Reef tank electrical requirements

#1 10-12-2009, 02:26 AM

You can use an isolation transformer to stop the interference with other electrcal appliances or a realy good battery backup system. also T5's can interfear because of the frequency they operate as in not cycles per hour. florecent lights and Hi output lights work at different frequencies and can afect different things differently. Tig welder can interfier with radios up to I believe it is around 1 mile or so exspetaly if the building grounding is poor. or coroded.

Bill

Palmer · #2 10-12-2009, 07:01 PM

Thanks for the info everyone I will look at repalcing the current outlet with a GFCI. I'm just glad I do not need to add the price of hiring an electrician to this tank build!

Palmer

mike31154 · #3 10-13-2009, 02:53 AM

Although a single outlet will likely work for your set up, it's always better if you can distribute the load between at least two outlets. They don't necessarily need to be dedicated, especially if you are using two that are on different circuit breakers. This will give you some redundancy especially when using a GFCI device, which is quite sensitive. If you're not home when a breaker or GFCI trips, running on two separate circuits may just save the bacon... err fish.

A single 15 amp circuit can handle a maximum of 1800 watts, but that's not continuously. 1500 watts is a better number safety wise if you're going to calculate your load on a 15 amp breaker. Keep in mind that if you use an existing outlet, other devices will occasionally affect this circuit. A worthwhile investment of about $12 will get you the "Electrical Code Simplified" (residential) published by PS Knight. Should be available at most Home Reno outlets. This will provide you with a wealth of understandable info on wiring requirements.

Hold on, just checked my edition and they have a website:

http://www.psknight.com/

KrazyKuch · #4 10-13-2009, 04:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mike31154

A single 15 amp circuit can handle a maximum of 1800 watts, but that's not continuously. 1500 watts is a better number safety wise if you're going to calculate your load on a 15 amp breaker.

Actually code requires you to only load your circuits to 80% which means for a 15amp breaker you can only load it to 1440Watts....but trade practice is 1200Watts

fkshiu · #5 10-13-2009, 04:33 AM

If you're running everything off of the same outlet you'd have all your eggs in one basket; and we all know what happens when you do that . . .