Don't let this happen to you

[coralreefing]

If you haven't heard by now my frag tank sprung a leak & emptied a couple weeks ago. Although that was bad you can see from this pic. it could have been much worse & it almost was. These plug strips should have been mounted vertical on the wall with drip loops in the cords but I hadn't done it yet & they were laying on a rubbermaid container under the stand. Luckily they were discovered before any flames started. I won't take that chance again & hopefully after seeing this none of you will either.
http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/20539P7250111-med.JPG

[gflat65]

Yikes.

[kev-dog1]

Double yikes!
I will check mine tonight!
Glad you caught it before catastrophe.

[reeftechie]

oops... thank god it didnt burn down your house bro..

[fishdoc11]

That sucks about the tank. That's great that you caught it. Thanks for the heads up. I for one have put off making drip loops many times. Also sorry to hear about your big tank heating up. Let me know if I can help you out with corals:-)
Chris

[rcmike]

Man, that could have been a major problem! I had a similar experience once but instead of it catching fire it just shocked the crap out of me. One of the tanks had overflowed and gotten some water in the powerstrip beside it. I stupidly went to pick it up and about got knocked to the floor. I know I have a couple of power strips that are laying between a tank and the wall that would be a problem if water was to overflow. I need to get another heavy duty one from Home Depot. I can't find them on their website but I got a couple of nicely built metal ones there once that had a longer cord and seemed more durable than the plastic ones.

[greystreet41]

hope Murphy doesn't visit any of us soon. How do you make a drip loop?

[sunamoon]

I use those too! first thing in the morning i will be hanging mine! Thanks for the warning. so sorry you had to have this happen to you. take care..

[fishdoc11]

Greystreet 41,
You just make sure power chords go below the outlet before they plug in. Kind of make a J with the chord so water running down the chord will drip off at the bottom of the J and not into the outlet.
Chris

[boofer]

im glad you caught that, it could have been bad. i had a similar problem one time. luckily i was home. i now put my strips inside of a wal-mart bag and tie it up at the bottom. kinda ghetto but better than burnin the house down. me and my wife are always trying to find something to use those dang bags for anyway, we have a ton of them :)

[aquaman67]

First, wow...that was scary.

I'm gald you caught it.

Do you have/use GFIC outlets?

Drip loops are nice but GFICs can literally save your life!

Wal-Mart sells GFIC power strips. If saltwater goes anywhere new them, they trip. They are $12.

[Oldschooler]

Thanks for posting this. Housefires are a HUGE concern of mine since your home is SUPPOSED to be where you feel safest! After years of LISTENING to horror stories, I'm glad someone finally had the wherwithall to post pics. Sometimes a little GRAPHIC *umph* is all it takes to push that person who is fence-sitting into improving their situation. Thanks again.

[kevlouie]

Hate to hear about crazy stuff like this, but at least my wife isn't reading this, her house burned when she was a kid and she freaks at the mention. Hope you get it fail safe Chris.

[coralreefing]

I'm getting things back together now. I'll post a pic of the new plug strips set up the way I should have done it the first time after I get everything set up. A GFCI outlet is a good Idea, I think I'll do that too.

[gflat65]

coralreefing
Wait a minute. Isn't this number four (hex, frag tank, loripes, power strips???)? I thought they came in three's. Murphy seems to be re-writing the laws. I know Murf is always with us, but I wonder if he doesn't especially like Nashville weather. Murphy rides the day after a storm out at my plant in both processing lines. I have to reload PLC programs about twice a week this time of year. Frickinfrackin gremlins;)

[coralreefing]

The plug strips went with the frag tank so Murph got a bonus on that one. I hope that's my three now. I'm due for a little luck, maybe I need to buy a lottery ticket.

[PhoenixINX]

Yeah I had a similar experience, my older Sea Clone skimmer started leaking and dripped into the battery backup I had on the Eheim.

Shorted and killed it.

[imsqueak]

Thanks for the post. Motivated me to fix my power strips (well, 1 of 2 for now). Skimmer cleaning is tomorrow so I'll fix the other one while I have it moved out of the way.

[jslomo420]

2 screws inside the stand and you can hang the power strip, it also makes it easier to loop the cord. A dollars worth of screws is cheeper than a new home.

[rcmike]

Here is the powerstrip I have been using. I got another one yesterday at Home Depot in Cool Springs. The Bellview one didn't have any the other day when I looked. It has 10 outlets and a 15ft. cord. It also has a better switch than the cheaper ones. It is intended for power tools, compressors, and workshops so it can probably handle our high powered lights better. The only downfall is the price. It is about $25.

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/9520powerstrip.jpg

[Mdwannabe]

OK GUYS, MY ENGINEERING BACKROUND HAS TO COME OUT!!!!
Anyone running their tanks circuits without GFI interface in one form or another (outlet or central breaker) is asking for a fire, no if's and's or but's!!!! J-Loop be damned!
Why do you think is is against the law to run a hot tub or pool without these?
A tank is no different, loose ground refrence because of water and physics wins, tank residence/home owner looses. And I guarantee you after the fire marshall finishes his investigation, you insurance company will have negative input!!!!
I'll get off my soap box now, but come on, electricity and water is not a game....:-)

[Mdwannabe]

RCMIKE:

FYI, that outlet is a surge protector, NOT a GFI outlet. It will stop the initial surge of contunity between +/- supplies, but reset automatically (within seconds), and that's when trouble starts.

IF IT DOES NOT SAY GFCI (ground fault circuit interupter).....KEEP LOOKING!

I think I now have an idea for when I host my first meeting, and you can't believe the examples I can provide. Believe me I've seen them with some of the equiptment I used to design.

Sorry about still being on my soap box, but I saw this cost someone their Life!

Rick :-(

[coralreefing]

Stay on the soap box Rick that's why I started this thread. We could all be a little safer.

[Mdwannabe]

OK I will:

Now unless that outlet is connected to a GFCI source, get rid of it.

Let's all think about this, what are our tanks?

They are indoor pools, pools that we stick are hands in!

Would you go into a neighboors home built pool that was not electrically inspected, and approved? If anyone answers yes, I question your sanity!

Our tanks are the same thing! While they are for the beauity they provide, when your hand goes in it, it's a pool, and without ground fault protection, it's an electric chair!!!!!!

I'm not kidding.....be safe, be dead, or be homeless!

I had no idea, our hobbie did not know the basics of electricity, on which we depend on so much!!!!!

Again, Sorry.....But my god, electricity and water, come on!

[rcmike]

It is plugged into a GFCI outlet. I have tried some GFCI power cords and they would trip every time the electricity went out. Not good for the tank when they would trip for no reason and shut off everyting. Sorry I forgot to mention that.

[Mdwannabe]

OK;

I'm still on my soap box, forget the extension cords (assuming you are connected to a central GFCI outlet).

Let the central GFCI decide what is best, if it trips you have a problem!

I'm not kidding, I've seen it, It's your life or home! Neither is worth it!

Rick

[aquaman67]

Ah hem....

Our tanks are not like pools or hot tubs.

Saltwater is a much better conductor of electricity....

[Mdwannabe]

I bow to your input, they are, so my point is proven!!!

Folks let's not play around, power and water can (and has) killed!

While it is a hobbie, it is serious. Watch what you do!

JMTCW:
Rick

[fishdoc11]

FWIW I ran 2 dedicated 15 amp lines to my new 90(the 75 was run off one circuit, different plugs, both protected), all GFCI protected of course. This thread inspired me to finally swap out the plug for my 55 with a GFCI. I got lucky and it also protected my QT:-)
Chris

[reewik]

I am going to follow suit.