Portable GFCIs - good or bad?

[jgarrison]

I had a home depot one and had no problem with it if the power went out. but if I had salt creep it would trip better that then me getting zapped. I also had my tank crash due to the gfi tripping thats why I am now building with back ups and multiple gfi's and they are located high have a look
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?postid=8089553#post8089553

 

[jkreefer]

beetle...sorry man but your dead wrong on that one.

only if that gfci is the very first device on that circut will everything downstream be protected

 

[Duce]

For those of you who gotten yours at HD...which section you find them in...for some reason the stores near me don't seem to carry them anymore and when I ask the folks they look at me as if I am on something....

 

[beetle-b]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8132167#post8132167 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jeffkluse
beetle...sorry man but your dead wrong on that one.

only if that gfci is the very first device on that circut will everything downstream be protected

You are correct, I should have been more carefull in my wording. I got confused with replacing the cb with a gfi cb, then the entire circuit would be covered. Thanks for pointing it out.

 

[neotekz]

duce
some HD don;t carry the portable ones, just get the wall receptical it;s very easy to wire

 

[trick440]

I just recieved my masters for electrician and I gotta say a big no to GFCI on my tank. For NON- critical devices its a good idea.

But for devices that are critical... no gfci.. Just make sure any metal parts are bonded.

You wouldn't put a GFCI on your house sump, or your refridgerator.

 

[Philwd]

True. But they aren't likely to zap you or cause a fire either.

 

[jay24k]

A GFCI is a good idea for any device that is under or near water imo. However, I've had electric go out and go out hard and flipped my GFI. It's rare but it has happened. That's why I recomend a good quality pump(external if possible) that is not on a GFI. A good pump that wouldn't need one would be those new Vortechs.

 

[Philwd]

Yeah all my pumps are external; 2 Vortechs and my return.