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Using GFCI with power bar
Hello! I've got a 90g with 20g sump, skimmer, pump, two 250W MH pendants, etc. Am planning to install two GFCIs, replacing the standard outlets. I'm not sure how everything should get plugged in for best efficiency and safety. Should I not get a power bar and just try to plug everything into the outlet straight? (That could be a problem) Or should I get a good powerbar with a surge protector just for the lights and pump?
What would spread out the electrical input best? And is it still safe to have a surge protecting powerbar on a GFCI? Will the GFCI still trip if a short happens even if the lights are plugged into a powerbar on the GFCI outlet? Thanks in advance!! |
As for GFCI it will still trip if the power bar dosnt so it as nother levle of safty. I would try and sped out the power a little bit if you can you will have to check the plugs are not on the same curcit in the hole room though. if there are you can you one or two plugs ( two is better then one). a surge protector will also help protect your light and pump ( they are not cheap :evil: ) I hope this can help you out little.
this is just my $0.02 I am by no means an eletrical expert of any kind. Brad |
Snaggle is right a GFCI is another level of safety and will trip even with a power Bar plugged into it....I surge protector is a very good idea but as mention are very pricey, but if your gonna get one do buy the cheapest one out their cause you'll regret it in the long run!!!
As for power distribution i would try and spread it out as much as possible as in try and split the higher current suckers i.e (pump and MH) but I don't know of to many house that have 2 circuits to one room....I personnaly ran a dedicated 20Amp circuit to my tank so as to not have to worrie about over loading! |
GFCI overloading
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Now, I would like the lights to be on a timer. Should I simply plug two timers into the powerbar and plug the two lights into the (two) timers? I also have a grounding probe that needs to be plugged-in. Should this be plugged into the GFCI outlet directly or is it okay for it to be plugged into the power bar which is then plugged into the GFCI? Or should the probe not be plugged into the GFCI outlet at all? Thanks in advance! :) |
Basically everything downstream from the GFCI is protected.
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Yeah everything after te GFCI is protected.....To make things cheaper for you plug both MH into one surge protected power bar and the plug that power bar into the timer then the timer into the GFCI....just make sure that you only have the lights on that power bar!!!
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Some more questions! :)
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Ok.. I have another question about power, and a couple of other semi-related questions: 1. Is it possible to get a surge protector (or something) that has maybe an hour or so of backup power in case of an outage? (Something like a mini UPS) 2. I'm trying to affix my (new!) AquaLine OceanLight 250 HQI pendants on to my canopy's fold-up lid. Thinking of using galvanised steel L-brackets. Does this make sense? Will this rust out or rot the wooden lid? 3. I'm planning on attaching some fans to the back part of my canopy (fairly large open space in the back) for cooling down the HQI pendants. If I get maybe four computer fans, does anyone know if I can wire them all to a single plug? Will my questions ever end? Perhaps one day. Until then.. thanks to all for the help. :) |
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Galvanised steel will rust eventually, so will stainless steel. Use brass. Quote:
Just my $0.02 |
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As an added precaution, I'm also affixing a couple of lengths of nylon-coated galvanised steel strapping around the pendant. (The stuff that plumbers use to attach pipes to walls) Should this be okay in there, or should I get the standard galvanised steel kind? I don't know if this nylon coating may melt under the lights. Quote:
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I was planing on having three or four fans in the back of my canopy (since the back side is open). I was going to have two fans (one on each side of the back) blowing air in, and a fan (or two) in the middle sucking it back out. I was advised this at my LFS and, admitedly, it did sound sensible. Now, if I only have a couple of fans blowing air in from the back of the canopy, where will the hot air escape? I was also told that it may be just as effective to have fans installed on my sump instead of the main aquarium, although this doesn't sound logical as surely the lights above the aquarium is what is causing the heat and it makes sense to have something attacking this issue directly rather than trying to cool off the sump. Is this correct? Thanks again for the help! :) |
Brass stands up fine in salt water. It goes without saying that it should not be immersed in water or let water drip from the metal into the tank. The pendants themselves are painted or enamaled to protect from corrosion. I'm not sure I understand what you are going to use the strapping for. (Actually, come to think of it, Stainless steel would probably work fine for this application as well. I use SS screws to hold my reflectors in place and SS nuts and bolts to mount my fans)
120VAC fans are available from Radio Shack, Princes Auto and electronic supply stores. The most common size is 120mm or about 4.75 in. ( some people would call this a 4" fan because the blades are 4" across) Heat shrink tubing on the connections or wire nuts (marrets) filled with silicone sealer or vasaline will protect the wire. For a 90gal tank, one fan on either end should be suffice. Simply put, blowing gets the moving air where you want it the most and causes the most directional movement of air. Look at it this way; when you want to cool off your soup or your coffee what do you do? You blow on it! Fans can only move a certain amount of air at any given time so having one fan blow and another fan suck doesnt move twice the amount of air. Have all your fans blowing in and as long as you provide plenty of escape routes for the air (ie. open back, vent holes, cracks along the lid/doors etc) it will find its own way out. Like I said earlier; sucking moist, salty air thru an electrical component is a safety and reliability issue. The main purpose for fans in the canopy is to keep your lights cool and to PREVENT the heat from the lights from heating the tank. A fan in the sump is a good idea to get rid of extra heat if you find your tank is still getting too warm. One word of caution on blowing air onto the lights; some metal halide bulbs (especially cheap ones) dislike having air blowing directly on the bulb. This is usually not a problem with pendants but may be a problem for others. Air deflectors or repositioning of the fan or bulb may be neccesary. |
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