too much on breakers

[Mscott203]

Ok here's my issue.
I have a nice electrical box set up behind the tank and have the spread of appliances plugged in neatly over 2 breakers in our house.
I have found though that the latest metal halide addition trips the gfci on whichever side I plug it into. Its not an issue with the newest ballast as I can interchange each of my 3 250w e-ballasts and the last one to be plugged in trips the gfci on that particular side.
the scheme looks like this

breaker 1 - 1 pfo 250w e-ballast on timer, 1 honeywell fan on same timer, 1panworld 100px-x external pump on timer, 1 seio 820 on same timer, ballast for 1 96w power compact fixture on timer, 1 seio 1100 .
(this breaker also has our office on it so - 2 computers, router, modem, etc always on)

breaker 2 has - 2 evc 250w e-ballasts on same timer, 1 Iwaki md40rlt external pump on timer, 300w heater, ballast for 1 tube of NO florescent lighting on timer.
(this breaker also has our refrigerator on it)

one way or another I can't plug anything else in to either of these two breakers and no other outlet for a 3rd breaker is within reasonable distance of the tank. Can't move the refrigerator and can't move the office.

any suggestions

[bertoni]

Have you totaled the load?

[Mscott203]

I havn't totaled the load and I'm not sure really how. I tried to look up amps drawn for each item but it's not always listed.
Am I looking for amps or watts? Often only 1 or the other seems to be listed.
The gfci switches are relatively new both are the kind you plug into the socket.

I tried to more evenly distribute the load by moving a couple of things around so now it looks like this

breaker 1
1) Iwaki return pump on timer #1 - 8am-midnight
2) EVC 250w E-ballast on timer #2 - 9am-7pm
3) Refugium light 96w pc ballast on timer #3 - 9pm-7am
4) NO florescent light on timer#4 7am-10am&7pm-10pm
5) Seio 1100
6) Sedra 5000 skimmer pump
7) Computer #1
8) Computer #2
9) router
10) cable modem
11) computer speakers
12) printer
13) Monitor
14) external hard drive

breaker 2
1) EVC 250w E-ballast on timer #5 - 10am-6pm
2) PFO 250w E-ballast on timer #5 - 10am-6pm
3) Honeywell fan on timer #5 - 10am-7pm
4) PanWorld return pump on timer #6 - 11pm - 4pm
5) 300w heater
6) Seio 820
7) Large Refrigerator

if anyone knows amps for any of the items or can point me to a post with this information would be helpful as well
thanks

[asm481]

Run a couple new lines for the tank.

[gotskillz11]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10981114#post10981114 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Mscott203
I havn't totaled the load and I'm not sure really how. I tried to look up amps drawn for each item but it's not always listed.
Am I looking for amps or watts? Often only 1 or the other seems to be listed.
The gfci switches are relatively new both are the kind you plug into the socket.

I tried to more evenly distribute the load by moving a couple of things around so now it looks like this

breaker 1
1) Iwaki return pump on timer #1 - 8am-midnight
2) EVC 250w E-ballast on timer #2 - 9am-7pm
3) Refugium light 96w pc ballast on timer #3 - 9pm-7am
4) NO florescent light on timer#4 7am-10am&7pm-10pm
5) Seio 1100
6) Sedra 5000 skimmer pump
7) Computer #1
8) Computer #2
9) router
10) cable modem
11) computer speakers
12) printer
13) Monitor
14) external hard drive

breaker 2
1) EVC 250w E-ballast on timer #5 - 10am-6pm
2) PFO 250w E-ballast on timer #5 - 10am-6pm
3) Honeywell fan on timer #5 - 10am-7pm
4) PanWorld return pump on timer #6 - 11pm - 4pm
5) 300w heater
6) Seio 820
7) Large Refrigerator

if anyone knows amps for any of the items or can point me to a post with this information would be helpful as well
thanks

YOU MORE THAN LIKELY HAVE 2 15A BREAKERS AS PROTECTION FOR THESE TWO CIRCUITS. THAT WOULD MEAN YOU HAVE #14 ROMEX RUNNING TO THE RECEPTACLES. EACH CIRCUIT CAN ONLY HANDLE 1440 CONTINUOUS AMPS OR 80% OF THE TRIP RATING. LOOKING AT EACH CIRCUIT, THE LARGEST LOADS ON CIRCUIT 1 ARE THE 250W MH AND THE COMPUTERS. THE LARGEST LOADS ON CIRCUIT 2 ARE THE TWO MH BULBS. EACH 250W MH BULB PROBABLY DRAWS ABOUT 300 AMPS TOTAL WITH THE BALLAST. IF I WERE YOU I WOULD BUY A NEW BREAKER, RUN SOME ROMEX AND INSTALL A NEW RECEPTACLE. THEN PUT THE (3) MH BULBS AND THE HEATER ON THIS CIRCUIT. THAT SHOULD SOLVE YOUR PROBLEM. YOU COULD ALSO MOVE A FEW LOADS BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN CIRCUITS 1 AND 2 AFTER YOU HAVE DONE THIS.