Are Your Tanks and Equipment a Danger to You?
 

Just found this thread on RC about a house fire caused by a faulty power strip :eek: After reading it, I am glad our tanks are all on GFCI outlets and that all of our power strips have been mounted so cords have drip loops to prevent water from flowing directly into the power strips. Am now going to check on one of our lighting systems to see if we can get the electrical connectors off the bottom of the cabinet :eek:

RC thread (read it all):

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh...5&pagenumber=1

How does a GFCI outlet work?

http://www.howstuffworks.com/question117.htm

amen.

I don't have the luxury of space to put powerbars higher than my tanks. Have them mounted on the inside of the stand as high as possible, and each cord loops lower than the powerbar. Gads, I'd better check EVERY cord, now :eek:

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I did this a while ago when my sump sprung a leak. A lot of my cords were submerged inside of my stand, but thankfully the power bars were mounted up high causing a drip loop. I adjust them all so that they still have a drip loop but no longer touch the floor. I use the power bars from Lee Valley, the ones with a switch for each outlet.

There is so much water around here, my GFCI's trip a lot. :eek:

I was just wondering the other day about the fact that the Lee Valley power bars have on the back "do not use near an aquarium". Although I'm sure no power bars are safe around water, I was kind of visualizing my burnt out house and them finding this power bar near the aquarium. Wonder how that would affect my insurance ? :eek:

They should have to define "near".

Jeez... now I know what I'll be doing this evening.. way to make a guy paranoid ! :razz:

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I never noticed that, lets just hope that the power bar is destroyed in the fire. :razz:

well, i'm re-ararnging my cords tonight.... :eek:

One thing I hate about Coralife Power Centre power bars is the puny 4 foot cord. That sucks. For the amount of money they cost you'd think they could spare 2 more feet of cord. The outlet that I have no other choice but to use won't allow for a drip loop with that tiny 4 foot cord! :mad:

I have always been affriad of a fire caused by my tank equipment.

I have so many things plugged in and running on my tanks that I feel I use more electricity than my whole apartment building. All tanks are on GFI's.
Im starting to wonder if I am in the wrong hobby. Way too much to worry about, if my tank isn't flooding the apartment its burning it down. :eek:

outtafocus,

my thoughts exactly... and I started nearly a year ago, I thought all the problems and worrying would be done with... it's just getting started it seems..... I honestly think I should have just done the simple Fish only ... all's I really wanted from the start was a pair of clowns :rolleyes:

So then what type of powerbars are safe????
what should we all be doing to ensure all is safe??

that and they have burned at least one guys house down on rc.

the best way to be safe is to make sure your power bar is pluged into a GFCI. it is also a good idea to use the test button once in a while to make sure the receptacle is still working properly.