Question about power...

[MikeP]

My entire system is running off of the 2 plugs behind the tank (a standard 2 plug wall outlet) and powerbars. I haven't had a problem but I'm wondering if I should try to find another plug to use so the demand isn't as high on the 2 I'm using now. My only option is a 2 plug outlet on another wall but I would have to run an extention cord. I also have a thought in the back of my mind about setting up a nano mantis tank plumbed into my existing system (yet more power used up from those plugs/powerbars). Am I pushing my luck or worrying for no reason? Clearly I don't know that much about electricty but would like to learn more.

Thanks!

[Carmen]

Great question Mike! Tagging along as I will have a similar set-up, would like to have 2 tanks in one room as well and know zilch about electrical stuff. Wondering too?

[spreerider]

find the wattage of all your devices and add them together, you should not exceed 1440Watts on a single 15A circuit, you can multiply your heater by .8 as it wont be on all the time unless your room is very cold.
Also all the plugs in a room are probably on the same circuit so plugging into one on the next wall wont change much,
If you are not tripping breakers or planning on adding any other devices you are probably fine with what you have.
I have a 25g salt tank and a 55g salt tank on the same circuit with my computer and tv and never had a trip, tho if all are on at the same time drawing max current for each device i would be overloaded, but rarley do i have all heaters lights pumps tv on full blast volume and computer on full volume running the highest end games.

[mike31154]

It will be helpful if you provide a little more information on how much equipment you currently have hooked up to your receptacle, i.e. how much total wattage. Most of your gear should be labeled as to it's max. wattage draw. However, in any case, running your entire system on a single receptacle is not a good idea in the long run. You're relying on a single circuit, probably the standard 15 amps and if that breaker trips, all your equipment shuts down. So unless you have an automatic back up system, or you're at home when it happens, this could spell trouble for your tank. Furthermore, that 15 amp circuit undoubtedly supplies a number of additional receptacles, either upstream or downstream. It's also a good idea for the circuit supplying your tank equipment to be protected by a GFCI, particularly the items submerged in the water such as your heater and any power heads.
One of your options could be to buy a GFCI power bar/extension in addition to running an extension cord to the outlet across the room. However, if the outlet across the room is wired to the same circuit breaker it will be counterproductive since you're just adding more wire (read resistance) to the existing circuit.
If you're the homeowner, I would recommend looking into how your room is wired and adding at least one more circuit on another breaker. If you're renting, not sure what can be done other than running a large guage extension cord from another room, making certain it's on a different circuit breaker.

[fkshiu]

From my very limited electrical knowledge the most important factor to consider is amperage for the entire circuit. Most household electrical circuits are on 15A breakers (10A on older systems). So what you do is you find out which plugs/lights/appliances are hooked up to that circuit your aquarium is hooked up to - shut off that circuit at the service panel and go around the house checking - then add up the amps of any device that runs off that circuit. If you are anywhere near 15A then you're pushing your luck.

Things such as MH lights, heaters and big stereos use big amps so if your aquarium, home entertainment center and computer are all hooked up on the same circuit it's bad news.

Running everything off of one circuit should be avoided if possible. Aside from taxing the circuit, any failure of one item can lead to the whole circuit tripping shutting down everything in the tank.

[MikeP]

Thanks for the replies! Sitting here at work and adding up everything in my head (with the help of the internet for some items) I'm running at about 1300 watts if everything is on at once. The heater is off & on throughout the day. The lights and all pumps are on for about 11hrs. When the lights are off two of the three powerheads turn off as well. I will find the breaker that the tank runs on and find out if anything else is on the same breaker. If I have no options for gettting power from another receptical will it help to put a larger breaker in? Is the breaker the limiting factor? And just to be clear, when we say one receptical does that mean the two plugs in the wall ie when I add up my total wattage is is 1440 between the two or each? Also I own the home so I can do whatever is needed.

[Scythanith]

You can't just add a larger breaker and walk away unless the wiring in-wall is the proper gauge. You probably have 14g wire in your regular house wiring, which should only carry max ~1800 watts of electricity, and 1440 watts safely. It's mostly due to if you try and shove too many electrons down the wiring, it will overheat and cause potential fire issues. That's why you have a breaker in place, to prevent you from taking too much electricity down a certain gauge wire, by throwing in a 20A breaker, you're only endangering yourself.

A 'receptacle' constitues one plug-in, that you can plug one cord into. A typical wall box has two receptacles.

If you were worried about overloading the circuit, then just run a new dedicated 20A 12gauge line to the tank. If you plan on upgrading in the future run 2 x 20A breakers. You can split those into as many receptacles as you choose.

Cheers,

Scott

[mark]

Nice thing about 2 separate circuits with specially with GFIs, is you're able to split the load so if one GFI was to trip, whole system doesn't crash. If the total load is okay on a single 15a cct, still can run separate GFI receptacles.

Another thing to consider is on a single 15A cct, you can have something like 12 devices (lights, plugs, etc). Depending on how things were wired, you might have your fridge on the same cct as your tank, them you plug in the vacuum down the hall, also possibly on the same cct. Sort of just plugging in a extension cord might not be any further ahead.

[fkshiu]

Running new dedicated 20A GFI-protected circuits is the best solution. Talk to an electrician about how much this would cost.

I have 3 dedicated circuits for my system: lights, pumps (on a battery backup), and everything else.

[scuglass]

Im sure your fine with what you have. Im running my lights power heads pumps heaters fans ect as well as 2 computers tv large stereo more and more lights.

I also moved the treadmill over one day and the breaker only tripped when I was maxing out the treadmill with the stero pounding.

As others have said its prolly a good idea to get some sort of gfci protection in there.
*installing a gfci recepticle will protect everything else down the line from it.
*good idea to have it on 2 different circuits so if one trips youll still have some motion and or heat getting to the tank.

[spreerider]

with your demand of 1440W you will be fine but are slightly pushing it and in even a small fault like a pump getting jammed it will draw larger than its highest current and could cause nusance trips,
a single duplex recepticle is both plugins they are usually on one circuit but in kitchens each plug on the duplex recepticle should be on a different circuit so you can plug the toaster 1400W and the kettle 1500W at the same time and not trip the breaker,
If you are worried contact a local electrician and have them quote a new run from the panel to your tank and install a GFCI for both circuits it could save your life in the event of a fault.

[mike31154]

Some good advice here, but be careful, not all is necessarily according to code. Might be a good idea to go to your local renovation center and invest in a book called the "Electrical Code Simplified" for your province. I have the BC edition and it cost all of $11.95 but I consider that money wisely spent since I'm doing a fair amount of rewiring in my older home. I used to maintain electrical systems on aircraft, so I'm comfortable working on my house wiring.

"you might have your fridge on the same cct as your tank"... not legal according to code in BC. A fridge has to be on it's own circuit and the only other load that may be plugged into that receptacle is a "clock" of all things... I'm sure the Alberta code requirement is similar.

"just run a new dedicated 20A 12gauge line to the tank."... 20A circuits require special receptacles (T-Slot) and you're still working with only one circuit. If the breaker goes, everything is down. While a normal plug will fit into a T-Slot receptacle, you may be better off running a single 3 wire cable which will allow you to run two separate 15 amp circuits for a total load of 30 amps, vice 20. This will provide redundancy and you'll be able to use 14 guage wire instead of 12.

While you're still safe with the total of 1300 watts on that circuit, I'll wager that some of the wiring on it will be pretty warm at times. Better safe than sorry. As heat increases in wiring, resistance increases, causing more heat, more resistance.... hopefully the circuit breaker will do its job, but no need to push your luck when it comes to electrons. If you're thinking of adding another tank with it's equipment to that room, I don't think you have any choice but to run another circuit or two.

[mark]

"you might have your fridge on the same cct as your tank"... not legal according to code in BC. A fridge has to be on it's own circuit and the only other load that may be plugged into that receptacle is a "clock" of all things... I'm sure the Alberta code requirement is similar.


okay maybe a bad example assuming wired to code, but point I was trying to get across is bet there's more on that breaker than just the receptacle the fish tank is plugged into.

If you don't know what else is on the cct you can't just say I've got a 200W pump, couple of 400W lights and 300w heater, I'm good to go.

[mike31154]

okay maybe a bad example assuming wired to code, but point I was trying to get across is bet there's more on that breaker than just the receptacle the fish tank is plugged into.

If you don't know what else is on the cct you can't just say I've got a 200W pump, couple of 400W lights and 300w heater, I'm good to go.

Yes, sorry and very good point. I kind of grabbed that quote out of context trying to encourage the poster to ensure that whatever he decides, that it's done correctly, which looks to be the case since he started the thread.

[MikeP]

Wow, lots of good info here guys. Yes everything is fine at the moment and I'm not having any problems but I got thinking about all that power needed from those two plugs and figured I'd educate myself. I looked at the circuit breaker panel last night and everything is labeled (by the home builder) but it's pretty vague. I will have to flip some breakers to figure out what's what. I'll start looking into a dedicated circuit and GFCI. Any electrician reefers in Calgary want to help out :)

[mike31154]

If the electrical contractor that wired your home was on the ball, he may have split some of your room receptacles between different circuit breakers. It's a good practice and many electricians will ensure it's done that way. You'll find out soon enough when you start tripping breakers.

Vague is usually the best you'll get wrt labeling on CB panels. There's not much room for writing on those tiny tags. But it should at least provide you with some idea of what room(s) you're dealing with. This always amazed me when compared to aircraft wiring, where each individual wire is labeled every few inches with a circuit designation. From that code you can decipher exactly which equipment the wire is associated with.

Anyhow, check the other receptacle in your room and if it happens to be on a different circuit breaker, there's really no need to run another circuit. Just install a GFCI receptacle in the box and you're good to go.

[slakker]

If you do other electrical work once in a while as well, it may be a good idea to invest in an amp meter. One of those clamp on types that doesn't need to be inline with the circuit. Then you will know exactly the draw you're pulling on the circuit.