# GFI surge protector?



## motifone (Nov 21, 2004)

HI All

Anyone know where to get a GFI surge protector power strip. I saw some posts about Walmart thaving them, but went to two Walmarts today (ugh) and couldn't find one.

I live in an apartment and was told if having a GFI receptacle installed is not an option, the GFI surge protector power strip would work. It's apparently highly recommended for fish tanks (to prevent shock )

steve


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## bigpow (May 24, 2004)

I got my GFCI plug @ Walmart ($9) a few months back. This is the kind that plugs into the AC outlet, and then you plug your devices into it. I'd wait for a month ('till holiday season is over and check back)

GFCI compliant receptable or plug is highly recommended when being used to power any power device close to liquid.

Make sure you have "drip loop" too (loop the cable going to the wall outlet, so that if water drips it would not go inside the outlet)

Speaking about deals, now (or the day after christmas) is the right time to buy the cheap electrical timer. I got one (GE) from Longs for less than $3. Much better deal than last time (Walmart, generic brand, $9)


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## motifone (Nov 21, 2004)

bigpow

so yours wasn't a powerstrip type, i see. did you have to replace the wall receptacle or just plug it in? did it have a few different plugs inputs on it? I did see one at walmart, but it only had two plugs and required replacing the current receptacle. I guess that type is better than a surge protector/powerstrip because you can form the drip loop

not to be a pest, do you recall the make/brand of the GFI item you bought?


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## jart (Jan 17, 2003)

here is a link: http://www.123ponds.com/gfci1.html

i believe one of the sponsers, perhaps aquatic-store, has such an item. if it were up to me, i'd replace the outlet. but of course don't attempt this if you aren't ABSOLUTELY sure what you're doing. some people may prefer the plug in gfci if their tank is already set up and the outlet isn't accessible enough to replace it.


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## anonapersona (Oct 19, 2002)

The plug in the outlet types were also at walmart, bright yelow and inthe section with power strips and timers and such. I've also seen them at Sears, the plug in type, but not a cheap as Walmart.


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## Momotaro (Feb 21, 2003)

> I live in an apartment and was told if having a GFI receptacle installed is not an option, the GFI surge protector power strip would work.


When I started my aquariums in my apartment, first thing I did was make sure it was OK with the owner. First thing the owner said was lets get some GFCIs installed!

Anyway you have to do it, do it. It is not solely for the safety of your livestock. it is for your safety and the safety of the building.

Mike


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## bigpow (May 24, 2004)

motifone said:


> bigpow
> 
> so yours wasn't a powerstrip type, i see. did you have to replace the wall receptacle or just plug it in? did it have a few different plugs inputs on it? I did see one at walmart, but it only had two plugs and required replacing the current receptacle. I guess that type is better than a surge protector/powerstrip because you can form the drip loop
> 
> not to be a pest, do you recall the make/brand of the GFI item you bought?


Motifone, mine is not a GFCI powerstrip nor a wall outlet.
It's a plug. Yellow colored. I plug it into the wall outlet and I plug my power-strip into it. It has three prongs input & output. The brand is something generic, like GE.

Like Momotaro, I was surprised that the apartment manager wouldn't allow you to install GFCI wall outlet. Maybe because it's his responsibility? Maybe you could pursuade him by buying the outlet yourself (only $10) and have him install it?


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## zapus (May 26, 2004)

You could also replace the circuit breaker with a GFCI one. I've done this for all the bathrooms, etc. in my house.


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## motifone (Nov 21, 2004)

hi gang

thanks for the input.

I should clarify that I didn't ask the landlord about installing a GFCI outlet. He hasn't said yes or no, but he knows I have a tank. Rather, my question was, what alternatives are there to the outlet ... and the "yellow plug" a few of you have described here sounds like a good alternative. This way, I won't have to wait during this busy holiday season for an outlet to be installed and it's something I can take to future locations and just plug in the wall.

As long as safety isn't compromised by using a plug instead of an outlet, I'm fine with it.

More importantly, it sounds like any power strip you plug into the GFCI plug or outlet will also be protected.

Thanks for the tips. I will try some other hardware stores. Maybe even 1 more Walmart.

Whatever I do, I will have some sort of GFCI protection.

Cheers
Steve


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## motifone (Nov 21, 2004)

I did find a GFCI plug at Home Depot, but I think it is the kind that requires a manual reset if the power should fail, which isn't really good for aquariums apparently because it could leave all your equipment shut off until you manually reset it. Seems GFCI plugs that have auto reset are the way to go. Read this passage I got from another forum:

"You can protect your aquarium circuit in three ways: have an electrician install GFI protection on that circuit at the breaker box, swap out the ordinary wall outlet for a GFI outlet (you probably have seen these in kitchens and bathrooms - they have two pushbuttons on the outlet plate for testing and resetting the GFI), or use a plug-in GFI device. One word of warning on the latter: most of the GFI devices sold in hardware stores such as Lowes and Home Depot are designed for use on construction sites with power tools. If the electrical power to the circuit fails for any reason, those GFIs will trip - and they won't come back on by themselves when the power returns. You have to manually reset them. This is great if you're working with power tools, because it prevents the tool from suddenly turning back on all by itself when the power starts up again, but it's the exact opposite of what you want for your aquaruim. You don't want your tank's power supply to be off all day while you're away just because a storm caused the power to go off for 10 minutes! The construction-type GFIs will be labeled as meeting OSHA specifications; avoid any plug-in GFI that says it meets OSHA requirements. I understand the plug-in units Wal-Mart sells (including the GFI multi-outlet aquarium strip they sell) do turn back on automatically. The GFI that Premium Aquatics sells also turns back on automatically after a power failure. Plug one into your outlet, then plug your multi-outlet power strip into the GFI, and you're protected. A $10 plug-in GFI is cheap insurance against a potential tragedy, so definitely plan on picking one up."


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## Momotaro (Feb 21, 2003)

> I think it is the kind that requires a manual reset if the power should fail


I have never had a GFCI trip due to a power failure. 

When the power fail, it fails. Power is cut off to the entire house, and all of the circuits. Power stops. A power failure shouldn't trip a GFCI. 

I don't understand how a GFCI can reset itself. GFCI are "mechanical" trips. Anything that could reset itself would lead me to believe it is an "electronic" trip. That would beg the question, where does the switch get the power to reset itself when it trips? 

Mike


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## artemis (Oct 21, 2004)

Momotaro said:


> I have never had a GFCI trip due to a power failure.
> 
> When the power fail, it fails. Power is cut off to the entire house, and all of the circuits. Power stops. A power failure shouldn't trip a GFCI.


GFCIs intended to be used on construction sites DO trip when the power goes off, and stay off when the power comes back on. You have to manually reset them after a power failure. It's a safety feature, so power tools don't turn back on automatically when the power kicks back on. A lot of the GFCIs sold in the "big box" hardware stores are that type of unit. If a unit says it meets OSHA specifications, it won't reset automatically after a power failure.

If you don't know which type of GFCI your plug is, an easy way to tell is to plug a lamp into the unit, turn it on, then go to the circuit breaker and cut the power to that room for a minute or two. Then turn the power back on and go check the lamp. If it's on, you're golden. If it's off, and it comes back on when you push the reset button on the GFCI plug, you've got one of the OSHA-compliant GFCI plugs, and you'll probably want to replace it.


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## motifone (Nov 21, 2004)

hi artemis,

yes, it was you I was quoting from another forum.

I ordered mine from here (per your tip on another page):

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

IT looks like the same one available here:

http://www.loumarks.com/gfci.html

And the specs for the product reads: "The single outlet adapter provides GFCI protection at 120V/15A. The single outlet plug-in-portable provides safety with a high degree of portability. With an overall size of less than 4" high and 2" wide this unit may be easily moved from room to room where protection is desired. All GFCI products include an Automatic Reset feature which allows the GFCI to automatically reset after interruption of primary power. Manual reset is required only after a ground fault occurrence."

Again, this seems to be the type we would want for aquarium use. The one I bought at Home Depot requires manual reset and will be returned.


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## artemis (Oct 21, 2004)

Thanks for listing another source for the "good" GFCI plug, *motifone*! They're not all that easy to find. I've recently seen a few Tower brand plug-in GFCIs at my local Lowes which do not say they are OSHA-compliant; they _may_ be all right for aquarium use, but I haven't tested them. Like you, I got my plug from Premium Aquatics. I've heard too many stories of people (usually reefkeepers) using the other type of plug and coming home to a dead tank because the power went off while they were away and their plug-in GFCI tripped and shut everything off. While a dead tank beats a dead aquarium keeper any day, why not avoid it by using the right type of GFCI plug?


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## motifone (Nov 21, 2004)

artemis

You are welcome and thanks for giving me the original lead on this. I ordered mine from Premium Aquatics last night.

Have you indeed "tested" your Premium Aquatics GFCI plug and has it worked as advertised?

As a funny aside, before ordering from Premium Aquatics, I went to Walmart. The salesclerk in hardware couldn't locate any GFCI plugs in his department (neither could I). So, the clerk took me to the "aquarium" section and left me in the hands of a younger, female clerk. Against my better judgement, I asked her if she stocked any "GFCI power strip plugs for aquariums?" She replied, "Uhm, are those some kind of drops you put in the tank?" I smiled politely, played dumb, thanked her for her time and came home and ordered online.


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## artemis (Oct 21, 2004)

I have tested my GFCI plug, and it does come on after a power outage. It also seems fine with my aquarium lights. (Some GFCI plugs are prone to trip when pump motors or high-wattage aquarium appliances such as lights turn on; the inductive load on the circuit is briefly unbalanced while those devices power up, and it can 'fool' a GFCI device into thinking there's a ground fault and tripping. For some reason, the plug-in GFCIs are more susceptable to such false trips than the outlet or circuit-breaker types are.)


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