Canreef Aquatics Bulletin Board  

Go Back   Canreef Aquatics Bulletin Board > General > Product Review and Equipment Forum > Lighting Specific

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #31  
Old 01-28-2011, 02:58 PM
mike31154's Avatar
mike31154 mike31154 is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Vernon
Posts: 2,073
mike31154 will become famous soon enough
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by 2pts View Post
Actually, funny you should say that. In my main panel, the first 2 single pole breaker (covers both hot lines) is a breaker that is designed to protect the entire house (well the electrical system) from outside electrical surges such as lightning resulting in an electrical surge coming in through the meter. http://www.sea.siemens.com/us/Produc...ve-Device.aspx

Nothing to do with GFCI's or AFCI's but pretty cool none the less, mine came in a package with my main panel.
Thanks for the link, had a quick look. Not sure it protects your whole house though, looks like a two pole 15 amp device that provides surge protection in addition to normal circuit protection for the two circuits it supplies.
__________________
Mike
77g sumpless SW
DIY 10 watt multi-chip LED build http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=82206
Reply With Quote
  #32  
Old 01-28-2011, 05:28 PM
mseepman mseepman is offline
Gold Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Vernon
Posts: 2,529
mseepman is on a distinguished road
Default

I used to work for an electical firm in town (on their computer side of the business) and we installed various forms of what you see in that link. Many of them did protect the entire house and were very reasonable in price. I can't remember the specifics but I could try to find out if someone wanted me to.
__________________
Mark...



290g Peninsula Display, 425g total volume. Setup Jan 2013.
Reply With Quote
  #33  
Old 01-29-2011, 12:20 AM
Skimmerking's Avatar
Skimmerking Skimmerking is offline
acanthastrea freak
 
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Virden, Manitoba
Posts: 5,689
Skimmerking is on a distinguished road
Send a message via ICQ to Skimmerking Send a message via MSN to Skimmerking
Default

ok im heading out for supper and going to be getting some wire please some one text me on this ok

if i just run the 3x250's on a 15 amp breaker is that enough.

204-573-8021 thanks
__________________
180 starfire front, LPS, millipora
Doesn't matter how much you have been reading until you take the plunge.
You don't know as much as you think.
Reply With Quote
  #34  
Old 01-29-2011, 12:26 AM
StirCrazy's Avatar
StirCrazy StirCrazy is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Kamloops, BC
Posts: 7,872
StirCrazy is on a distinguished road
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Skimmer King View Post
ok im heading out for supper and going to be getting some wire please some one text me on this ok

if i just run the 3x250's on a 15 amp breaker is that enough.

204-573-8021 thanks
on its own if you stagger the start times by a few minuits it should work. but if you pop the breaker you lose all your lights, better to put one of them on a different circut.

Steve
__________________
*everything said above is just my opinion, and may or may not reflect the views of this BBS, its Operators, and its Members. If cornered on any “opinion” I post I will totally deny having ever said this in a Court of Law…Unless I am the right one*

Some strive to be perfect.... I just strive.
Reply With Quote
  #35  
Old 01-29-2011, 12:31 AM
Skimmerking's Avatar
Skimmerking Skimmerking is offline
acanthastrea freak
 
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Virden, Manitoba
Posts: 5,689
Skimmerking is on a distinguished road
Send a message via ICQ to Skimmerking Send a message via MSN to Skimmerking
Default

cool i will do that man thanks
__________________
180 starfire front, LPS, millipora
Doesn't matter how much you have been reading until you take the plunge.
You don't know as much as you think.
Reply With Quote
  #36  
Old 01-29-2011, 02:45 AM
2pts 2pts is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Vernon, BC, Canada
Posts: 123
2pts is on a distinguished road
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by mike31154 View Post
Thanks for the link, had a quick look. Not sure it protects your whole house though, looks like a two pole 15 amp device that provides surge protection in addition to normal circuit protection for the two circuits it supplies.
Yup it does the whole house, it is the first breaker on each phase, it instantly sends all surges to the ground, as electricity will always flow the fastest and shortest route to ground. At least that (or something like it) is what I read back when I was researching it.

It comes in a panel pack @ home depot, pop in that isle next time and read up on it (box and pamphlet I believe), it's a pretty cool gadget.
Reply With Quote
  #37  
Old 01-29-2011, 02:46 AM
mike31154's Avatar
mike31154 mike31154 is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Vernon
Posts: 2,073
mike31154 will become famous soon enough
Default

3x250 is 750, which is less than half of what a 15 amp circuit is rated for (1800 max, 1200 continous I think). There may be a somewhat higher draw on start up but not necessarily, depends on your ballasts, bulbs etc.

While you're out picking up the wire, why not grab an EM100 energy monitor. Looks a lot like a large timer and will show any number of paramaters of what you have plugged into it, current, voltage, wattage, Kwh, even cost if you enter your hydro rate into the thing. When I checked my 2 MH 250s with this device, it actually showed they were drawing somewhat less than the rated 250 watts. I'm currently using cheapo Plusrite 14000K lamps and the two of them draw just over 400 amps once fully fired up. If I remember correctly when I monitored the wattage with the EM100 on start up, they drew even less until fully warmed up. Instead of a surge at startup as with most other components, particularly motors, my MH set up actually builds up wattage slowly to less than max rated. 10000K XM lamps which I had installed before, drew about 485 watts when fully warmed up on my Advance M58 magnetic ballasts. I'd say if the 3x250 MH are all you're going to run on a single 15 amp circuit, you should be fine.

http://www.canadiantire.ca/browse/pr...45524443279714
__________________
Mike
77g sumpless SW
DIY 10 watt multi-chip LED build http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=82206
Reply With Quote
  #38  
Old 01-29-2011, 02:53 AM
mike31154's Avatar
mike31154 mike31154 is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Vernon
Posts: 2,073
mike31154 will become famous soon enough
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by 2pts View Post
Yup it does the whole house, it is the first breaker on each phase, it instantly sends all surges to the ground, as electricity will always flow the fastest and shortest route to ground. At least that (or something like it) is what I read back when I was researching it.

It comes in a panel pack @ home depot, pop in that isle next time and read up on it (box and pamphlet I believe), it's a pretty cool gadget.
Very interesting, I'll definitely have a look see. I've got a Siemens 100 amp panel which replaced an old "Pushmatic" panel that had only 12 breakers. It's an older home and when I first checked out the old Pushmatic E panel it was pretty scary. There were no spare circuits whatsoever and the previous owners had an extra set of 240 volt wires in there. At some point they installed an electric dryer to replace a natural gas one and this meant that the central air conditioning had to be disconnected to run the dryer, ha ha. They were swapping wires on the 30 amp 2 phase breaker every time either the electric dryer or the air con was the priority!
__________________
Mike
77g sumpless SW
DIY 10 watt multi-chip LED build http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=82206

Last edited by mike31154; 01-29-2011 at 03:03 AM.
Reply With Quote
  #39  
Old 01-29-2011, 02:56 PM
StirCrazy's Avatar
StirCrazy StirCrazy is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Kamloops, BC
Posts: 7,872
StirCrazy is on a distinguished road
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by mike31154 View Post
3x250 is 750, which is less than half of what a 15 amp circuit is rated for (1800 max, 1200 continous I think). There may be a somewhat higher draw on start up but not necessarily, depends on your ballasts, bulbs etc.
except a 250 watt MH normaly draws more like 400 watts. (mine were true HQI ballasts and ran at 456 watts) which is 1200 continuious, some electric do underdrive the bulbs, which is why electric ballasts generly have lower outputs than mag ballasts. on start up they can go in excess of 600 watts. so like I stated with staggered starts they will work, but better to have one on another circut. same with the pumps heaters ect.. anything that could kill your tank if you lose it.

Steve
__________________
*everything said above is just my opinion, and may or may not reflect the views of this BBS, its Operators, and its Members. If cornered on any “opinion” I post I will totally deny having ever said this in a Court of Law…Unless I am the right one*

Some strive to be perfect.... I just strive.
Reply With Quote
  #40  
Old 01-29-2011, 03:27 PM
mike31154's Avatar
mike31154 mike31154 is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Vernon
Posts: 2,073
mike31154 will become famous soon enough
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by StirCrazy View Post
except a 250 watt MH normaly draws more like 400 watts. (mine were true HQI ballasts and ran at 456 watts) which is 1200 continuious, some electric do underdrive the bulbs, which is why electric ballasts generly have lower outputs than mag ballasts. on start up they can go in excess of 600 watts. so like I stated with staggered starts they will work, but better to have one on another circut. same with the pumps heaters ect.. anything that could kill your tank if you lose it.

Steve
Gotcha and totally understand, that's why in my post I also said to grab a power monitor so that you can check/confirm what the draw of your particular set up is. As mentioned, mine draws less and I also mentioned that a different set up could draw more. The power monitors are less than 30 bucks depending on which one you buy and can be a very handy device to have around the house.

A 250 MH that draws 400? That seems a bit steep and sounds like an inefficient set up. Pre mature burnout etc..
__________________
Mike
77g sumpless SW
DIY 10 watt multi-chip LED build http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=82206

Last edited by mike31154; 01-29-2011 at 03:30 PM.
Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Forum Jump


All times are GMT. The time now is 12:58 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.7.3
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.