home Depot and i seen them at Lowes also but they were $10 more there.
make sure you get the timers that you can use for electronic ballast, some are not for use with Electronic ballast and it would say it on the back of the package. i don't have electronic ballast, but plan to upgrade in the future when i build my canopy.

 

[csammis]

Got a brand name for those timers? I'd like to be able to find one online

 

[comatose]

they are made by " Intermatic "

the model number is SS8C.

 

[2hi4u2c]

Thank you for shareing! I was about to do something very similar, but that is even simpler.. I like it.
Alan

 

[got2lb]

Thanks for the info. Those will definately make the setup look a lot cleaner.

 

[friendtothefish]

Hello, That is great, I have been wanting to do this a while, but didnt really know how to plan it out. I was hoping you could Draw up some basic plans for what you did here so I can do something similar.

did you do anything special to make sure its safe. Ive been scared to just do this, because I figured you need to add some fuses or something to make it safe? Did you do anything like this?

 

[comatose]

no fuses, just plug it into a GFCI plug which you should have behind your tank anyway.
The plans are only in my head, if you have any know how on electrical wiring then this kind of setup should not be a problem for you, it is really basic. any of the switches or timers you buy pretty much gives you a diagram(Schematic) for that device.
Hot to Hot, Common to Common, Ground to Ground. then double check all you connections.
I check it with a continuity multimeter to be sure nothing is crossed before I plug it in just to double check my work.

 

[Stile2]

Are you planning to plug everything on your tank into the new panel?

If so, I would go back and change out several of the plugs for GFCIs. My worry with just one GFCI that the whole panel plugs into would be that a pump or something would fail and cause the GFCI to trip. Then the whole tank loses electricity.

I am designing something similar but with GFCI in the panel itself. One thing fails and only that plug goes leaving all the other pumps, etc. going.

Just my opinion, but I would hate to lose my whole tank over one failed pump.

Keith

 

[Mai]

Is it safe to plug the panel into just one GFI plug?

 

[Jade]

Here's a picture of the electrical panel that I just put together.
Click on the link below to view:
http://share.shutterfly.com/osi.jsp?i=EeIM2bNy1ZNGfH

 

[Karl K]

Here's the panel I've been running on my tank since last summer. I have a GFCI under the panel that protects the whole tank. I also have 6 duplex recepticles wired up to be controlled by the programmable relay. The two timers on the left of the panel are for a DIY wave maker still under construction.

 

[comatose]

Are you planning to plug everything on your tank into the new panel?

If so, I would go back and change out several of the plugs for GFCIs. My worry with just one GFCI that the whole panel plugs into would be that a pump or something would fail and cause the GFCI to trip. Then the whole tank loses electricity.

I am designing something similar but with GFCI in the panel itself. One thing fails and only that plug goes leaving all the other pumps, etc. going.

Just my opinion, but I would hate to lose my whole tank over one failed pump.

Keith

No, Each plug from the panel goes to two seperate GFCI plugs, one for the lights and one for the power heads, but that is not a worry because if the powerheads go off i still have the return pump from the Refugium circulating the water that is coming from the back room.
you make a good point for others and their designs but i did think of that before i started wiring the panel. thanks Keith

 

[Stile2]

Cool, just checking

Keith

 

[Tazzmacd]

No sound negative, but if I understand this correctly this pannel is plugging into a wall socket? Correct?

If it is, then you might want to double check the local electrical code. I believe that most placed have a max amount of plugs and or lights as 11 connected to a single circuit. In this case you have 11 plugs here and they are connecting to another plug for 12.

Not sure what you are going to run on them but if it is a 15amp fuse on the other end, then the recommended amperage is 10 amps load on this circuit. This is in my opinion to many for a single circuit.

Cheers!!

Pat

 

[comatose]

No sound negative, but if I understand this correctly this pannel is plugging into a wall socket? Correct?

If it is, then you might want to double check the local electrical code. I believe that most placed have a max amount of plugs and or lights as 11 connected to a single circuit. In this case you have 11 plugs here and they are connecting to another plug for 12.

Not sure what you are going to run on them but if it is a 15amp fuse on the other end, then the recommended amperage is 10 amps load on this circuit. This is in my opinion to many for a single circuit.

Cheers!!

Pat

no, each plug is connected to two dedicated 20 amp breakers. Plus i don't even have enough on the tank that would even trip one breaker.

four power heads total 200 watts.
three 175 watt MH , two 160 watt actinics
50 watts in fans
one in stand light 13 watts

 

[SHOmuchFUN]

That couldn't have been cheap...

Wish you would've taken a pic with the front covers off. I would love to do something similar, but saw how much those timers are and all of the necessary hardware.