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Anonymous
Guest
What amperage do I need for a tank?
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Anonymous
Guest
That depends on what you have in the way of electrical keeping..most circuit breakers in your home are rated between 15-50amps..a gfci isnt a circuit breaker, it kinda acts as a circuit breaker to which it "trips" like one, it wont protect from an overdraw in current like a circuit breaker does...
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Anonymous
Guest
*double post*
The circuit breaker is at your breaker panel somewhere in the house, It's those breakers that you will have to worry about how many amps to get. GFCI..........I don't think there is any amp limits to those......
GFCI is basically a monitoring device detecting leaking currents. If the current flowing through the circuit diffuser is in any different from the amount that returns, GFCI will disable that circuit.
GFCI is basically a monitoring device detecting leaking currents. If the current flowing through the circuit diffuser is in any different from the amount that returns, GFCI will disable that circuit.
go to your fuse box, and look at the breaker for your tank. (if you want to know an easy way to find it, there are 'gfci testers' that will pop the breaker when you press a button. much easier than using a light. (Is it that one?))
on the breaker switch itself, it will have a number 15 or 20 (or higher)
That's what you want to get.
B
on the breaker switch itself, it will have a number 15 or 20 (or higher)
That's what you want to get.
B
First: I am not a professional Electrician!
The different ratings on the GFCI outlets signify what amperage the GFCI outlet's construction is rated to handle. My Opinion is that you should get the 20 Amp rated GFCI.
Your breakers are not the same as a GFCI UNLESS you bought special GFCI breakers and these are between $35 - $55 each as opposed to $4-$6 for a typical 15 or 20 Amp CB, so you would probably know if you have them.
A breaker detects amperage surges.
A GFCI detects shorts to ground.
A short to ground may involve a large current surge, so you may blow both the GFCI and the Circuit Breaker when dropping that plugged in light fixture into the tank. 8O 8O 8O This is good (the blowing part, not the dropping part) as it means that your breakers are as fast as the GFCI. DONT COUNT ON THIS. Some breakers are MUCH slower than the GFCI.
I will always recommend that ALL your tank electrical equipment be plugged into a GFCI protected circuit. I also highly reccomend the installation of a grounding probe.
Again, I am not a professional electrician, so if you fry yourself by misinterpreting something I said here, it's not my fault! Call an electrician if you are uncomfortable working with electricity! 8O
The different ratings on the GFCI outlets signify what amperage the GFCI outlet's construction is rated to handle. My Opinion is that you should get the 20 Amp rated GFCI.
Your breakers are not the same as a GFCI UNLESS you bought special GFCI breakers and these are between $35 - $55 each as opposed to $4-$6 for a typical 15 or 20 Amp CB, so you would probably know if you have them.
A breaker detects amperage surges.
A GFCI detects shorts to ground.
A short to ground may involve a large current surge, so you may blow both the GFCI and the Circuit Breaker when dropping that plugged in light fixture into the tank. 8O 8O 8O This is good (the blowing part, not the dropping part) as it means that your breakers are as fast as the GFCI. DONT COUNT ON THIS. Some breakers are MUCH slower than the GFCI.
I will always recommend that ALL your tank electrical equipment be plugged into a GFCI protected circuit. I also highly reccomend the installation of a grounding probe.
Again, I am not a professional electrician, so if you fry yourself by misinterpreting something I said here, it's not my fault! Call an electrician if you are uncomfortable working with electricity! 8OSponsor Reefs
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