Arc fault circuit interupter

[Magma]

Originally Posted by Ace22

I am quite sure the only place a gfci is mandated by code is near your kitchen sink or in your bathroom.

Or pumps in a Lake, river and streams. Anything near a Pool, Hot tub, Spa and pretty much any place water is mentioned it refers to using GFCI protection. In fact I can count right now 23 different places in the code which GFCI protection is mentioned and required in most of those, with the odd exception. Now sure we don't have a specific rule for fish tanks, but when the trend is water=GFCI it should be a no brainer, ultimately everyone will choose if they want to use one on there tank or not.

On another note

As for AFCI circuits well pretty much useless with water IMO. They are to be used in bedrooms to prevent arcing
pretty simple explanation of them found on Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arc-fau...it_interrupter


They way I see it a fish tank doesn't really follow any rules in the code, to be safe a GFCI would be great but with lights and pumps plugged in you may get tripping from them turning on and off. If you use drip looks and are cautious then can get away without it. But its to each his own.

[toxic111]

Just on a comment on the GFI and Arc Faults. I had a bad connection (made by the electrician that wired my house) with the AF. My digital alarm clock would trip it when it alarm went off.

I have a GFI plug set-up in my tank stand. My Radion lights will trip it, some plugs are very sensitve, and others will be fine. One of these days I am going to replace it with another one to see how it does.