# Split second Power Outage trips GFI outlet off !



## swylie (May 10, 2007)

My GFCI trips when I restart my pumps. I have my pumps on a separate power strip so I can turn everything off at feeding time. Occasionally when I flip them back on the GFCI trips. I've seen a couple references out there to this being a not-unknown problem with inexpensive pumps. I don't understand why, but I don't think it's a safety issue.

Here are a couple of ideas. I understand that GFCIs wear out and have more nuisance trips over time, so you could try replacing your GFCI and see if that improves things. Another option is to divide your equipment between several GFCIs so that if one trips you still have circulation in the tank. Nuisance trips can't be completely eliminated, so this is the safest way to go.


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## BassMiesterNJ (Dec 2, 2007)

I should have noted this tank is only set up 6 weeks and the GFI was bought new at time of set up.

And yes, I am going to move the power head off the GFI so I know that will at least be running if the problem happens again.


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## swylie (May 10, 2007)

BassMiesterNJ said:


> I should have noted this tank is only set up 6 weeks and the GFI was bought new at time of set up.
> 
> And yes, I am going to move the power head off the GFI so I know that will at least be running if the problem happens again.


Let me be a safety nazi for a moment. If it's electrified, and it goes into the tank or over the tank then it should be plugged into a GFCI. The formally correct solution is to get a second GFCI for the powerhead. Dunno what I'd actually do if this were my tank.


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## noresull (Oct 14, 2007)

If this GFI is one you plug into an outlet like an extension cord, they are designed to trip when power is lost. If you unplug them they usually trip and need to be reset when plugged back in.

I'm not sure why they do this, but if this is your application, it may not be a bad idea to replace the outlet with a GFCI outlet instead of using the extension cord type.


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## icex (Dec 4, 2007)

Another idea is to buy a APC battery backup from walmart, sams club, circuit city, or some other electronic store. You can buy just a small one that will run for about a hour or go for a bigger one that will run longer than that.


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## crazie.eddie (May 31, 2004)

I bought one of these...



Which sets of an alarm if the power goes out. Just plug it into your power strip of your tanks, so when the power goes out, the alarm will sound. In my case, one wall has tanks plugged into several outlets, which is in series. If one tank trips, everything down the line goes out. Therefore, I put the alarm at the farthest outlet.

It's not ear piercing, but it's loud enough that I can hear the tanks from the next floor up. Granted, the door has to be open.


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## BassMiesterNJ (Dec 2, 2007)

noresull said:


> If this GFI is one you plug into an outlet like an extension cord, they are designed to trip when power is lost. If you unplug them they usually trip and need to be reset when plugged back in.
> 
> I'm not sure why they do this, but if this is your application, it may not be a bad idea to replace the outlet with a GFCI outlet instead of using the extension cord type.


I suspected as much, and unfortunately the outlet is a PITA to get to for replacing.... I'll have to tackle it when I can.


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## JFarmer271 (Jan 30, 2008)

GFCI outlets are designed to monitor power flow both out and in. My best educated guess would be that when the power comes back on all the electronics cause a sudden large draw of power (kinda like if you where to knock a toaster in water). This draw of power isn't a steady rise so the outlet trips. The only thing you might be able to do, depending on outlet location, would be to plug things into different outlets so it's not all drawing power from one plug.
Jeremy


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