Do U Gfci????
- Thread starter saltn00b
- Start date
1journeyman
Active Member
I think I'll start another poll: How many of you who use GFI's have had a close call with electricity?
I suspect the number is close to 100%. I know I once had a HOB skimmer malfunction and start flooding. I reached down to unplug it and Wham! Needless to say...
The other huge benefit to a GFI is that they are a great early warning system in indicating malfunctioning equipment.
I suspect the number is close to 100%. I know I once had a HOB skimmer malfunction and start flooding. I reached down to unplug it and Wham! Needless to say...
The other huge benefit to a GFI is that they are a great early warning system in indicating malfunctioning equipment.
reefkprz
Active Member
since you mentioned tohe close call with electricity I shall tell a short story, had a malfunctioning power head didnt know that it was dumpimg current into a fifty gallon barrel I was mixing salt in. I put in siphon hose to siphon the water out, when I did it was one of the rare occasions the water accidentaly made it to my mouth, A blinding flash of whiteness hit my skull like a sledgehammer, I woke up on the floor an hour later, with the worse headache I have ever expirienced, my ears were ringing, and I couldn't stop twitching for half the day. I went to the hospital and the doctors told me how lucky I was. Imagine explaining that one to a doctor. over all I rate whole expirience as scary as hell. You could see the teeth marks where my jaw automaticly clamped down on the hose, If the hose hadn't been short enough to come out of the water when I fell chances are I would be dead.
something to think about.
something to think about.
1journeyman
Active Member
Originally Posted by readster
i had one of those shockbusters the yellow one pictured above, and it kept popping and shutting off all my equipment, it made me too nervous to keep using it.
That, to me, is a sign something is not working properly and is leaking electricity.
I did a water change a couple of weeks ago. When I went to plug in the refuge pump it kept popping the circuit. I ran an extension cord to an unprotected plug and the pump worked fine, for 2 hours. Then the pump totally froze up.
The GFI was trying to tell me the pump was going bad.
i had one of those shockbusters the yellow one pictured above, and it kept popping and shutting off all my equipment, it made me too nervous to keep using it.
That, to me, is a sign something is not working properly and is leaking electricity.
I did a water change a couple of weeks ago. When I went to plug in the refuge pump it kept popping the circuit. I ran an extension cord to an unprotected plug and the pump worked fine, for 2 hours. Then the pump totally froze up.
The GFI was trying to tell me the pump was going bad.
madman33
Member
i have a huge on that is meant for a constuction site that cost like $70 but A) it as saved my life and B) It doesnt trip quite as easy since it is designed for bigger laods so when the power goes out it never trips. But yeah i hada close call before i got it(water dripping into a power strip) and then i got it then i had a pump with the wire exposed in the tank and my hand went in the tank and walla im damn glad i spent that $70 lol
1journeyman
Active Member
Lol, that's exactly my point... I bet anyone who has had a close call with electricity makes sure it only happens once.
kmc
Member
First of all you only need one GFCI receptacle per circuit and it needs to be the first plug on the circuit.
Second, do not replace a 15 amp GFCI with a bigger one because you think you need more power. If the the existing plug is a 15 amp plug then chances are pretty good that the wire feeding the circuit is only rated for 15 amps. Adding a larger amperage plug to the circuit and uping the load is asking for trouble more along the lines of a house fire rather than nusiance tripping of the receptacle.
I use a surge protector strip so that I can position it so that it is off to the side of the tank away from any deirect spills. You should also try to keep drip loops in the cords so that any water that gets on the cord can't follow the cord all the way to the strip or plug witout dripping off.
Second, do not replace a 15 amp GFCI with a bigger one because you think you need more power. If the the existing plug is a 15 amp plug then chances are pretty good that the wire feeding the circuit is only rated for 15 amps. Adding a larger amperage plug to the circuit and uping the load is asking for trouble more along the lines of a house fire rather than nusiance tripping of the receptacle.
I use a surge protector strip so that I can position it so that it is off to the side of the tank away from any deirect spills. You should also try to keep drip loops in the cords so that any water that gets on the cord can't follow the cord all the way to the strip or plug witout dripping off.
1knight164
Member
I voted no. Had power strips only cause i'm cheap. But after reading all your posts, i'm installing GFCI.
1journeyman
Active Member
Originally Posted by 1knight164
I voted no. Had power strips only cause i'm cheap. But after reading all your posts, i'm installing GFCI.
My job is done here...
Seriously though... I'm also amazed it's this close. You're mixing water and electricity...
I voted no. Had power strips only cause i'm cheap. But after reading all your posts, i'm installing GFCI.
My job is done here...
Seriously though... I'm also amazed it's this close. You're mixing water and electricity...
reefkprz
Active Member
(A) Definition: Arc-Fault Circuit Interrupter. An arc-fault circuit interrupter is a device intended to provide protection from the effects of arc faults by recognizing characteristics unique to arcing and by functioning to de-energize the circuit when an arc fault is detected.
NEC Article 100-Definitions
Ground-Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI). A device intended for the protection of personnel that functions to de-energize a circuit or portion thereof within an established period of time when a current to ground exceeds the values established for a Class A device.
FPN: Class A ground-fault circuit interrupters trip when the current to ground has a value in the range of 4 mA to 6 mA. For further information, see UL 943, Standard for Ground-Fault Circuit Interrupters.
As you can see, by definition, they perform different roles in circuit protection.
The GFCI is primarily for personnel protection and is designed to de-energize a circuit at low ground fault levels. Low enough to prevent burns or electrocution for any person unlucky enough to get into a position to receive a shock from one of the ungrounded or hot conductors to ground.
GFCI protection is required in several areas in a residence, including outdoors, kitchens, bathrooms, unfinished basements, garages, etc. GFCI protection may be built in to a circuit breaker or a receptacle.
AFCI detects arcing faults, such as could be caused by damage to a cable. Arcing faults may be at a low magnitude, low enough that they would not exceed the circuit protection of a standard circuit breaker of fuse. An AFCI will detect low magnitude faults and will de-energize the circuit before a fire starts.
At present, AFC protection is only required for circuits supplying outlets in bedrooms. Outlets include both receptacles and lighting outlets.
At this time AFCI protection is only available in circuit breakers
as you can see here arc fault interrupters are designed to protect property not people gfci are, if your relying on an AFI to save your life you have faith in the wrong product, this is a deadly serious issue, it is important to make sure you have the right product for the application.
NEC Article 100-Definitions
Ground-Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI). A device intended for the protection of personnel that functions to de-energize a circuit or portion thereof within an established period of time when a current to ground exceeds the values established for a Class A device.
FPN: Class A ground-fault circuit interrupters trip when the current to ground has a value in the range of 4 mA to 6 mA. For further information, see UL 943, Standard for Ground-Fault Circuit Interrupters.
As you can see, by definition, they perform different roles in circuit protection.
The GFCI is primarily for personnel protection and is designed to de-energize a circuit at low ground fault levels. Low enough to prevent burns or electrocution for any person unlucky enough to get into a position to receive a shock from one of the ungrounded or hot conductors to ground.
GFCI protection is required in several areas in a residence, including outdoors, kitchens, bathrooms, unfinished basements, garages, etc. GFCI protection may be built in to a circuit breaker or a receptacle.
AFCI detects arcing faults, such as could be caused by damage to a cable. Arcing faults may be at a low magnitude, low enough that they would not exceed the circuit protection of a standard circuit breaker of fuse. An AFCI will detect low magnitude faults and will de-energize the circuit before a fire starts.
At present, AFC protection is only required for circuits supplying outlets in bedrooms. Outlets include both receptacles and lighting outlets.
At this time AFCI protection is only available in circuit breakers
as you can see here arc fault interrupters are designed to protect property not people gfci are, if your relying on an AFI to save your life you have faith in the wrong product, this is a deadly serious issue, it is important to make sure you have the right product for the application.