This may be a stupid question but....

[keqwow]

Okay....this may be a stupid question, but I am just planning the location of my tank and basically I have access to a two plug outlet. I was thinking I could use a surge protector with more outlets plugged into one of the outlets in the wall. Will this be able to handle the draw from skimmer, pumps, heaters, and MH/VHO lighting setup for a 55 gal. tank?

[Loverotties]

It all dedends what else is on the circuit .It also depends how many amp circuit it is by finding the breaker that feeds that socket.

[kwjones]

Let's see...I live in an old farm house with the same basic set up you mentioned.
Surge Protector 1:
1-150 Watt Heater for my water mixing tub (not always on)
1-Maxijet 1200 for my water mixing tub (not always on)
1-260 Watt PC light fixture (PC Bulbs only and on a timer)

Surge Protector 2:
1-Mag 24 pump (closed loop)
1-Mag 7 pump (sump return)
1-Mag 3 pump (protein skimmer)
1-300 Watt heater (hardly ever comes on with all these pumps running)
1-Grounding Probe
1-Maxijet 900 that blows across the top of the tank towards the overflow
4 Watt Moonlights for my PC unit...always on.

It works for me, BUT...check out your circuit breaker and see what the load capacity is for that particular circuit.

[keqwow]

I'm not really sure how to tell the load on the circuit and I didn't take the time to find that particular socket, but since it has to be one of the few in there (since I am in a two room apartment), it is either 15 amps or 20amps I think?? Or at least that is what is on the breakers that I have. What do you think?

[tims]

if it is possible to have someone wiht the know how, you might want to run a deadicated line for the tank. if you run everything off of one outlet and something happens to it, everything goes off.
if you do run power strips get the ones with the surge protectors and or there own circut breaker built in.

[jdbassin]

Buy a good power strip, Do a search on power strips on here and reef central, There are some pretty big horror stories with using cheap ps's. The good ones have actual wall type sockets in them joined with wires not just one long copper strip. A member of my local reef club recently had a cheap one catch on fire. Thank god he was home at the time


JD

[AnemicOak]

Instead of powerstrips I bought two of these. This way each outlet can be switched off if desired.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...772738996&rd=1

[DAC]

you could always flip the breakers off till it shuts off the outlet you plan on using , then walk around and test other near by outlets to see if they dont. IF nothing of great importance goes off you would most likely be safe to run it all.
Just got this formula from and electrician freind.
watts / power source (most likely 110 volt) = amperage.

1000watts divided by 120 = 8.34 amps.

If you really want to scare yourself try this one

Amps x Volts = Watts .(just add up all your equipment, they should have wattage already on them)
Watts x 744 and divide by 1000 = KWH per month
KWH per month x Cost per KWH (located on your electric bill) = Cost per month
so if you pay $.07 a KWH and are running 1000 watts of equuip. your monthly total is $52.08
Ouch!! Plus the 3 ponds I have....

[wanareef]

AS DAC mentioned flip off the breakers one at a time and find which one it is. If you are alone- you could use a radio and just turn it up so you can hear it at the breaker box. Once you fine the breaker, note the amp's etched on the breaker.

While the breaker is off, take your radio around the other outlets and see what else is on that line.

[SeaDog]

Originally Posted by DAC

you could always flip the breakers off till it shuts off the outlet you plan on using , then walk around and test other near by outlets to see if they dont.

Then if you are anything like me you will have to call the NASA help-line to reprogram all the electronic clocks you have around the house .

As the folks said it's very important to use a GFI however you power the tank, it's better to have the tank power to go off for a few hours than the house to go up in a puff of smoke!

Steve