High Wattage Lights - Any Issues w/ House Circuits and Fuses Blowing?
- Thread starter euphoria
- Start date
sco999
Member
Personally, I would not run more than a total of 1500 watts on a dedicated 20 amp circuit. If your pumps, heaters, and powerheads are going draw more than 500 watts I would seriously think about setting up 2 dedicated 20amp circuits. If you have 2 circuits you can split all your equipment up so if one circuit breaks when you are not there all your pumps, lights, etc. will not turn off causing a disaster.
Example one mh, one heater, one ph, and one pump, on one circuit, the rest of equipment on the other circuit.
Example one mh, one heater, one ph, and one pump, on one circuit, the rest of equipment on the other circuit.
sco999
Member
This will require running 12/2 wire from tank outlet to new 20amp circuit on breaker box. Tank outlet should be a 20amp GFCI outlet. When I say dedicated that means the only thing on the circuit will be your tank outlet. Your breaker box must have an empty space for new 20 amp breaker to be installed, this is where your new wire will connect to. Do not do this without consulting an electrician first. I take no responsiblity for your personal harm, or anyone else's personal harm, or damage to any property, as a result of this thread.
dogstar
Active Member
If you do have an electrician do new wiring then see about running a 220 volt circuit as well and get the MH lights with 220 volt or multi-tap ballest or swap them out if you can. This will save alot of money in the long run on power useage and the electric bill, Some Chillers if you get one can run on 220 v. as well.
beaver
Member
Im an Electrition, for shure dont try to do any of that stuff on your own. Pay some one like me to get zaped lol. Its not fun. If by chance you do try to buy a book and do some of the work yourself, plz work on anything you think could be hot, with only one hand. Keep the other behind your back. If the juice gose though your chest (IE in one arm out the other) You have a good chance of dieing, its a heart stoper. If you get hit on just one arm, youll proly be ok. Most times it will go down your leg or out your elbow. 
acrylic51
Active Member
I would suggest running your tank lights on a seperate circuit...Depending what else is on that circuit you put the lights on you might run into the breaker tripping... I ran into that problem originally, with my current tank, but with the new setup i'm working on I have 4 seperate circuits in the fishroom just for that purpose. If you can find an electrician that will allow you to do all the leg work and get him just to come in and double check your work and tie it together will save you tons.... I just lucked out cause both my brother in laws are electricians!!!!
ricks280
Member
euphoria, i just finished about two hours ago wiring for the new 280g it will run 3 mh 250wats plus 4 actinics the wire i used was 2.5mm c/breaker 20amps , i was told that it will trip at 2200 watts as u can see above it should add up to about 1000 watts, all other equipment will run on a separate outlet 10amps skimmer, pumps,ceiling fans (to draw moisture) cooling fans, heaters, ro unit etc. this way theres no chance of over load.
i hope this helps u a bit ( this is in australia) i think you guys have the same voltage as us.
ok keep us posted. (rick) :happy:
i hope this helps u a bit ( this is in australia) i think you guys have the same voltage as us.
ok keep us posted. (rick) :happy:
jamiehag
Member
MOST POWER STRIPS ARE RATED AT 15 AMPS OR 1875 WATTS. The same for goes circut breakers in your fuse box. It should be fine I was concerned also so I researched conversion rates and looked at the ratings right on the power strips. I run run just over 1500 watts when everything is on including my heater on a 15 amp circut and have never triped the breaker. BTW this is dedicated circut for the tank. Now if you run a vacume or microwave off of it too you will trip it.
jamiehag
Member
Originally Posted by balistik1
SKO999 I am doing the same thing and I have 14/2 wire. Is that good enought? What is the difference? Also, what is a GFCI outlet?
14/2 wire is pretty much the standard in house wiring. 12/2 will handle a bigger electical draw i.e. it is a heavier wire. A GFI outlet is a ground fault circut interupter most building codes require them anywere a outlet is near water. They are a little pricy about $15 for 1 they work by cutting the power as soon as anything pulgged into them comes in contact with watar that should not.
SKO999 I am doing the same thing and I have 14/2 wire. Is that good enought? What is the difference? Also, what is a GFCI outlet?
14/2 wire is pretty much the standard in house wiring. 12/2 will handle a bigger electical draw i.e. it is a heavier wire. A GFI outlet is a ground fault circut interupter most building codes require them anywere a outlet is near water. They are a little pricy about $15 for 1 they work by cutting the power as soon as anything pulgged into them comes in contact with watar that should not.
golfish
Active Member
From what I've read and heard from my electrician buddies you want to keep the power flow less then 80% on your breakers. I used to blow one of the 15 amp breaker on my old tank all the time. The more they trip the weaker they get.
I have one 15 amp and three 20 amp dedicated circuits for my new system...no problems at all.
I have one 15 amp and three 20 amp dedicated circuits for my new system...no problems at all.
jamiehag
Member
Originally Posted by golfish
From what I've read and heard from my electrician buddies you want to keep the power flow less then 80% on your breakers. I used to blow one of the 15 amp breaker on my old tank all the time. The more they trip the weaker they get.
I have one 15 amp and three 20 amp dedicated circuits for my new system...no problems at all.
4 dedicated circuts for your tank HOW BIG OF A TANK DO YOU HAVE??? Thats enough draw for over 9000 watts!
From what I've read and heard from my electrician buddies you want to keep the power flow less then 80% on your breakers. I used to blow one of the 15 amp breaker on my old tank all the time. The more they trip the weaker they get.
I have one 15 amp and three 20 amp dedicated circuits for my new system...no problems at all.
4 dedicated circuts for your tank HOW BIG OF A TANK DO YOU HAVE??? Thats enough draw for over 9000 watts!
golfish
Active Member
Originally Posted by jamiehag
4 dedicated circuts for your tank HOW BIG OF A TANK DO YOU HAVE??? Thats enough draw for over 9000 watts!
I guess about 190 gal total..its more about being carfull then haviing a big tank. I run pumps on three of the four circuts. I had to add power to the tank room seeing how there were none so I figured I might as well do it right.
4 dedicated circuts for your tank HOW BIG OF A TANK DO YOU HAVE??? Thats enough draw for over 9000 watts!
I guess about 190 gal total..its more about being carfull then haviing a big tank. I run pumps on three of the four circuts. I had to add power to the tank room seeing how there were none so I figured I might as well do it right.
golfish
Active Member
Originally Posted by EUPHORIA
If one day I want to sell the house and it has different wiring for some of the circuits, will that be a problem? Or is this an actual plus?
Just want to make sure this won't impact anything else.
As long as its up to code, more is always a plus.
If one day I want to sell the house and it has different wiring for some of the circuits, will that be a problem? Or is this an actual plus?
Just want to make sure this won't impact anything else.
As long as its up to code, more is always a plus.