Gfci ......

jorjef · #1 07-30-2010, 11:27 PM

Good point, wise advise.

whatcaneyedo · #2 07-31-2010, 03:30 AM

I've been shocked and I know a few other who have as well. I also know of 5 local aquarium caused fires that could have been prevented with GFCIs... the most recent one was this week at our LFS.

globaldesigns · #3 07-31-2010, 04:53 AM

How abou this:

I was hooking up a reactor to the back of my old 28G Nano, well I hooked it all up except didn't hook up the return. I don't know why, but dummy me... I turned on the pump and started pumping salt water all over my feet, onto the floor and onto my power/controller bar... Well sparks flew, and I got out of the water real fast, unplugged the power bar but it was too late. I fried the $60 bar that fast, if my feet were in the water, I probably would of had a jolt of a lifetime or more.

So I run 2 GFCI's now for that reason... Another reason also:

I was trying to put electronic ballasts onto my old fixture that had magnetic ones... Well the GFCI kept tripping, so I thought that maybe I had too much on the line now, so I got an extension and plugged it in somewhere else. Well When I plugged the electronic ballast into the fixture and then to the wall, I had a small nuclear explosion and blew the left side of my light...

Again, the GFCI was indicating a problem... So I listen to them when they don't want to stay active.

I hope this helps, and for 30 bucks or so, it is well worth it

Lastly, do you want to burn your home down, I have seen pic's of such a thing.

Albertan22 · #4 08-04-2010, 12:50 AM

You can put me down as a no for your original question, but I do use them. Here's a reason to consider using them though, building code (at least in Alberta) states that any outlet within 1.5m of water needs to be GFCI protected. If you have an electrical fire in your house (regardless of whether the aquarium caused it or not), and the investigator finds that you have code violations, it's likely that they'll void your insurance and you'll be out big bucks... It's been my experience that insurance finds any way they can to not pay what they owe you

mark · #5 08-04-2010, 01:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Albertan22

. If you have an electrical fire in your house (regardless of whether the aquarium caused it or not), and the investigator finds that you have code violations, it's likely that they'll void your insurance and you'll be out big bucks... It's been my experience that insurance finds any way they can to not pay what they owe you

And does anyone one have first hand experience with this? Asked a Fire Dept guy that was involved in investigations about similar (basement renos without a permit), he never heard about someone being declined.

StirCrazy · #6 08-04-2010, 03:24 AM

ok so I don't know any person that died, from not having GFIs on there tank, but I do know a few expensive fish that have dies from not having it and I saw a post from one of our members about there light falling into the tank and staying energized which cooked a bunch of there corals and a few of there fish.

Steve

fkshiu · #7 08-04-2010, 04:13 AM

OK, how about this one.

I finish cleaning my external return pump. I notice a funny sound after I turn it back on. I poke my nose until its two inches away from the pump and start tapping at the impeller cover when all of a sudden - pssssssshhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!

I get a face full of water and start flailing around like a decapitated chicken trying to stop the water. I instinctively reach around to the power bars to turn off the pump. I finally do so after a lot of groping. It's only then do I realize that I am in a very large puddle of saltwater surrounded by a rat's nest of electrical wiring and appliances. The power bars are soaked, I am soaked, everything is soaked. Then I begin to notice the silence. Everything's off. Why? Because the GFCI has tripped exactly as it was supposed to.

The impeller cover wasn't properly seated so when I tapped at it, it gave way.

I'm not dead, but there's a chance I wouldn't be typing this had it not been for that $10 GFCI outlet.

RR37 · #8 08-04-2010, 05:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by whatcaneyedo

I've been shocked and I know a few other who have as well. I also know of 5 local aquarium caused fires that could have been prevented with GFCIs... the most recent one was this week at our LFS.

Im pretty sure a GFI or Ci won't do much to prevent fire. The detect a ground fault and then interrupt the the hot and neutral. A fuse would however prevent a fire, not the GFI.

globaldesigns · #9 08-04-2010, 05:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RR37

Im pretty sure a GFI or Ci won't do much to prevent fire. The detect a ground fault and then interrupt the the hot and neutral. A fuse would however prevent a fire, not the GFI.

I would disagree with that, if you saw my powerbar after the aftermath, it was black from sparking and flame... It can happen.

If a GFI trips before anything can happen, then voila it DOES prevent a possible fire.

for the cost of themn (they are cheap), don't take the chance!

RR37 · #10 08-04-2010, 02:56 PM

I'm am going to strongly disagree with you. I am also going to strongly disagree with the idea that Gfi's can and will prevent fire. It's a false sense of security. They are not capable of detecting an arc ( fire causing electrical condition ) the are only capable of detecting an inaproprriate ground location Ie me you and out tank kitchen sink etc. I use them on my aquarium to prevent electricition. Spraying water on a gfi will not turn the circuit off until that same circuit is grounded incorrectly, which will end up being the moment you touch it or a common conductor grounds it out. Electrical fires are caused by heat, not water more specifically a ground. ( which is all a gfi has been designed to look for ) look into a afci they are out there too.