Everyone please be careful
- Thread starter triga22
- Start date
1journeyman
Active Member
There was a post a while ago on here with a survey. I was stunned how many people do not use GFI's.
The funny thing was, everyone who had shocked themselves good working on their tank seemed to use them afterwards...
The funny thing was, everyone who had shocked themselves good working on their tank seemed to use them afterwards...
wangotango
Active Member
Originally Posted by 1journeyman
There was a post a while ago on here with a survey. I was stunned how many people do not use GFI's.
The funny thing was, everyone who had shocked themselves good working on their tank seemed to use them afterwards...
i cant beleive i dont have GFI's on my take either. the other day the line from my skimmer popped off of the pump so i had a fountain in my sump that got in my fuge light (which isnt rated to be used over saltwater by the way) :scared: good thing i was there to turn everything off with minimal zappage.
-Justin
There was a post a while ago on here with a survey. I was stunned how many people do not use GFI's.
The funny thing was, everyone who had shocked themselves good working on their tank seemed to use them afterwards...
i cant beleive i dont have GFI's on my take either. the other day the line from my skimmer popped off of the pump so i had a fountain in my sump that got in my fuge light (which isnt rated to be used over saltwater by the way) :scared: good thing i was there to turn everything off with minimal zappage.
-Justin
psusocr1
Active Member
Catawaba Grounding probes are also an inexpensive way to increase safety.
grounding probes are more dangerous than anythign if not used in conjunctionw ith a GFCI of some sort.. if not all they will do is collect electrical current to the grounding probe itself if you go anywhere near it... GOOD LUCK!
the whole purpose of a grounding probe is so it can detect the SLIGHTEST electricity int he water it will relay the message to the GFCI then it will turn everythign off
grounding probes are more dangerous than anythign if not used in conjunctionw ith a GFCI of some sort.. if not all they will do is collect electrical current to the grounding probe itself if you go anywhere near it... GOOD LUCK!
the whole purpose of a grounding probe is so it can detect the SLIGHTEST electricity int he water it will relay the message to the GFCI then it will turn everythign off
mudplayerx
Active Member
Wise words I agree with:
grounding probes are more dangerous than anythign if not used in conjunction with a GFCI
I have you guys beat on electrical scares though. I was adjusting the height on one of my pendant style metal halide's and the light slipped out of my hand while the height adjuster was set in "open" mode.
The light fell into the tank WHILE ON. Thank God the UV screen prevented water from splashing onto the bulb. I nearly soiled myself.
grounding probes are more dangerous than anythign if not used in conjunction with a GFCI
I have you guys beat on electrical scares though. I was adjusting the height on one of my pendant style metal halide's and the light slipped out of my hand while the height adjuster was set in "open" mode.
The light fell into the tank WHILE ON. Thank God the UV screen prevented water from splashing onto the bulb. I nearly soiled myself.
reefkprz
Active Member
Originally Posted by mudplayerx
Wise words I agree with:
I have you guys beat on electrical scares though. I was adjusting the height on one of my pendant style metal halide's and the light slipped out of my hand while the height adjuster was set in "open" mode.
The light fell into the tank WHILE ON. Thank God the UV screen prevented water from splashing onto the bulb. I nearly soiled myself.
I would have left a little blue cookie in my shorts at that one.
I got lit siphoning once water hit my mouth broken heater dumping current in to the water, bright lights, and then the floor.... you could see the teeth marks on the hose where my teeth clamped down on it.
Wise words I agree with:
I have you guys beat on electrical scares though. I was adjusting the height on one of my pendant style metal halide's and the light slipped out of my hand while the height adjuster was set in "open" mode.
The light fell into the tank WHILE ON. Thank God the UV screen prevented water from splashing onto the bulb. I nearly soiled myself.
I would have left a little blue cookie in my shorts at that one.
I got lit siphoning once water hit my mouth broken heater dumping current in to the water, bright lights, and then the floor.... you could see the teeth marks on the hose where my teeth clamped down on it.
mudplayerx
Active Member
Originally Posted by reefkprZ
I would have left a little blue cookie in my shorts at that one.
I got lit siphoning once water hit my mouth broken heater dumping current in to the water, bright lights, and then the floor.... you could see the teeth marks on the hose where my teeth clamped down on it.
Good lord. You are lucky you are alive.
I would have left a little blue cookie in my shorts at that one.
I got lit siphoning once water hit my mouth broken heater dumping current in to the water, bright lights, and then the floor.... you could see the teeth marks on the hose where my teeth clamped down on it.
Good lord. You are lucky you are alive.
L
lbaskball
Guest
why would saltwater cause a house to burn down if it goes inside the socket?...just thought I ask. I drilled holes and put a sponge between the wires, so that if there is water leak, the sponge would suck it all up and drip to the floor and not into the power socket.
reefkprz
Active Member
Originally Posted by lbaskball
why would saltwater cause a house to burn down if it goes inside the socket?...just thought I ask. I drilled holes and put a sponge between the wires, so that if there is water leak, the sponge would suck it all up and drip to the floor and not into the power socket.
water(any) can cause a shortcircut the resulting arc can ignite the plastic of the powerstrip (if it continues long enough) and burn down the house.
why would saltwater cause a house to burn down if it goes inside the socket?...just thought I ask. I drilled holes and put a sponge between the wires, so that if there is water leak, the sponge would suck it all up and drip to the floor and not into the power socket.
water(any) can cause a shortcircut the resulting arc can ignite the plastic of the powerstrip (if it continues long enough) and burn down the house.
catawaba
Active Member
Originally Posted by psusocr1
grounding probes are more dangerous than anythign if not used in conjunctionw ith a GFCI of some sort.. if not all they will do is collect electrical current to the grounding probe itself if you go anywhere near it... GOOD LUCK!
the whole purpose of a grounding probe is so it can detect the SLIGHTEST electricity int he water it will relay the message to the GFCI then it will turn everythign off
Hence, the post....saying 'also'
grounding probes are more dangerous than anythign if not used in conjunctionw ith a GFCI of some sort.. if not all they will do is collect electrical current to the grounding probe itself if you go anywhere near it... GOOD LUCK!
the whole purpose of a grounding probe is so it can detect the SLIGHTEST electricity int he water it will relay the message to the GFCI then it will turn everythign off
Hence, the post....saying 'also'
phatford
Member
Huge scare at my dad's house. Water dripped down the cord to the surge protector and started a fire. The noise woke me up, lucky I happened to be staying at the time. I cut the power outside and put the fire out. Very Very scary. I had to set up emergency waterflow to the tank since everything was singed in the little fire.
Needless to say CHANGES have been made for future safety.
Please Please PLease everyone protect you, your family, friends, animals, and your neighbors by heeding the simple advice of drip loops, GFCI, and common sense.
It can happen to you too!
Needless to say CHANGES have been made for future safety.
Please Please PLease everyone protect you, your family, friends, animals, and your neighbors by heeding the simple advice of drip loops, GFCI, and common sense.
It can happen to you too!
phatford
Member
Huge scare at my dad's house. Water dripped down the cord to the surge protector and started a fire. The noise woke me up, lucky I happened to be staying at the time. I cut the power outside and put the fire out. Very Very scary. I had to set up emergency waterflow to the tank since everything was singed in the little fire.
Needless to say CHANGES have been made for future safety.
Please Please PLease everyone protect you, your family, friends, animals, and your neighbors by heeding the simple advice of drip loops, GFCI, and common sense.
Surge protectors don't offer the right protection. They blow up in a ball of fire!
It can happen to you too!
Needless to say CHANGES have been made for future safety.
Please Please PLease everyone protect you, your family, friends, animals, and your neighbors by heeding the simple advice of drip loops, GFCI, and common sense.
Surge protectors don't offer the right protection. They blow up in a ball of fire!
It can happen to you too!
jessica47421
Active Member
crazy question what is a drip loop? i am going to but the gfi outlet tomorrow
hatessushi
Active Member
Originally Posted by mudplayerx
Wise words I agree with:
I have you guys beat on electrical scares though. I was adjusting the height on one of my pendant style metal halide's and the light slipped out of my hand while the height adjuster was set in "open" mode.
The light fell into the tank WHILE ON. Thank God the UV screen prevented water from splashing onto the bulb. I nearly soiled myself.
And I am so glad you got us beat on that one. I didn't know it was a contest.
Wise words I agree with:
I have you guys beat on electrical scares though. I was adjusting the height on one of my pendant style metal halide's and the light slipped out of my hand while the height adjuster was set in "open" mode.
The light fell into the tank WHILE ON. Thank God the UV screen prevented water from splashing onto the bulb. I nearly soiled myself.
And I am so glad you got us beat on that one. I didn't know it was a contest.
hatessushi
Active Member
Originally Posted by jessica47421
crazy question what is a drip loop? i am going to but the gfi outlet tomorrow
Most eveything electric that you buy for a fish tanks shows one in the instructions. Just loop the power cord before it gets to the outlet. That way if water runs down the cord it will drip off the loop before it gets to the outlet and
!!ZAP!!
crazy question what is a drip loop? i am going to but the gfi outlet tomorrow
Most eveything electric that you buy for a fish tanks shows one in the instructions. Just loop the power cord before it gets to the outlet. That way if water runs down the cord it will drip off the loop before it gets to the outlet and
brian90vette
Member
Yep. A few years ago I wired a convenient light switch underneath the tank to turn the sump off and on. I used a cheap extension cord to wire it up and while I was at work it caught on fire. I came home and the house was full of black soot and the oak cabinet was charred. For some reason the fire went out before it spread to the carpet and walls. With all these lights and pumps its not surprising at all.
von
Member
My powerstrip (made for saltwater tanks) malfunctioned and did $200,000 worth of damage to the house. And NO I didn't get water in the powerstrip (it was fairly new and I'm not the best at doing regular water changes). And NO I didn't have a GFCI on it. It did blow the breakers in the house. However, a GFCI wouldn't have done any good because the fire investigator told me it either arced or overheated from inside the powerstrip from a malfunction.