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Old 03-24-2014, 12:29 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mike31154 View Post
Before the 'electrical' part of this thread gets buried any further, I'll weigh in with a couple of things if I may! A dedicated outlet for the tank is never a bad idea, actually two would be better and most importantly, GFI protected as you're dealing with H2O. That nice titanium grounding probe you picked up at J&L is no substitute for the safety of GFI protection. Open a wall if that's what you need to do, or have the tank closer to the 'nook' location if that's feasible. I'd advise against running an extension cord if at all possible. Chances are you'll be using a power bar or two in order to have enough outlets for all the stuff typically required to keep the tank going. Power bars already have an extension on them & daisy chaining that with another extension cord is against code I believe. In any case, it's a potential hazard.

Fine looking build so far! Now's the time to get the electrical right, not after it's full of water & livestock.
I totally hear you mike31154, thanks for the honest input. Other than my wife's fury the only thing that scares me is electrical. As a gasfitter I am certified to work on low voltage circuits, but that's not the same as 110V. I work next to Electricians all the time and pick their brains constantly for info. This however is not the same as being a qualified journeyman. I am planning to replace the plug behind the tank with a GFI one. I am also planning on testing all the appliances on the living room circuit for their amp draw. If all else fails, I think I can tap into the nook circuit and run some BX shielded line behind the baseboard without having to open up the wall. I also have a dedicated circuit outside the house (going to the detached garage) just below the tank. This line exits the house, goes into a exterior junction box and carries on to the garage in underground PVC. It's 20 amps. We don't use the garage (rented out as storage) and the line is disconnected because of yard reno's. Thankfully I have a few option to make the tank all safe!
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