GFI Breakers vs sockets ?

[monza]

Anyone using them, do they work well? Do they ever trip when they should not? A electritian friend said he has heard of nuisance tripping with both the breaker and the socket. Anyone know any thing about that.
Just deciding on using breakers or GFI outlets any comments?

I have never used a GFI before who uses them? Should every thing used in a aquarium be pluged into one?

Dave

[Bob I]

Dave they both work, and yes nuisance tripping is possible, but is not as common as it used to be. You should use a GFCI receptacle as opposed to a breaker. A breaker protects the entire circuit whereas a receptacle protects only at the point it is wired in. There is also the cost factor. A breaker is much more expensive, and is hardly used anymore. I have a couple of ground fault breakers laying around. I have forgotten which type. I think one is a Federal, and the other is Sylvania, but don't hold me to that. :biggrin:

[mark]

Good idea to use them any place in the home where there's a possibility of water and electricity mixing, kitchens, bathrooms, fishtanks.

I'm using a GFI for everything on the tank. Since my current draw isn't that much (everything safely can be used on 1 - 15amp cct), put a GFI plug behind the tank and plugged a powerbar into that. Even installed a GFI cct downstairs where I mix my water up.

Breakers can be pricey and since the GFI receptacle can be protect non-GFI type plugs downstream, use the plug type.

Never had any false trips at home but one site where we used GFI breakers, we had problems. That installation had the GFI protecting an outdoor receptacle at the end of about a 50 meter cable run though.

[Buccaneer]

Hey Dave ... I had my old tank room wired with GFCI breakers ... no nuissance tripping at all and the one time it did trip I thanked my lucky stars I thought to install it :eek:

[BlkWolfe]

Ive only had my sockets nuissance trip when unplugging certain things (linear air pump every time)

Otherwise only trip when they're supposed to, such as having water run down into the socket, or a broken heater. Both tripped instantly and saved some problems :eek: