Titanium Ground Probe

Clownfishman · 01-27-2005, 10:45 AM

I bought one of these the other day since I had a faulty GFCI and was thinking it would be better to use than the GFCI... I don't think I could get shocked since everything would be at the same potential if anything happened.. I do worry about the fish though if there was some electrical disturbance on the ground... I doubt it would go to the tank though since it has more resistance than going directly to the ground..

I just wondered about trasients showing up in the water and stuff, but with it grounded it should always read 0... just the same as any ground should read, it should carry current except when a fault occurs, then it should go directly to ground... anyone ever measure resistance from one end of the tank to the other using saltwater... wonder what it measures

Kevin1000 · 01-27-2005, 11:17 AM

A ground probe won't save your a*s if you have a major electrical poblem ... a ground fault interupter will. All SW tanks should have a GFI - if you have a faulty GFI - replace it.

Clownfishman · 01-27-2005, 12:42 PM

Well thing is with GFCI's is if the power goes out and comes back on they have a tendency to not come back on, even if there is no problems.... if I am gone for the weekend or a week or overnight I wouldn't feel comfortable leaving it on there unless I can buy a really good one.. something that can handle that in-rush current that happens when all the stuff comes on after a power outage...

I may get on and leave it on when im here, when i got out of town just plug it up..

Kevin1000 · 01-27-2005, 12:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Clownfishman

Well thing is with GFCI's is if the power goes out and comes back on they have a tendency to not come back on, even if there is no problems...

An occasional power outage is a common occurance throughout the USA and I have never heard a report about a GFI having a tendency not to come back on .. no offence but that statement is bogus. If your GFI does not come back on then you need to hire an electrician and have him check out your electical system.

You should note that if your GFI is tripped because of a ground fault ... its suppose to stay off until you manually reset it.

Clownfishman · 01-27-2005, 01:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kevin1000

An occasional power outage is a common occurance throughout the USA and I have never heard a report about a GFI having a tendency not to come back on .. no offence but that statement is bogus. If your GFI does not come back on then you need to hire an electrician and have him check out your electical system.

You should note that if your GFI is tripped because of a ground fault ... its suppose to stay off until you manually reset it.

I know how they work, maybe there was a problem with mine, it wouldn't even reset with nothing plugged into it so I am sure its faulty. But many people have said that their GFCI doesn't come back on after a power outage and it has to be manually reset to get it to come back.. if it doesn't come back on with a manual reset then you have a ground fault as you said..

Clownfishman · 01-27-2005, 01:20 PM

Also note GFCI's will not protect you if contact is made between line and neutral conductors at the same time...

Also note I was talking about portable GFCI's... which is what i am using, looks like I will need to go with a in wall GFCI..

The reason portable GFCI's don't come on after a momentary power outage is because if you are using one a construction site and the power goes off you just don't want you circular saw to just fire right on up on and cut your arm off or somethign... all portable GFCI's must be reset manually after a power outage...

Loverotties · 01-27-2005, 08:08 PM

Yes you need the one in the wall or a GFCI breaker,but they ussaly have more nusant trips then the wall ones.FYI mine comes back on with the power.(wall one)

Clownfishman · 01-27-2005, 08:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Loverotties

Yes you need the one in the wall or a GFCI breaker,but they ussaly have more nusant trips then the wall ones.FYI mine comes back on with the power.(wall one)

yeah I am having one installed tomorrow by a electrician, I would do it myself but its hard to get to and he is only charging $20 to put in it, so I don't have to headache about it..

I also read that high inductive loads may cause it to trip to like aquarium lights anyone ever had that problem?

Rick O · 01-27-2005, 09:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Clownfishman

I also read that high inductive loads may cause it to trip to like aquarium lights anyone ever had that problem?

You probably won't have a problem with lights tripping it but a chiller very well may.