electricity time, how many GFCIs?? pumps on GFCI???

[RyanBrucks]

Hey everyone,

My garage sump stand is almost done , and I'm ready to pay a professional to add electrical outlets for me.

I am thinking of getting two 20amp breakers added, one for the garage (where the sump and all filtration/pumps go), and the other for my dining room (where the tank, lighting, and closedloop go).

Obviously I want the system set up with GFCI, but I am not exactly sure how to break it down. Should I just use 1 GFCI for each area (tank and garage), or is it beneficial to have a GFCI for each different oulet, or at least a couple for different systems? ie all the garage lighting on 1 GFCI, all the return pumps/powerheads on another, chiller on a separate etc.

When I have the electrician do the work, is there anything special I need to make sure he does? Like make sure GFCIs are wired in parallel not in series?

Should the return pumps be on GFCI?? (planning to add a battery backup vortech in the display just incase it trips and pumps turn off) I've seen mixed opininos on this particular question in the past. (sequence dart returns water to the display, sequence snapper pumps water to the refugium and frag tank)

Anything else you guys feel I should consider before hiring a professional I will gladly listen to.

Thanks for participating in this ever-excellent peer approval process!

Thanks,
Ryan Brucks

[ErikS]

One GFCI per circuit. First outlet is GFCI, protects all outlets "downstream"..................OR......you can use a GFCI breaker = same-same.

Number of circuits = add up all devices on each leg. Max recomended for a 20a circuit is 16a (constant load). Add in some headroom - you always end up with more devices & you're good to go.

[RyanBrucks]

Ok, breaking it down some:

Please let me know if I’m doing this right. To determine amps I’m dividing the wattage by 120 (vac) and rounding up.

Display Circuit load will have:
3x 250W MH with PFO ballast (2.1amps per 250w bulb???)
1x Icecap 430 ballast powering 2x140W VHO bulbs (2.33a)
1x Sequence Dart for closed loop (1.4a)
1x OceansMotions 4-way (can’t find power info)
1x vortec w/battery backup (0.25amps for powerhead, not sure on the battery charge power draw)
2x LED moonlights, (???w, ???a)
1x 12 LED Luxeon lightengine for backlight (30v adapter, 1amp).

Total >= 11.28 amps, missing OM4way and LED moonlights and vortec battery charge draw.

On the garage/sump side I will have:
1x Sequence Barracuda (228w, 1.9a)
1x Sequence Snapper (100w, 0.85a)
1x ASM G3 skimmer w/ Sedra3500 (???w ???a)
1x MTC minical w/eheim-1250 (28w, 0.25a)
1x Paltec Ocean Geotronic 900 chiller/heater (400w, 3.33a at 100% output).
1x LOA 65W CFB for fuge lighting (65w, 0.54a)
1x Tek lighting T5, 4ft, 4bulbs frag lighting (216w, 1.8a)

Total >= 8.67, missing info on the sedra3500. Also will most likely add a few more lights to see the sump at night, but they’ll be energy efficient.

So does it look like I’ll be fine using a 20amp circuit for each location (total 40amp)????

Is there an advantage to adding a new electrical subpanel instead of adding breakers to the existing one? Can you get the electrical company to track your subpanel seprately for detailed analysis or something?

[J-Burns]

I do not think I would put Halides on a GFCI as I have heard that they will trip for no reason. Personally I don't like them on fish tanks at all because of nuisance tripps.

[reef / aholic]

My guide lines!!!

20A circuits - 12 gauge and 20A = 2400W - 20% = 1920W

15A circuits - 14 gauge and 15A = 1800W - 20% = 1440W

[pmw0813]

Something to consider is that pump and other high startup devices do not work too well on GFCI. This is why refrigerators are not on them. There are other ways to protect a line.

[reef / aholic]

I have 2 of these PS Audio Soloist In-Wall Power Conditioner!!!

[ErikS]

I've been running halides & T5's off a GFCI circuit for 5 years = never had a single trip (for those devices)..............but I do run them through an Neptune controller (AC 3 - it has soft start which limits the inrush current).

You're well within limits of the circuit but factor in the startup current for the halides is going to be over 4a - just a matter of timing when they kick off (don't do them both together).

The OM & moonlights won't be any significant draw.

[WarrenG]

GFCI may save your life, do not skip them. In 15+ years I've never had a nuisance trip from the type that are part of an outlet, but the add-on types with their own cords that I used to have would trip when the lights came on.

If something does trip the GFCI you don't want too much equipment being shut off, so I used 4 GFCI's in my set-up. I have two heaters, each on different GFCI's, some power heads on different ones, etc..

You can never have too many outlets, so put 4-gang boxes in several locations around your tank, especially above water level so drips won't run down the cords into the outlets. Switched outlets for your main pumps are nice to have so you don't have to unplug them.