# GFCI Powerbars



## christine (Jun 13, 2009)

i have a computer with a GFCI, on the other outlet on the same wall can i use another GFCI or will it be too much. The powerbar i'm using for my tank has 5 outlets so i'm wondering if i can upgrade to a GFCI? Also what timers are good for marine tanks?

Christine.


----------



## Mr Fishies (Sep 21, 2007)

christine said:


> i have a computer with a GFCI, on the other outlet on the same wall can i use another GFCI or will it be too much. The powerbar i'm using for my tank has 5 outlets so i'm wondering if i can upgrade to a GFCI? Also what timers are good for marine tanks?
> 
> Christine.


2 bars on on 2 different wall plugs, no problem. As long as you don't start plugging a GFCI powerbar into a GFCI powerbar there should be no issue.

IIRC, even if you do hook them up in series, the only real issue would be confusion over "what really caused which one switch off?" in the event of a problem (ie: something plugged into bar #2 could make bar #1 trip or vise versa).


----------



## christine (Jun 13, 2009)

Don't think i would plug one into the other powerbar  . So that's great, now i'll finally be able to get timers & a koralla nano for my tank. Any suggestions on the best timers to get?

Christine.


----------



## bae (May 11, 2007)

christine said:


> i have a computer with a GFCI, on the other outlet on the same wall can i use another GFCI or will it be too much. The powerbar i'm using for my tank has 5 outlets so i'm wondering if i can upgrade to a GFCI? Also what timers are good for marine tanks?
> 
> Christine.


A GFCI doesn't do anything to change the capacity of the outlet. All it does is cut off power if there's a ground fault -- if the unit detects that current is going to ground from something plugged in to it and not back through the unit, i.e. a short. This is a valuable safety feature, especially around water. It can protect you from a potentially dangerous shock.

Depending on how old your home is, the outlets on one wall may or may not be on the same circuit. Modern computers and peripherals don't use a lot of power, and neither does most aquarium equipment other than heaters and some lights. Heaters are not
generally a problem because they aren't on most of the time. You can add up the numbers on each device and figure out how much power you're expecting from that outlet and other outlets on that circuit and see whether there's likely to be a problem. In most cases that would be if you have a refrigerator or toaster or electric kettle on the same circuit.

What you want for your computer equipment is not a GFCI but a surge protector. A urge protector cuts off current if there's a surge of higher than normal voltage that could damage electronics. This isn't generally a problem unless there's a lightning strike on or near a power pole nearby, at least in Toronto, but worthwhile for the minimal extra cost of a surge-protected power bar over an ordinary one.

I'd recommend everybody check now and again to make sure all the electrical cords around their tanks are arranged so that the lowest point is somewhere other than the plug. This way, if water gets on the cord, it will drip off rather than run into the outlet. Use a rubber band to make a loop if necessary. Precautions like this are all teh more important with marine tanks since salt water is a much better conductor than fresh water.

I hope this helps.


----------



## christine (Jun 13, 2009)

That's great info. thanks, i just had a look & it is a surge protector i remember paying more for it. i will get the same one for my tank, i will also becareful when taking wtr. out that none gets near the powerbar. That's a great idea for the cords, i'm going to do that.

Christien.


----------



## derekc85 (Oct 23, 2008)

I ordered the 5 outlet GFCI, its a plugin as my outlet is really hard to get to, just plug and play.


----------



## christine (Jun 13, 2009)

i was looking for something more like this, as long as it's approved & it has a surge.Thought you'd be interested in seeing this page :

http://www.mops.ca/skus/li/LICL-01691.asp

Christine.


----------



## derekc85 (Oct 23, 2008)

correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe the coralife powerbar is a

timer, surge protector, powerbar and not a GFCI


----------



## christine (Jun 13, 2009)

Not sure about that, it doesn't show if it is grounded on there web site. The cheaper version is. What does everyone else use? if i use timers & a k. nano i need 3 extra oulets. i have a powerbar with 5 outlets, the last one is being used at night for my sub. light for my cheato. if i buy timers without it being on a powerbar i won't have enought outlets plus i need one for a k. nano. so basically i need 3 extra outlets.

Christine.


----------



## bae (May 11, 2007)

I've made my own GFCI extension cords. It's really very easy. Buy a GFCI outlet, an enclosed electrical box and either a thick extension cord (cut off the outlet end) or a length of thick three-wire electrical cable and a three prong plug. Wire it up in the obvious way, and plug a powerbar into it. I plug a powerbar into one outlet for everything but the lights, and a timer for the lights into the other outlet of the GFCI. I've mounted the GFCI unit on the stand, and hung the powerbar on it too. That way every cable hangs lower than the plug, and when I do a water change, I flick off the powerbar, turning off the heater and filter, but the lights stay on.

I don't think you need a surge protector for your aquarium gear unless there's electronics in it somewhere. However, it doesn't do any harm.


----------



## Zebrapl3co (Mar 29, 2006)

I got mine from CanadianTire:
http://www.canadiantire.ca/AST/brow...~0527268P/Noma+GFCI+Power+Bar%2C+4-Outlet.jsp
Some times its on sale for $19.99. From here I split into like 8 more power bars. Yeah, I know, it's an electrica hazard. I lost a couple of power bars like that. This is only for the time being. Once I built my fish room, I'll be making the actually outlet GFCI.
http://rona.ca/shop/~receptacle-gfci-duplex-receptacle-cooper-wiring-device-414038_!gfci_shop

*Never pay again for live sex! | Hot girls doing naughty stuff for free! | Chat for free!*


----------



## conix67 (Jul 27, 2008)

bae said:


> A GFCI doesn't do anything to change the capacity of the outlet. All it does is cut off power if there's a ground fault -- if the unit detects that current is going to ground from something plugged in to it and not back through the unit, i.e. a short. This is a valuable safety feature, especially around water. It can protect you from a potentially dangerous shock.


A lot of what's said here is true, but the short circuit isn't what GFCI is for, GFCI is for the stray current. This occurs in aquarium systems when devices submerged in the water develops crack or other defect that exposes part of the electrical component. Thus especially important in aquarium systems to have such protection. Most GFCI equipped outlets in homes are located in washrooms, to protect from similar occurrences when electrical equipment is submerged in the water causing stray current that could shock you (and kill fish in aquarium)

The circuit breaker will cover most of shorted circuits (overcurrent).



bae said:


> Modern computers and peripherals don't use a lot of power, and neither does most aquarium equipment other than heaters and some lights.


Not true. It really depends on configuration but power desktop computers use a lot more power than before, although overall things are made more power efficient to the capacity/speed than before. You can see this by looking at Power Supplies typical computer systems use.



bae said:


> What you want for your computer equipment is not a GFCI but a surge protector. A urge protector cuts off current if there's a surge of higher than normal voltage that could damage electronics. This isn't generally a problem unless there's a lightning strike on or near a power pole nearby, at least in Toronto, but worthwhile for the minimal extra cost of a surge-protected power bar over an ordinary one.


Also make sure if you're getting surge protected power bar, it does have surge protection. A lot of cheap power bars simply have a circuit breaker, which is better than nothing though, but no protection against surges.

Summary -


stray current - GFCI
over current (short circuit) - circuit breaker
surge - surge protector


----------

