GFI keeps tripping

[ricestudios]

ok i installed VHO's and everytime i turn on the VHO's it trips the gfi. everything is connected to one outlet which is connected to 1 seio, 1 350 watt heater, euro reef skimmer, rio3100, and 2x175 mh lights. nothing else is connected to that outlet on that side of the wall. i also tried just the skimmer, return pump, seio, and heater with the vho, no mh's. and still the gfi tripped. any help?

[swissfish]

Looks like the problem is with the vho's. I usualy only needs 25ma (if I remember right) to trip the breaker. Make sure all the parts are insolated from the reflector or other metal parts. Also since you just installed the lights, you might have splashed water on them and you have to wait untill everything is dryed up.

[ricestudios]

actually the lights work with all the other sump equipment off. but when everything is in use, it keeps tripping. i installed it and ran it without the canopy over the tank so there was no water even near it. there isnt any metal parts touching it. its all protected with washers and wire nuts.

[sacredfire]

Its not a water issue.

You are drawing too much power from one outlet.

Try splitting up your feeds.

When you say Gfi is it an outlet with a reset button or is it in the Sub Panel?


Now that I think about it if it is an outlet with a restet button, They tend to go bad and cant stay on. If your residence is old "Pre 3 Prong outlet" It's possible that its not hooked up properly.

[MrKrispy]

is this a gfi installed wall outlet or a gfi adaptor that plugs in to a regular outlet?

[ricestudios]

is this a gfi installed wall outlet or a gfi adaptor that plugs in to a regular outlet?

its an adapter from home depot that plugs into a outlet

[sacredfire]

OOOOh k

They do that.

Split your power up.

Mine did that also.

[jbvdhp]

yeah dude- it seems like you're drawing way too much wattage out of one socket. split em up like sacred fire said. don't wanna short your home!

[phishphood]

I have everything running on my tank plugged into your standard 2-plug outlet. That itself is on a GFI circuit w/ a few other outlets. Occasionally, when my mh's came on it used to trip the circuit. quick trip to the reset button and it all works. I think it might be something in my ballasts, oh well. Ricestudios, just split your stuff onto 2 or 3 plugs and you'll be fine.

[mcdonaldtj]

I had a GFI that was doing that I pulled it out and one of the wires was barely hanging on so it spiked everytime something big came on. The way that my house is wired it is powering all of the plugs in the bathroom and the bedroom you get the picture. I bet you have the same issue and you will have to split it up. Most of the VHO ballast have a large draw when they come on and it is too much for the Gfi.

[lucubrator]

The other thing you might want to examine with those is that I think they default to off when the power goes out.

[MrKrispy]

Sorry I didn't get back to you sooner.


Dump the GFI adaptor, they are not good for aquariums. This is not only from my own very frustrating experience, but also from much reading on RC. The adaptors trip VERY easily, and as nick said, they will not reset on their own when power goes off. Try plugging everything in to a quality power strip instead and see if it still trips.

Now that doesn't mean the GFI is totally at fault, you might still be overloading the circuit. You need to determine if all the outlets in that room are on one circuit (they probably are).

All of the outlets in my living room are on one circuit, and for some damn reason, the microwave in the kitchen is on that circuit. So if I have my stereo going and the MH lights are on and someone tries to heat up a Hot Pocket I am screwed. Damn Hot Pockets.

[reef]

All of the outlets in my living room are on one circuit, and for some damn reason, the microwave in the kitchen is on that circuit. So if I have my stereo going and the MH lights are on and someone tries to heat up a Hot Pocket I am screwed. Damn Hot Pockets.

That's hilarious!

[phishphood]

Yeah that's like my house Krispy. For some reason all of my living room outlets are on the same circuit as only one outlet in the kitchen (out of 3) and it's on a GFI. Roommate turned on the coffeepot when I had everything else going...pop heh.

[sacredfire]

Ha,

My story is better...

So Danny and his buddy come over to check out my tank, while going through it the wife had the Microwave, washer/Dryer and just about every light on....Whoosh we were all stuck in the dark!

First time it had done that... to say the least I had to split up the feeds.



Boy was that embarrasing!

[jbvdhp]

damn hot pockets always burn my lips. die!

[MrKrispy]

when i was a kid I pulled one out of the over and it was so hot I blew in to it to cool it down. The steam came out and seared my eyes, blinding me for a few days. Pretty cool....ummm hot!

so about that gfi lmao