# GFCI Outlets - We should all have one!



## John N.

This isn't discussed much, but I think it should be revisited for those that don't know.

Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI) can potentially save your life, and truely is something that every aquarium tank should have. How GFCI Works. For $30-40 from online stores, or Hardware stores like OSH (Orchard), you can have one protecting your wet hands and body from electrical shocks.









_Portable GFCI extention cord
_

Are your aquariums and you protected from those sudden power surges, and accidental falling lights in the tank? If not, I suggest you get one ASAP. 

-John N.


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## wiste

Definitely will add that to the to-do list. 

Generally, you have to be a bit unlucky to die from a shock from a fish tank. Probably would have to complete a path across your heart.

So, if the circuit to ground is not completed until you touch the tank, I assume that the GFCI would stop you from being shocked for too long. The time delay for the GFCI to open would be good to know. I guess that if it is complies with Underwriters Laboratories it is good-to-go.

Anyone ever shocked with a GFCI in the system.

Side note: IME, shocks hurt much more and are more likely with saltwater.


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## John N.

I had my mini coralife fall into my nano with my hand in it, and the portable GFCI killed the power within a second of it touching the water. I felt a little zip, but not enough to make my hair stand. I went and got more GFCI extensions for all the other tanks in my house. No more sudden adreneline rushes for me! 

-John N.


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## RoseHawke

Also of course, if you're comfortable with electricity and capable of changing out an outlet, you can replace an existing outlet with a GFCI such as this:










One benefit is that everything "downstream" will be protected as well (if it's put inline and not pigtailed anyway.) And also, although most people would probably want an electrician to do it, you can protect an entire circuit with a GFCI circuit breaker:










In fact, if I'm not mistaken, dedicated circuits for water features and aquariums are supposed to be on a GFCI circuit according to most codes.


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## Moo

Hah, I guess i take for granted sometimes that my dad has been in construction for almost 57+ years. 
As said above GFCI are truly great innovations. We have all of our fish equipment on a specific GFCI circuit from the breaker panel. And each piece of equipment is plugged into a 50K joule surge protector. 
I know some people are going to say that the GFCI does this also but it can be over run.
If possible opt to go with the wall mounted GFCI. These tend to be the most effecient. And you can plug in a timed surge proctector for those CF lights! lol.


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## bpimm

Good advise John, There is another item on the scene now that I want to test out for aquarium use, I came across it building my new house. I wired the house on a homeowner permit (Dads a retired electrician) and our state inspectors seemed to think homeowner permits are there for their entertainment. we had two different inspectors correcting each others corrections, it was rather annoying at the time but its kinda humorous now. anyway back on topic. they made me install Arc Fault Circiut Breakers. these can supposedly sense a loose connection that is having a minor arc. after reading about the coralife powercenter fires and other fires started at aquarium locations, I started thinking that these ACFI's supposedly should be able to detect the minor arc in the plug strip if it gets wet. I have had a couple over the years start to sizzle fortunately I caught them before they ignited. so if someone out there has a powerstrip that is sizzling from water or saltwater damage, don't throw it away send it my way and I will try to duplicate the sizzle and test to see if the ACFI can catch it.

These things are about $45.00 each (I had to put in 4). I will split the shipping as I think this could save some damage in the future.

Brian


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## diablocanine

John N. said:


> This isn't discussed much, but I think it should be revisited for those that don't know.
> 
> Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI) can potentially save your life, and truely is something that every aquarium tank should have. How GFCI Works. For $30-40 from online stores, or Hardware stores like OSH (Orchard), you can have one protecting your wet hands and body from electrical shocks.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> _Portable GFCI extention cord
> _
> 
> Are your aquariums and you protected from those sudden power surges, and accidental falling lights in the tank? If not, I suggest you get one ASAP.
> 
> -John N.


Wow, that is a little steep. Here is what I use:

http://www.premiumaquatics.com/Merc...D&Product_Code=FS-GFI-STRIP&Category_Code=GFI

I did a web search and found them considerably cheaper, but lost the link.

I also got some of these on clearance at Wal-Mart for $2.99:

http://www.premiumaquatics.com/Merc...en=PROD&Product_Code=TM-GFI&Category_Code=GFI

They work well for me....DC


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## Laith

Definitely a good idea to use these.

My problem is that all the GFCI outlets I can find around here do not automatically re-establish the circuit. And as far as I understand, a powercut will also trigger the GFCI. So if you get a powercut while you're away, the GFCI will cut the electricity to all your equipment and leave it that way even when the power comes back on.

So I'm still searching for GFCIs that can re-establish circuits automatically.


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## Newt

When I redid my family room I selected a spot for the tank and installed GFIC outlets on a new dedicated service line/breaker. I have no problems with power outages. You can install these in place of your standard outlet/recepticle. I also use a grounding probe which is something most hobbists overlook. It helps prevent lateral line disease, too.


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## Robert Hudson

I just had an inspection in my shop, and I had to have an electricion come in and put in several new outlets. I also had to replace all the timers I had because they did not have a ground, a three prong plug outlet. The fire marshall did not say anything about GFCI outlets, plugs or circuits. How do they work, and what do they do exactly? I am more concerned about fire protection than anything else.


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## bpimm

Robert Hudson said:


> I just had an inspection in my shop, and I had to have an electricion come in and put in several new outlets. I also had to replace all the timers I had because they did not have a ground, a three prong plug outlet. The fire marshall did not say anything about GFCI outlets, plugs or circuits. How do they work, and what do they do exactly? I am more concerned about fire protection than anything else.


They can explain it better than I can.

GCFI

This the ACFI that may help with the fire issue.

ACFI

Brian


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## diablocanine

Robert Hudson said:


> I just had an inspection in my shop, and I had to have an electricion come in and put in several new outlets. I also had to replace all the timers I had because they did not have a ground, a three prong plug outlet. The fire marshall did not say anything about GFCI outlets, plugs or circuits. How do they work, and what do they do exactly? I am more concerned about fire protection than anything else.


Would this work? Here is the link again, I have one on each tank....DC

http://www.premiumaquatics.com/Merc...D&Product_Code=FS-GFI-STRIP&Category_Code=GFI


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## diablocanine

Laith said:


> Definitely a good idea to use these.
> 
> My problem is that all the GFCI outlets I can find around here do not automatically re-establish the circuit. And as far as I understand, a powercut will also trigger the GFCI. So if you get a powercut while you're away, the GFCI will cut the electricity to all your equipment and leave it that way even when the power comes back on.
> 
> So I'm still searching for GFCIs that can re-establish circuits automatically.


I have never had a GFCI trip due to a power loss. That is not the way they work here. I do use a UPS to run the pump, just in case there is an extended power failure. I think it is a good idea for Discus tanks...DC


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## hoppycalif

Not all GFCI units will trip when the power is interrupted. I have had them do so when lightning hit a power pole not too far away, shutting down the whole neighborhood. The surge ruined the GFCIs and I had to replace them. But, I have had lots of similar incidents which did nothing to the GFCI.

Several years ago, as I sat watching TV, I heard a zap! and saw smoke coming out of an electric outlet. The smoke got heavier and heavier, until I ran and tripped the circuit breaker. A wire had broken behind the outlet box, and was arcing, causing the smoke and charring some of the wood. If I had heard of a AFCI (?) at that time I sure would have installed them all over the house. Enough time has now passed that I am no longer worried about it. But, I should be.....


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## Laith

Even if a powercut doesn't always trip a GFCI, the fact that it may do so sometimes is the issue for me. No, we rarely have powercuts here and when we do, they usually last just less than a minute (I assume until some type of backup path/system is activated). But that minute or two is enough.

Since nobody has mentioned it, it seems though that GFCIs that reset themselves don't exist?


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## bpimm

I have never had a GCFI trip with a power outage either and I have quite a few outages here (6.5 days two winters ago). Even battery backup wouldn't cover that one.


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## Laith

Ok, sounds like I need to do more research here as my info seems incorrect!


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## artemis

Laith said:


> My problem is that all the GFCI outlets I can find around here do not automatically re-establish the circuit. And as far as I understand, a powercut will also trigger the GFCI. So if you get a powercut while you're away, the GFCI will cut the electricity to all your equipment and leave it that way even when the power comes back on.
> 
> So I'm still searching for GFCIs that can re-establish circuits automatically.


The Tower model yellow plug-in GFCI units Premium Aquatics sells automatically reset after a power failure, Laith. (I know because these are the model I use on my own tank, and I've tested them to be sure they operate that way.) So if you can't find an appropriate GFCI unit locally, order one online from Premium Aquatics! They're not expensive, even with the shipping costs - certainly less than a hospital stay or (gulp) a casket.


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## artemis

hoppycalif said:


> Not all GFCI units will trip when the power is interrupted.


True. The problem is that most of the plug-in models sold in the big-box hardware stores DO trip and shut off the circuit when a power failure happens; you have to reset the GFCI unit manually to restore power to the circuit. They're designed that way because they are intended to be used with power tools. The last thing you'd want is for a dangerous power tool like a circular saw to unexpectedly "come back on" by itself after a sudden power interruption! Basically, any plug-in GFCI unit that says "meets OSHA workplace standards" on the box is not the sort you want to be using with your aquarium.

Plug-in units that do not kill the circuit following a power failure are harder to find, but they do exist. I think you can find them at Wal-Mart, and I know you can get them online at Premium Aquatics.

If you're not sure what type of GFCI your plug-in model is, just test it. Plug something into it, like a lamp, then go to your circuit breaker and kill the circuit to that room for a few seconds. Then turn the power back on and check - if the lamp's still lit, you've got the right GFCI plug for an aquarium. If the lamp's off, but comes back on when you push the reset button on the GFCI plug, you've got one of the models that kills the circuit when the power fails, and you might want to replace the unit if you spend much time away from your home.


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## Raul-7

Definitely at the top of the to-do list when I get back.

I've heard of surge protectors, is this similar to an ACFI? 

I remember finding an extension cord with a built-in GCFI and surge protector. I'll try to find it. Hopefully, if it automatically resets it should fit the bill.


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## JERP

There are five kinds of circuit protection.
1. Circuit Breakers/Fuses protect against short circuit and excessive circuit i.e. hair dryer and microwave. This keeps the wires from melting and starting fires.

2. Arc fault circuit interrupt: protects against arcing. Arcs may not be excessive, like a spark, but can still cause fires. AFCI is usually incorporated with the circuit breaker, esp on new homes.

3. Ground Fault Circuit Interrupt. GFCI: Protects against electrocution by ensuring that the current entering an outlet is the same as the current leaving the outlet. If they are different, it means that the current is taking a different path than expected, like your arm. This is a ground fault, and the circuit trips. GFCI outlets are required in the kitchen, bathroom, and anywhere else water is present.

4. Surge protectors. Protects you appliances against power surges from the Energy co. Usually used with computers. Not really applicable to an aquarium, except that surge protectors come with these handy dandy outlet strips that you can plug lots of stuff into. Many power strips also include circuit breaker protection as well.

5. UPS Power backup. Protect against power droops/brownouts from the energy company. You can hook up a computer UPS to your aquarium to use during power outages, but wont last very long if you're lights are hooked up to it. Really good for saltwater/reefs, not totally necessary for planted tanks.

The only ones really useful in aquariums are GFCI and breaker protected power strips. I installed a GFCI outlet at the wall and have a power strip in my stand. UPS might be useful, but expensive. I've never really considered it before.

I've never seen GFCI that stays off when power goes out. You can't run power tools off of GFCI because the outlet can't compensate for large motors. Plug your refrigerator into an GFCI outlet and see what happens when the compressor turns on. THe GFCI will trip almost every time. For this reason, there is a specific exemption for GFCI on large appliances, like refrigerators, dishwashers, and garbage disposals. Many power outages are accompanied by a surge or brownout, which is why surge protectors often trip on power outage. Artemis' point about failing in the off position makes sense, but I haven't seen that behavior in practice. I've never had to reset the GFCI in my kitchen after a power failure.


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## Laith

Great info! Thanks for this detailed description...

I guess maybe I wasn't looking at the right thing in the stores. I'll do another tour...


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## diablocanine

I only have my pump connected to the UPS. Lights are not needed to keep fish alive and the water temp will not drop enough to kill the fish without heaters. My UPS can run my MagDrive pump for hours but connect my 800 watts of heaters and it drains in minutes, haven't tried the lighting it is another 440 watts. If I lose power for more than several hours, I fire up the generator....DC


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## artemis

JERP said:


> I've never seen GFCI that stays off when power goes out. You can't run power tools off of GFCI because the outlet can't compensate for large motors. Plug your refrigerator into an GFCI outlet and see what happens when the compressor turns on. THe GFCI will trip almost every time. For this reason, there is a specific exemption for GFCI on large appliances, like refrigerators, dishwashers, and garbage disposals. Many power outages are accompanied by a surge or brownout, which is why surge protectors often trip on power outage. Artemis' point about failing in the off position makes sense, but I haven't seen that behavior in practice. I've never had to reset the GFCI in my kitchen after a power failure.


You can't run large motors off a GFCI-protected circuit, but small ones like electric circular saws and drills are another matter. They usually don't cause enough of an induction surge to trip the GFCI. Extension cords and plugs used on construction sites are required by OSHA to use GFCI, and those units do indeed trip when a power failure occurs and stay off (unlike the GFCI wall outlets and breaker circuits normally seen in homes). But that's an easy problem to avoid: just have an electrician wire GFCI to the circuit in your breaker box that handles the aquarium, or swap out the regular wall outlet for a GFCI wall outlet, or use a GFCI plug-in unit that is _not_ OSHA compliant (like the one Premium Aquatics sells), and you'll be fine.


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## werner

Just a little tip: make sure your GFCI outlets are installed correctly if you're doing it yourself. I just figured out that one of mine was backwards (line/load wires reversed.) The outlet would trip, but current was still flowing.  I didn't electrocute myself, but certainly could have.


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## epicfish

Oooh. How much is one of these suckers from a hardware store or something?


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## tropism

epicfish - not sure if you were talking about the replacement wall outlets or the ones that just plug in to existing outlets, but just yesterday I bought a single outlet "Shock Buster" plug in thing from Lowe's for $10. I don't know about the replacement wall outlets.


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## epicfish

Can I get a "Shock Buster" and then plug a surge protector into it and will it work?


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## werner

I paid about C$10 for a GFCI wall outlet.


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## John N.

epicfish said:


> Can I get a "Shock Buster" and then plug a surge protector into it and will it work?


That's what I do. I have the portable plug in GFCI outlet and then plugged in to the surge protector. When I had my mini aqualight fall into the aquarium, it triggered the safety off switch near instantly. I got mine from Orchard Hardware Supply (OSH) for about $30.

This thread reminds me that I should get another one with my upcoming tank.

-John N.


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## epicfish

John N. said:


> That's what I do. I have the portable plug in GFCI outlet and then plugged in to the surge protector. When I had my mini aqualight fall into the aquarium, it triggered the safety off switch near instantly. I got mine from Orchard Hardware Supply (OSH) for about $30.
> 
> This thread reminds me that I should get another one with my upcoming tank.
> 
> -John N.


How about the $13 one on this page compared to the $28 one one the same page?

Shock Buster Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters by Tower Mfg.


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## John N.

My guess would be that it would work. But it's only a guess. I might have order a couple to find out.

-John N.


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## epicfish

I will probably get the 5-outlet one. Time to take a trip to Home Depot or Lowe's. =) Thanks for this life-saving tip.


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## diablocanine

epicfish said:


> How about the $13 one on this page compared to the $28 one one the same page?
> 
> Shock Buster Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters by Tower Mfg.


That is pretty steep for those, I paid $6 for mine at Wal Mart. Here is another product I posted earlier......DC
Fire Shield


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## cwlodarczyk

This same topic has just come up over at The Planted Tank. I don't think that it can be emphasized enough that a surge protector is not the same thing as a ground fault interrupt.

Here is my response on that forum:



> spypet on The Planted Tank Forum said:
> 
> 
> 
> I use a good computer power strip in lue of a GFCI.
> a push of a button is all i need to reset the GFCI.
> 
> 
> 
> I haven't seen any computer power strips which include GFCI. They are all fused and have surge protection, but would be useless in the event of a ground fault.
> The entire idea of GUCCI outlets is that they cut power instantaneously if they detect a short circuit. The breakers in your panel *may* trip in a similar situation, but neither is it guaranteed, but it's also a slower process that will leave you exposed to shock for a longer period of time.
> For those who aren't able to install a GUCCI outlet, consider at least plugging your power strip into a protected pigtail such as the one here: Right Angle GUCCI Pigtail
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> To be honest I haven't set up a protected circuit at home yet (though it's on my to-do list), but at work I often use power tools in wet areas and wouldn't consider plugging anything in without the piece I've linked to above. I think my life is worth at least $20 or so.
> btw - the big home improvement stores sell these as well. I think I got mine from Lowe's.
> 
> Edit: I've just noticed the site above has several other products that could be useful. They're on this page: GFCIs
Click to expand...

and a link to the thread there: GUCCI (ground fault circuit interrupter) outlet? - The Planted Tank Forum


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## cwlodarczyk

A thought for those who install dedicated in-wall GFCI outlets: If you have several outlets supplying your fish tank you may still need only 1 GFCI outlet. Any additional outlets wired "downstream" will actually receive the same protection.

While this might not be ideal for those who are already wired in the walls (sometimes it's hard to tell how the circuit runs), it can make it very easy for those who choose to electrify their stands with outlets constructed on the interior.


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## mhoy

When I first bought my house, I went to home depot and purchased 20+ GFI in wall outlets. A contractor beside be said, "You only need to do the down stream one". While he is right, determing the wiring in a old house would take more time than replacing the outlets. I mentioned this and he laughed. 

You hear of people dropping in lights, etc. all the time, be safe.


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## miles

get an in-wall gfci outlet, mount it in a switch box, and attach a grounded power cord. makes a nice, two outlet gfci protected power source. no problems with it having to be manually reset after a power outage. it has saved my life on more than one occasion.


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## Muirner

I built one into my hood that I built. The main circuit is on a circuit breaker, but the lights and heater are on the GFI. I paid i think 20 some dollars at home depot. But then again if it saves a life it's worth it.


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