Warning to all new and not-new hobbiest. MUST READ

[krazekajin]

I would like to share an experience with you that all must read and follow.
I am a youth pastor and I have my 29 gallon reef tank in my office. So last night after church, I walk into my office and find some of my 14 year old boys playing in my water. After I kill them for knocking off my hammer coral (I repented for my murder

), I am sitting talking to the pastor. We are getting ready to leave the church and it is about 10pm. We start smelling smoke, fire, etc. I start freaking out thinking I burned up my lights are something. I start tearing my office apart trying to find the cause of the electrical burning fire smell.
Anyway, the boys had over flowed my tank with thier playing in the water and water was dripping down a cord and my power strip was on fire. Luckly, I was able to turn it off and there was no damage done, except a charred power strip.
SO PLease.
Make sure that you have drip loops in your cords or place your power strips above the lowest point of your cords so that you don't burn your house down. I can only imagine what would have happened had I not been there at the church to smell the sparking.

 

[fishmamma]

Scary thought, thanks for sharing.

 

[sarwiz100]

And I cannot reiterate this enough, PLEASE, Please, PLEASE!!!! install gfci's for everything connected to your tanks. A gfci would have kicked out before the smoke started rolling

 

[ohioguy06]

Thanks for the warning...........need to go check the plugs hmmmmmmm

 

[27mtaylor]

That happend on my tank about a year ago. The o-ring went bad on my skilter and water started dripping into a power strip. I caught it in time but it was scary. Since then, I have made sure that I have power strip higher than the low point on all the cords. I have bought a GFI, but have yet to put it in. After hearing about your experience, I may try to get it in tonight!

 

[madmax50]

I learned the hard way. I had no GFI when i was out a heater broke zapping just about everything in the tank.Today i installed a GFI.

 

[mrdc]

Thanks for your story. All my power strips are elevated as high as possible in my cabinet. One of my earlier concerns was when the power went out the filter would flood. I have since fixed that problem.

 

[bang guy]

Originally Posted by sarwiz100
And I cannot reiterate this enough, PLEASE, Please, PLEASE!!!! install gfci's for everything connected to your tanks. A gfci would have kicked out before the smoke started rolling

Ditto!

 

[krazekajin]

Since my tank is in my office, I never thought about GFI, I will now. They are next on my list.

 

[mudplayerx]

Make sure that you have gfics if you have a grounding probe. If not, take the grounding probe out until you do.

 

[shawn_dude]

What is a GFI? Thanks.

 

[mudplayerx]

Originally Posted by Shawn_dude
What is a GFI? Thanks.
Ground fault interrupt circuit I believe. When you get electrocuted, the voltage returning into the outlet is reduced, the gfic detects this and shuts the power off before your heart stops
GFIC outlets have the two small buttons on them that are labeled "test" and "reset."

 

[badoleross]

I will be picking up my GFCI tomorrow. This is the 2nd thread in as many days I have read regarding GFCIs, electricutions and fires. My outlet is located behind my tank (110 gal) and there is no way to move the tank to change an outlet. As I understand it, if the change the outlet before this outlet in the wiring line, all outlets after this one will be proteted by the GFCI outlet. Does ayone know if this is indeed the case? :scared:

 

[happyvac]

Not to sound stupid or anything, but is a drip loop simply a cord looped so that if water flows down it it will drip onto the floor not the socket, like in a "U" shape?
That's what I always thought it was. :notsure:

 

[monalisa]

Originally Posted by HappyVac
Not to sound stupid or anything, but is a drip loop simply a cord looped so that if water flows down it it will drip onto the floor not the socket, like in a "U" shape?
That's what I always thought it was. :notsure:
Exactly...if there's a chance that water will drip, mount the GFCI strip higher than what the cords will loop/droop. Just make sure that water dripping will not go into the outlets.
Lisa :happyfish

 

[shawn_dude]

Can someone post a digital picture of their GFIC hooked up to their aquarium?

 

[zman1]

GFI outlet - actually it detect the difference in current. It also protects if wired correctly any additional outlets wired to the load side of the circuit.

 

[sarwiz100]

Originally Posted by BadOleRoss
I will be picking up my GFCI tomorrow. This is the 2nd thread in as many days I have read regarding GFCIs, electricutions and fires. My outlet is located behind my tank (110 gal) and there is no way to move the tank to change an outlet. As I understand it, if the change the outlet before this outlet in the wiring line, all outlets after this one will be proteted by the GFCI outlet. Does ayone know if this is indeed the case? :scared:
In this case, I think you might want to consider getting a gfci breaker, that way you would know for sure that you are protected. otherwise, you could turn off the juice at the breaker box, test the outlet in question for power, then open it up to see. If you don't have electrical experience, I would recommend hiring an electrician, or get a friend who is to help you. I have carried a general contractor's license in the past, and have gone to school for electrical. But it could be very dangerous for someone who doesn't know this stuff. Also, how do you plug in your stuff if the outlet is hidden?

 

[acrylic51]

Originally Posted by sarwiz100
And I cannot reiterate this enough, PLEASE, Please, PLEASE!!!! install gfci's for everything connected to your tanks. A gfci would have kicked out before the smoke started rolling
That would have been perfect in that situation, but maybe you should pick up March issue of FAMA magazine and has a really good article as to why to stay away from GFCI's.....Good reading material for all the believers!!!!!!!!

 

[bang guy]

Originally Posted by acrylic51
That would have been perfect in that situation, but maybe you should pick up March issue of FAMA magazine and has a really good article as to why to stay away from GFCI's.....Good reading material for all the believers!!!!!!!!
Can you give us a synopsis? I believe GFCI has saved lives. What are the problems?