Your Electrician Here

[BeanAnimal]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13314503#post13314503 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by flamron
They are retro ballasts. I have placed them in a "breaker box" type enclosure. Just wanted to be sure that I was wiring them correctly.

Thanks Bean,
Ron

No problem Ron. Make sure you ground the box, to the equipment grounding conductor and ensure that your wire nut connections are pre-twisted and tight. There will be a lot of expansion and contraction and vibration. You may want to use loc-tite or a similar thread locker to bolt the transformers down.

 

[flamron]

Absolutely will do!

Didn't even think about the ballasts being that active.

Thanks again,
Ron

 

[BeanAnimal]

The heat in the ballast box will cause the expansion and contraction of the connections. The HUM from the transformers can be fairly substantial and cause vibrations if they are not very secure.

The box should be vented (with a fan even) but you should not cut a large hole in it, or you lose the shielding properties.

 

[jnarowe]

Mine are the loudest components in my system.

 

[flamron]

Yep, just got them wired up and hooked to the bulbs, and they are noisy. Nothing terrible, but I didn't notice that hum the last time I had a tank...But then I had a super noisy overflow to drown even the slightest hum out, LOL

Ron

 

[BeanAnimal]

The more expensive the transformer, the better the plate laminations will be. That means less hum

 

[jnarowe]

what about power? mine are 1000W so they are pretty loud, but I am not sure where they stand on the "quality" ladder. They are Blue Wave Vs.

 

[chadm]

OK, I need some advice.

I am building a hood for my tank, in the rear end (which extends beyond the actual tank to the wall about 8 inches) I would like to build into a recessed enclosure a control panel. So I remove a outside panel on the hood, revealing the control panel (this would control all the pumps/lights etc. Using 20A 110v rocker switches etc. My question, can I make the enclosure out of wood or do I need to use a special electrical enclosure?

Thanks!

 

[BeanAnimal]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13319698#post13319698 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jnarowe
what about power? mine are 1000W so they are pretty loud, but I am not sure where they stand on the "quality" ladder. They are Blue Wave Vs.

I have the BW VII and it hums pretty good too

 

[FirstContact]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13311173#post13311173 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by BeanAnimal
You are on the right track.

I would not limit myself to (2) 20A circuits though.

If you use 12/3 wire, you can get (2) circuits with a single pull, they would share a neutral wire. This is perfectly acceptable and an easy way to get (4) branch circuits to an area by pulling only (2) cables. The choice of MC or ROMEX or THHN/CONDUIT will depend on the local codes and location of the wiring (exposed or in wall).

So in a nutshell I would go with (3) or (4) 20A circuits for a 200G tank if you can afford the slight increase in cost. Putting important equipmet in individual GFCIs is also a very good idea (as you appear to already understand). That way a nuisance trip or fault does not bring down everything. I would stay away from GFCI breakers for that reason.

As for the coast to coast. I would use glass for a glass tank, and acrylic for an acrylic tank. Click my red house for my version maybe overkill for your 46 but it will give you some ideas. It will be perfect for the 200. There are plenty of coast to coast threads here in the DIY forum. Start a new thread if you have questions, you will get lots of answers.

Hello Bean,

If I undersstand, that's 4 circuits on 2 pulls with three outlets on each circuit. The basement is unfinished, so I am guessing that means MC or ROMEX.

I'll look for more info on overflows.

Thanks so much for helping me understand!

:rollface:

 

[BeanAnimal]

Well lets get some details out of the way..

Romex is a brand name (like Coke or Pepsi) that is often used to denote sheathed cable of type NM (usually actualy NM-B, which has 90C rated conductors instead of 60C rated conductors) However, many also refer to type THHN wire as Romex as well...

NM-B cable is to be protected from damage in most cases... one of those is anyplace in a basement where it is exposed.

So you either pull THHN through conduit or use MC for exposed areas. It is not a good idea to pull NM through conduit, due to the heat and the need to derate it. However, most inspectors will gladly allow it to be run from the joist space to the wall box through conduit.

 

[BeanAnimal]

Now to the circuits...

Yes you could put 4 branch 20A branch circuits in the fish area by pulling (2) 12/3 runs and wiring them (each run) in a shared neutral configuration. You could place (3) GFCI receptacles in parallel on each branch circuit. The (2) breakers for each branch circuit MUST be on opposite legs. So you SHOULD use a double pole breaker to make sure you don't accidently put both on the same leg. The handle tie will also ensure that when one side is off or trips, the other does as well. It is (or should be) rare for your aquarium to trip a breaker so I would not worry too much about one trip taking both circuits down. Your GFCIs should prevent that from happening in almost every case. You are also going to split the load up between 4 circuits, so overloading should not be a problem either.

For those who like to know things:

In theory (and practice), you can share more then 2 branch circuits per neutral, but we will not get into the details here

 

[jnarowe]

Tell IT BA... You rock!

 

[FirstContact]

Wow Bean! I really feel like I know what to ask the electrician for. Thanks for the emphasis on "receptacles" instead of outlets and the double pole breaker info. Unfinished basement = THHN through conduit or MC. Thanks again for expanding my knowledge!

:rollface:

 

[Michael]

interesting how our electrical circuits are different, im sure yours are fine and maybe even better than ours, apart from the voltage difference, we have different rules over here, for a start its illegal to share neurtrals and should you do so and get caught if someone got a ashock etc youd end up in court, our voltage is 230 ac over here and we have 50 hertz, wonder if this higher voltage is why?

 

[funman1]

That's a waste if you can't share neutrals!?!?!?
We do it all the time on our 277V lighting systems
In a 3 phase system you can share 1 neutral with 3 hot legs (ONLY 1 from each A, B, C Phase)

Weird..
Are you sure it's Illegal?
That just sounds like a HUGE COLOSSAL waste of extra copper needed for no reason?

Funny thing is some people think running stuff at 240 costs them less money and is more efficient
It's the same cost, the only thing you save is on wire size when it's installed.
I just taught a class on that this week, and they were stunned, Because they had been told their whole careers higher is better...

Also when you ask the class what path electricity follows, They all say "least path of resistance"
uhh wrong again
Electricity will follow ALL paths to complete a circuit.

Hehhe I have a handful of gotcha's when I teach.
It's fun to open electrical students minds who have been working in the field 40 years and think they know it all, and I have nothing new to teach them..

 

[Michael]

you can share neutrals on 3 phase yes, i thought you meant 2 separate single phase supplies from 2 separate fuses sharing 1 neutral, if you install a three phase 400 volt supply as it is over here then the 3 phase wires with 1 neutral and 1 ground wire are usually installed to a new distribution board from a main switch, then seperate circuits can be run from the distribution board to equipment but need seperate neutrals to run with the seperate hot wires, i thought you meant you could tap of a neutral say from 1 circuit and use a hot from a different, my apologies for my misunderstanding, by the way i wish i knew it all, unfortunately the wife is the 1 in this house who is blessed with knowing it all:lol:

 

[BeanAnimal]

Michael,

Here in the US we can share neutrals as long as the unbalanced load on the neutral does not exceed the ampacity of the neutral conductor. I.E you can put 4 HOTS (2 on each leg) on the same neutral, 6 HOTS, etc... It used to be fairly common in commercial work. In residential you only find shared neutrals where a 2 HOTS share a single neutral, usually supplied by a 12/3 conductor.


Pre 2008 NEC code does not require multiwire branch circuits to be on handle tied breakers unless both circuits supply a single device or equipment yoke. The 2008 (not adpopted in very many places yet) code DOES require ALL multiwire branch circuits to be handle tied in the service panel.

FIshContact: NO problem. However, do note that I am not an electrician... I just know the code and trade inside and out.

 

[Michael]

ok thanks, nice to know anyhow, thanks for taking the time to let me know

 

[BeanAnimal]