Ocicat
Premium Member
I always hear it recommended to use a GFCI for your aquarium equipment, to lessen the likelihood of electrocution or some other electricity/water-related disaster. However, in looking around at the different GFCI products to decide what would work best for me, I came across this:
This seems a bit worrisome - if I'm out of town for a couple of days, and the power just flickers, my fish could be without any water movement until I get back.
Is the only way around this to install GFCI outlets?? I was planning to just use a GFCI extension cord or GFCI power strip.
It is worth noting that some GFCI devices require a manual reset if the power supply TO the GFCI is stopped -- for example, by a power outage that might occur during a thunderstorm. GFCI receptacles that are installed as wall sockets are designed NOT to require a manual reset after a power outage -- when the power comes back on, the GFCI is still send power to operate a load.
Portable GFCIs, such as on extension cords that comply with OSHA standards require a manual reset after even a momentary power outage -- these cords are usually the heavier cords that might be found on a construction sight or at Home Depot. On a construction job site, this feature prevents your circular saw, for example, from starting up accidentally when the power supply is restored after an outage. If your aquarium filters, heaters, etc. are connected downstream from such a GFCI extension cord, you will lose life support for your fish after a power outage until you manually reset the GFCI.
This seems a bit worrisome - if I'm out of town for a couple of days, and the power just flickers, my fish could be without any water movement until I get back.
Is the only way around this to install GFCI outlets?? I was planning to just use a GFCI extension cord or GFCI power strip.