Young Frankenstein
New member
The safest way to protect a fish tank and you is. An Arc Fault circuit breaker feeding GFI outlets with a grounding probe submerged in water.
The safest electrical way.....
- Thread starter Young Frankenstein
- Start date
Expand on this, Oh electrician. We preach GFCI but not AFCI on RC. I know they are valuble as fire prevention tools but really have not had any experience with them. How much do they cost and are there AFCI/GFCI breakers available?
Young Frankenstein
New member
I will explain in detail both and how they work. Let me write everything in word and then I will post all in detail Oh great waterkeeper.
Thanks, we often overlook safety in this hobby and a wise word is always welcome.
wasupdavey
New member
Yes indeed very important! Before I even had a tank in the place where it is now. I replaced the outlet with a GFCI. Yes and it looks beautiful =D
Frick-n-Frags
New member
one problem with ground probes is they flow current when induced voltages exist in the tank.
also, you have to know that if you have a ground probe you MUST have GFI's to eliminate a potentially deadly scenario.
arc fault and gfi will not stop an electrocution via lighting since the fault would be transformer isolated and not grounded.
SO. I won't ever use a ground probe with my GFI's on in-tank equipment, and there is no use for a gfi on lighting circuits.
But, one thing that makes me happy is the fact that a tradesman calls the things GFI's vs GFCI. I still say GFCI is redundant and incorrect. a ground fault IS a ground circuit. so, to me, saying <I>ground "circuit" circuit interrupter</I> is silly. but it seems like common usage has overridden, the inherant ignorance of it.
also, you have to know that if you have a ground probe you MUST have GFI's to eliminate a potentially deadly scenario.
arc fault and gfi will not stop an electrocution via lighting since the fault would be transformer isolated and not grounded.
SO. I won't ever use a ground probe with my GFI's on in-tank equipment, and there is no use for a gfi on lighting circuits.
But, one thing that makes me happy is the fact that a tradesman calls the things GFI's vs GFCI. I still say GFCI is redundant and incorrect. a ground fault IS a ground circuit. so, to me, saying <I>ground "circuit" circuit interrupter</I> is silly. but it seems like common usage has overridden, the inherant ignorance of it.
I disagree that a GFI is a requirement with a ground probe. I use both, but I would prefer a ground probe to nothing at all. There are lots of possibilities, though.
I also strongly disagree with not having lighting on a GFI. I just had a GFI trip and save me from a likely fire when some water got into a lighting fixture. I don't understand what you mean by transformer-isolated in this case, but it's not true.
I also strongly disagree with not having lighting on a GFI. I just had a GFI trip and save me from a likely fire when some water got into a lighting fixture. I don't understand what you mean by transformer-isolated in this case, but it's not true.
gistsc
New member
Ok all you electrical gurus. I pulled my GFCI out of the wall and noticed a different wiring setup then my regular non-GFCI outlets. All the outlets have the load, line and ground wires. The GFCI has one extra wire that is red. Anyone here know what it does. I installed two GFI next to my tank using the standard load, line and ground.
Young Frankenstein
New member
Well Frick-n-Frags we just have to do some experiments with "GFIs" (If you did this work as long as I have you called them GFIs too) and ground probes and see what we come up with. I will do that and photo document everything. Also some experiments with the new Arc fault breakers. By the way a ballast would not isolate the GFI and the GFI would trip. The neutral of the bulb is connected with the line neutral therefore a milliamp current difference between line and load would trip the GFI.
Young Frankenstein
New member
gistsc is that a switch gfi combo?
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