Ot. wirering an outlet

[pewter_jean]

I am trying to replace my one regular outlet with two GFI. I have one question.
When I piggyback the wires from the first to the second. Should I put the second set (the piggy back wires) on the same screws as the Hot wires, or should I put the Hot wires on the top screws on the first outlet, then the piggy back on the bottom screws from the first outlet to the top on the second. I guess they forgot to mention there were two screws on each side of the outlets. So I was just told to hook the wires to the aproprate screw, and take a small piece of extra wire and go the the apropriate screw on the first outlet and the apropriate screw on the second outlet. So it is a surprise to see two screws on each side.

I really hope my question makes sense.

 

[MayoBoy]

They should be marked "line" and "load". Here's a tutorial:
http://www.easy2diy.com/cm/easy/diy_ht_index.asp?page_id=35720244

 

[TWINPEAKS]

A good rule of thumb to follow is the black wire goes on the brass colored screw and the white goes on the silver colored screw green to green this holds to all 120 volt recept.

 

[pewter_jean]

Well it's and running. I hope it is right, the buttone stayed out when pushed, I plugged the lights in, they worked, I plugged the fan in ok, I put the ph monitor in ok, then I tried to put the extension cord that I had going to the kitchen, ( hoping to get it out of my way) the GFI's tripped and cut power to the outlets. I guess that is what is suppose to happen. I reset the outlets and everything came back on. I left the extention cord off, I guess just two much for that outlet.. So I hope I did this right. All in all it was definately a learning experience, I learned I don't what to do this again.

 

[pewter_jean]

Ok, now none of my powerheads are working. All three Seio's are down. I know that it has nothing to do with me putting in the outlets. The seios are all run on a totally different outlet on a totally different line. The line I worked on was from the back bedroom. The seios are on the line in the livingroom, which I know wasn't disturbed, I had the tv on the whole time. If there was a power flux in the livingroom, I would have see in. So why are they all off. I've tried tapping the sides and back of all of them, shaking nothing is working.

 

[momac]

PJ... might check the fuses or breaker in your main panel if you know this is a different circuit than what you worked on. The other option is to kill the circuit you worked on at the main panel and then see what all turns off. Also, check any other GFCIs you might have and make sure they did not trip. Sometimes the builder will protect outlets a good distance from where the GFCI receptacle is actually located.


Good Luck,
Mike

 

[pewter_jean]

Well I finally figured out what is wrong. My coral life powerstrip is out of wack. It is the one that is programmable. I never programmed it. and it worked fine for 6 months, but now it doesn't want to let the powerheads start. Like it is in the off position. The power light is on, so it does have juice, I pressed the mode button, to auto, off, on, and whichever, still doesn't work. I hope HD or Lowes is open today, Guess I got to go find a new power strip.

 

[latazyo]

pewter, have you read the threads about the coralife power strips?

word on the street is that they go out of whack frequently and start fires

I was gonna get them until I read that...

 

[inwall75]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8872289#post8872289 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by latazyo
pewter, have you read the threads about the coralife power strips?

word on the street is that they go out of whack frequently and start fires

I was gonna get them until I read that...

All plastic powerstrips are bad for reef tanks (or anything that has a 24/7 draw like a clock radio) because of arc faults. They are made of 3 thin pieces of copper vs separate outlets. Oxidation happens and then current can't flow anymore so it "Arcs" over the oxidation. This catches the plastic on fire.

A plastic strip caught my basement on fire numerous years ago.

See the difference (you can see what the fire did to the bad plastic strip in the second and third picture).

Get some of these too.

 

[pewter_jean]

Well the fire extinguisher I have, the metal surge protictors nope, I just got the plastic because I thought we were suppose to keep metal away from the tanks, and being in the stand I figured it would corrode easily. But the are surge protector

 

[DrBDC]

I use a lot of these around the tanks.

http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=145271-33536-C664502001&lpage=none

 

[pewter_jean]

Are those "Shock Busters" I think that is what they are called, they are the GFI outlets. I did look for those or anything simular, I could find any. But that was the Lowes and HD in Edwardsville. Were did you pick those up? I might have you pick up a couple for me.

 

[DrBDC]

No, they're the overload gaurd ones. The gfci ones cost more so if you have a gfci circuit breaker or main outlet you don't need to double up. Another thing of the gfci is if you put one on an outlet closest to the electrical supply, you are protected on all the ones "down stream" of the gfci outlet. To make sure you have the closest one, trip the gfci and all outlets past the gfci should turn off as well.

 

[DrBDC]

Oh, they have them in Lowes. Most are in the same layout so I'll try to explain where compared to my Lowes. If you are in the front of the store, usually the pvc pipes are ~2/3 to the right. The electrical extension cords are at the center, maybe a little to the right. They're at the front of the aisles on the left hand side as you are looking down the aisles. They should be where all the shock busters, extension cords, etc. all are.

 

[pewter_jean]

When I went to the lowes tonight I could only find three different surge protector, all made by the same company, just one for the computer with a fax hook up, one for the tv,entertainment with cable conectors, and simple home powerstrips. I went there looking for shock busters. They didn't have any at HD, so I went to Lowes, when I asked them about them, they didn't even know what they were. Then when I told them they were surge protectors powerstrips, they took me to an endcap and said, "here is all of our surge protectors" So I just grabed something, Didn't want to drive to Fairview.

 

[DrBDC]

The replacement power cords are with them too. They might know where those are. I need to run to Lowes tomorrow and I'll get you an aisle number. Or have them search for item # 145271 at the customer service or the contractor desk and they should tell you what aisle it's in.

 

[pewter_jean]

that would be great. thanks