Well, I almost had a fire!!

[tiberius]

Hello Reefers,
I have been having problems with my Magnum filter. It was leaking and didn't know what was wrong. I turned it on today and the water level in the canister kept dropping. Yet, there was no water coming from the outside around the clips like before. So I turned it to see and water squirted out where the lid met the canister. I turned it off and looked at my wires for the lights. I looked at the connections and they didn't get wet. Going through fish stuff I found another O-ring. I replaced the O-ring and no more leaking or draining of the canister.
I thought everything was good till I smelled that bad electrical smell. I looked at the wires and I could hear it sizzling!!! I didn't know what was sizzling so I just shut everything off. I got the flashlight and looked at the pumps wires. They were fine. I looked at the thick black one that comes from the timer to the ballasts and OH My!! There were cuts in the wire and water was on that.
Six years ago I had moved the tank to an apartment and got a bunny! Cute right, He likes to chew stuff. He got in the back of the tank and chewed some wires. I still don't know how he didn't get shocked since some were cut through. I fixed all those cut wires by replacing the ballasts. I don't know why I didn't see those cuts before. I boarded up the sides so he could get in the back and put hook and eyes on the cabinet doors.
I went and dried the wires and was going to wrap them till tomorrow. My neighbor is an electrician and he freaked when he saw the wires everywhere. (He will be fixing this tomorrow) After I dried them I wanted to see what would happen if I put the lights back on. I did and that one spot started smoking. I am glad I didn't just wrap it and put the lights on. So now the fishes are experiencing a long siesta.
I just wanted to know about putting a GFI in. Would I have to do that grounding rod also?
Thanks

 

[wattsupdoc]

You should install the GFCI. You wont be able to install a ground rod as you live in an apartment.(I think thats what you said). You can install a ground probe if you like, but IMO it wouldnt have served in pourpose in this instance. The best thing to do if you have a panel in you're apartment is to have you're sparky neighbor install an AFCI in the panel controlling that particular circuit. The GFCI and the AFCI would have helped out a bunch there.

 

[geridoc]

While your neighbor is fixing your wiring he should (must) install a GFCI outlet. This will protect you from injury should there ever be an electrical problem again. I wouldn't work in a tank that wasn't connected to a GFCI, but I don't have much life insurance.

 

[tiberius]

Originally Posted by wattsupdoc
You should install the GFCI. You wont be able to install a ground rod as you live in an apartment.(I think thats what you said). You can install a ground probe if you like, but IMO it wouldnt have served in pourpose in this instance. The best thing to do if you have a panel in you're apartment is to have you're sparky neighbor install an AFCI in the panel controlling that particular circuit. The GFCI and the AFCI would have helped out a bunch there.

Hi,
I am living in my house now. Was only in the apartment for a year.
So it is a GFCI not a GFI?

 

[triga22]

I had a problem like that with my skimmer. It was drippin down the cords into a power outlet and sizzlin.

 

[tiberius]

Originally Posted by TriGa22
I had a problem like that with my skimmer. It was drippin down the cords into a power outlet and sizzlin.
Scary stuff isn't it!

 

[joojoo]

Omgosh! My rabbit chewed through my powerhead cord and space heater, I can't believe she's still alive! Rabbits are cute... and yet so annoying >_<.
And if the stars don't make it for any reason, just lemme know, I'll hook you up again

 

[tiberius]

Originally Posted by joojoo
Omgosh! My rabbit chewed through my powerhead cord and space heater, I can't believe she's still alive! Rabbits are cute... and yet so annoying >_<.
And if the stars don't make it for any reason, just lemme know, I'll hook you up again

I really think they will be fine. Thanks for offering. I will send you a pic when the lights are working properly and they pop out!!

 

[jrthomas40]

what do you all do if you do have gfci and you are gone on vaction or not around for a few days how do you reset it once it is tripped?? it is my understanding that it has to be done by hand so if you are not there to do it for awhile wouldnt your tank crash??

 

[cubsfan]

Originally Posted by Tiberius
Hi,
I am living in my house now. Was only in the apartment for a year.
So it is a GFCI not a GFI?
they are the same thing, ground fault curcuit interupter g.f.c.i.
and yes you need to reset it by hand, but when you come home you will still have a home to come home to

 

[gdleader]

my friend has a rabbit and she bit through his light cords, he was away for a week, came back and saw that his corals were dead no light...I thought he would cry, but he took it like a champ and took her to a shelter lol poor guy...spent like over $2000 on corals alone in his 250g

 

[tiberius]

Originally Posted by GDLeader
my friend has a rabbit and she bit through his light cords, he was away for a week, came back and saw that his corals were dead no light...I thought he would cry, but he took it like a champ and took her to a shelter lol poor guy...spent like over $2000 on corals alone in his 250g
When that happened I got 2 pieces of wood and fit them in on the sides of the tank stand to the wall. I fasten them to the stand with brackets. When I moved, I took the brackets off and got 90 degree ones and put them in the back of the tank to the boards. I don't know how my bunny survived since he did chew through 1 wire and the lights still came on. I still have my bunny!

 

[tiberius]

Originally Posted by jrthomas40
what do you all do if you do have gfci and you are gone on vaction or not around for a few days how do you reset it once it is tripped?? it is my understanding that it has to be done by hand so if you are not there to do it for awhile wouldnt your tank crash??
My electrician came over and he will not put a GFCI in. He says they always trip. Plus, where I have it (in back of the tank), he said [the technical percentage amount of moisture] would trip it. He will put the titanium ground in my tank. But, since my house only has 2 wires, the GFCI is legal but it truly isn't grounded. So to hook up the probe wire to the GFCI wouldn't work. He said he would go under the house and attach the wire to a copper pipe.
He will check for the stray voltage. Again he called it something completely different. I still have my heater unplugged. The temp is at 78. I bought a meter at the home improvement store. But, the wires aren't long enough. I don't know how people can plug a wire in the ground and one in the tank. Unless they have a high outlet and can stand in the back of the tank. But, I can't check it like he said anyways because this house only has 2 wires.
He looked at my wires and we put the lights on. No smoke or sizzle. He taped up the bite marks and Monday he will rewire the system. I bought a plastic box so I can cut a hole in the back of it and place the connections and most of the wire in the box. He will then get the wires off the bottom of the tank stand shelf.