GFCI outlet + aquariums

[Milliardo Peacecraft]

I was wondering if any of you have used GFCI outlets with your aquariums.  An aquarium seems to be the definition of why you would want a GFCI outlet, several things plugging into a wall outlet that are above an in the water, and then you stick your arm in the water frequently without even thinking twice about it.  I've never seen any home user have a GFCI outlet on their aquarium, nor have I had one for the past 30-40 years of aquariums.

I'm debating about swapping out the outlet behind my aquarium with a GFCI outlet, and I was wondering if anyone else has done that?

[Tanked]

I have not done this for the aquarium, but a GFCI outlet is always a good idea anywhere water is involved.

Having experienced a current leak on the outdoor pond, all of my outdoor fixtures are GFCI protected.

[lefty o]

im sure very very few tanks are on a GFCI, but if you were wiring up a new fish room, it would be a great idea to add one in.

[Milliardo Peacecraft]

@Pepere When you are referring to a grounding probe in your aquarium, do you have a stainless steel probe in your aquarium, and if so, where di you attach it to?

[Milliardo Peacecraft]

Something like this?

[HelplessNewbie]

I didn't know or think about any of this. Thank you for raising awareness.

[Galabar]

Maybe a dumb question, but does the grounding probe plug into a non-GFCI outlet or the same GFCI outlet as the rest of the tank?

 

Edited August 21, 2023 by Galabar

[Galabar]

Also, I'm wondering how a GFCI would interact with a KASA power strip.  It seems like it isn't recommended: https://www.tp-link.com/us/support/faq/2441/

Quote

Q: Can a HS300 be plugged into a power strip, another surge protector or an uninterruptible power supply (UPS)?

A:  No. The HS300 power strip must be directly plugged into a grounded outlet to work.

...

Q: Can I use a surge protector with a GFCI (ground fault circuit interrupter) outlet?

A: No. Incompatible electronics within the GFCI and the surge protector can cause either to trip. GFCI outlets are placed in potentially wet locations such as sinks, bathrooms and garages. Surge protectors should be used in wet or potentially wet locations.

 

[Galabar]

One more thing, besides the KASA issue, would this work (in an office with fish tanks):

https://www.amazon.com/Yellow-Jacket-2762-1-Outlet-Adapter/dp/B000MM3Z6C

?

[Milliardo Peacecraft]

@Galabar. I'm wonderimg if it's how the "smart" feature on the power strip cycles the power on and off that may be kicking out the GFCI.  I wouldn't think a standard power strip with surge suppression only would kick out the outlet.

[Maximus]

Remember, you don't need to use a GFCI on the actual outlet you plug your aquarium stuff into. It's enough to have a single GFCI in the circuit AHEAD of the aquarium plugs. For my "fish office" I have wiring coming from the breaker box in the garage to the front doorbell, and then the first outlet in my office. That one I put a GFCI on, and everything else after it in the circuit in my office and the kid's room (same line) is then protected.

I'd also call out that everyone should be doing this. It's crazy to me that people don't. There's a reason that in many places GFCI is required in bathrooms and outside. Water and electricity can kill, and no hobby is worth that.

[Galabar]

Yeah, I may try adding the GFCI before the Kasa powerstrip and see if it works.

Any recommendations for plugin-in GFCIs?

[Milliardo Peacecraft]

I would avoid ones like the one below that says it has "safe start" on it.  Apparently these require you to press reset each time you want to use the cord.

[Maximus]

I don't know how the behavior will change if you use a plug-in vs. a normal outlet like I did. It might not apply to downstream outlets in the same way. Be cautious.

[Galabar]

I ordered the following: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000XU5MEG

I'll put this in front of one of my Kasa power strips (currently plugged directly into a (non-GFCI) wall socket).  If it works without issue, I'll get one for each Kasa.

 

Edited August 22, 2023 by Galabar

[HelplessNewbie]

On 8/22/2023 at 7:01 PM, Pepere said:

This particular unit will trip off when the power goes out.  You will need to manually reset it after the power comes back on.

In our case, that is a deal breaker. When we are away from home, we need power to be restored automatically. Assuming we find one that does this, I have questions of my own.

We have small UPS' on our aquarium equipment, currently connected to non-gfci outlets. Some equipment are connected to wifi or zwave controllers, that are then plugged into the battery backup on the ups.

Will it be sufficient to plug the ups into a gfci strip or plug? Or...

wall (non-gfci) outlet - ups - controller - gfci plug - aquarium appliance

or...

wall (non-gfci) outlet - ups - gfci plug - controller - aquarium appliance

?

Edited August 22, 2023 by HelplessNewbie

[Milliardo Peacecraft]

I found this GFCI extension cord at home depot that says it automatically resets when power is restored to the unit after a power outage.  I might pick one up and see if it functions that way.

 

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Husky-2-ft-12-3-15-Amp-In-Line-GFCI-with-Power-Block-Red-04-00105/303694836

 

[Littlefish]

Here is an interesting discussion by some O.G. saltwater aquarists talking about gfci's and grounding probes.  The one works at Penn State with collegues who breed corals.  S.W. has a different conductivity I think, so maybe it's not exactly the same w fw?

If you don't want to watch, the gist is they strongly recommend against gfci on any "life support" systems (ie pumps, etc) after losing several large tanks due to sensitive gfci's.  They do recommend it for heaters and u.v.  Also they don't like grounding plugs due to potential for electrocution!  They wear rubber boots when working in tanks.

I'm not an electrician, but a remodeler/builder, and we have problems with the new gfci being so sensitive the trades can't run tools off them.

Go to 42 min.  What do you think?

 

[Littlefish]

On 8/25/2023 at 12:42 PM, Pepere said:

Combined with a GFCI, a grounding plug allows the GFCI to trip without your arm in the tank, and “you” completing the path to ground…

It sounds like the tripping and the resultant tank loss is why they don't use gfci.  With rubber boots they can just feel a tickle if there is current, and then track it down.  

Do you have a comment on sw vs fw and electricity?  I pick my electricians brains occasionally.  It's my knowledge weak point but is interesting.

On 8/25/2023 at 12:42 PM, Pepere said:

Ferrite chokes can be had for cheap at amazon.  Try putting one of these over your power cord.  It can stop the GFCI from nuisance tripping…. 

Thanks for the tip, some trades get pretty frustrated with the new arc-fault gfci not running their tools, so I'll try this out.

There are very long threads on reef sites about this topic with electricians and engineers on both sides that descend into snark and insults and have to get cleaned up.  Good example here of the comparatively nice coop culture.

[Galabar]

I tried a plug-in GFCI on one of my tanks (with a KASA power strip) and it was tripped when I checked it this morning.  For now, I might just use it when I plan to place my hand/arm in the water.  🙂

 

Edited August 25, 2023 by Galabar

[Littlefish]

On 8/25/2023 at 7:12 PM, Galabar said:

I tried a plug-in GFCI on one of my tanks (with a KASA power strip) and it was tripped when I checked it this morning.  For now, I might just use it when I plan to place my hand/arm in the water.  🙂

 

I really like that idea, and that's why the O.G. reef aquarists won't use them.  Really easy to lose 10k in reef tanks with tripped outlets, and at the same time I agree w Pepere about cardiac arhythmias or arrest (former acls rn).  Also, my wife was an electrical engineer and was very concerned if I got a little zap at work before we had kids.  Something about effecting male fertility or virility she learned in school that I didn't 😁.

 

[Galabar]

On 8/25/2023 at 5:39 PM, Littlefish said:

I really like that idea, and that's why the O.G. reef aquarists won't use them.  Really easy to lose 10k in reef tanks with tripped outlets, and at the same time I agree w Pepere about cardiac arhythmias or arrest (former acls rn).  Also, my wife was an electrical engineer and was very concerned if I got a little zap at work before we had kids.  Something about effecting male fertility or virility she learned in school that I didn't 😁.

 

Ok, if the hand is going in, the GFCI is being temporarily installed.

How about if I stick a metal net into the tank?

[Galabar]

Thanks so much for the response!

I left the GFCI on for now and it didn't trip last night.  Interestingly, one of my desktop computers in the same room was unresponsive yesterday (when I also noticed the GFCI on the tank had tripped).  So, I wonder if there was a power "blip" and, since the GFCI doesn't automatically come back on, that might be the reason?

In any case, I'll continue to test with the GFCI.  However, I won't leave them on if I'm not at home to catch a trip within 8-10 hours.

[Galabar]

I may also buy something like this for each tank that is protected by a GFCI: https://www.amazon.com/ENDMAN-Failure-Freezer-Rechargeable-Included/dp/B0BHW7FNSB

Nice loud alarm if they power goes out.

 

[Milliardo Peacecraft]

I think I found a combination of GFCI + grounding probe + remote controlled outlet that works really good together.  The Husky GFCI from home depot has worked good for the past couple weeks and it doesn't kick out when it looses power.  I tripped the breaker downstairs and when the power was restored, everything powered right back up on the aquarium, no manual reset needed.  Now if I loose power from a lightning strick and the power does goofy things, all bets are off as to what would happen with it, but so far it has worked just as i would have hoped.  I also added a LoraTap remote controlled outlet so I don't have to dig in my aquarium stand to get to the power strip to turn off the filters and air pump each time I feed the fish.