Lobster tank GFCI protection?

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growler said:
When I suggested that it might be considered a wet area I was thinking more of a fish market than a retail store.
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Certainly possible. I’ve seen fish markets with fish displayed on tables piled with ice which is melting and drenching the floor.
But a lobster tank itself would not trigger GFCI requirement IMO.
 
get the melted butter!!!!



serious note
required? idk
I would install one
people standing on ground reaching into a tank of water
 
Ingenieur said:
get the melted butter!!!!



serious note
required? idk
I would install one
people standing on ground reaching into a tank of water
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Is the tank likely to become energized in any way is a question that needs answered IMO. There may be aeration pump, but it don't have to be in/on the tank, just an air tube to the tank.
 
kwired said:
Is the tank likely to become energized in any way is a question that needs answered IMO. There may be aeration pump, but it don't have to be in/on the tank, just an air tube to the tank.
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easy to err on the side of safety in this case, low cost and essy to implement

likely some lights around or in the tank
remote pump could fail and conduct via water/tubing


https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/aquarium-safety
GFCI Protection:
All of your equipment should be GFCI protected. GFCI stands for Ground Fault Circuit Interrupt. You may be familiar with them, or it may sound like an entirely foreign concept. You probably use them at least a few times every day. You most commonly see these in the form of an outlet in your kitchen and bathrooms. They are the outlets that have a test and a reset button on them (usually between the two outlets).

Grounding Probes:
Grounding probes are a metal probe that mounts into the aquarium and connects your aquarium to ground via the electrical system. They plug into a regular outlet but only the grounding pin is actually wired to the probe. Electricity takes the path of least resistance to ground. If there was power source in the tank (say a light fell in) the current should go through the grounding probe rather then you, and trip the GFCI in the process. A grounding probe should also cause the GFCI to trip as soon as a problem presents itself as it has a route to ground, rather than waiting for someone to stick their hands in the tank (and then they are the route to ground).
 
Ingenieur said:
easy to err on the side of safety in this case, low cost and essy to implement

likely some lights around or in the tank
remote pump could fail and conduct via water/tubing


https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/aquarium-safety
GFCI Protection:
All of your equipment should be GFCI protected. GFCI stands for Ground Fault Circuit Interrupt. You may be familiar with them, or it may sound like an entirely foreign concept. You probably use them at least a few times every day. You most commonly see these in the form of an outlet in your kitchen and bathrooms. They are the outlets that have a test and a reset button on them (usually between the two outlets).

Grounding Probes:
Grounding probes are a metal probe that mounts into the aquarium and connects your aquarium to ground via the electrical system. They plug into a regular outlet but only the grounding pin is actually wired to the probe. Electricity takes the path of least resistance to ground. If there was power source in the tank (say a light fell in) the current should go through the grounding probe rather then you, and trip the GFCI in the process. A grounding probe should also cause the GFCI to trip as soon as a problem presents itself as it has a route to ground, rather than waiting for someone to stick their hands in the tank (and then they are the route to ground).
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Thanks for that information, I had no idea what a GFCI was:blink:
 
Ingenieur said:
easy to err on the side of safety in this case, low cost and essy to implement

likely some lights around or in the tank
remote pump could fail and conduct via water/tubing


https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/aquarium-safety
GFCI Protection:
All of your equipment should be GFCI protected. GFCI stands for Ground Fault Circuit Interrupt. You may be familiar with them, or it may sound like an entirely foreign concept. You probably use them at least a few times every day. You most commonly see these in the form of an outlet in your kitchen and bathrooms. They are the outlets that have a test and a reset button on them (usually between the two outlets).

Grounding Probes:
Grounding probes are a metal probe that mounts into the aquarium and connects your aquarium to ground via the electrical system. They plug into a regular outlet but only the grounding pin is actually wired to the probe. Electricity takes the path of least resistance to ground. If there was power source in the tank (say a light fell in) the current should go through the grounding probe rather then you, and trip the GFCI in the process. A grounding probe should also cause the GFCI to trip as soon as a problem presents itself as it has a route to ground, rather than waiting for someone to stick their hands in the tank (and then they are the route to ground).
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An EGC on the equipment is a far better solution then any GFCI.

The way that is written dones't inspire confidence.
 
goldstar said:
Animal rights activists say the lobsters have rights !!! They should be GFCI protected before they get boiled or put on the barbie.:D
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Your not kidding- or if serious you are right- for example Whole Foods is not allowed to sell live lobsters because its considered cruel. Same for putting bands on their claws.
 
kp542 said:
Would the circuit feeding a lobster tank in a seafood restaurant / food procurement store require GFCI protection?
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Ingenieur said:
serious note
required? idk
I would install one
people standing on ground reaching into a tank of water.
Click to expand...

I think most of the bigger chain stores would install GFCI protection just to cover themselves.
If I remember correctly the fish tank area of the department stores do have GFCI protection.
 
mbrooke said:
An EGC on the equipment is a far better solution then any GFCI.

The way that is written dones't inspire confidence.
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wrong
an egc does not prevent shock with a hi z fault
like a human at ~ 1000 ohm
google 'Dalziel' and learn something
gfci have saved alot of lives

your responses do not either lol
it was written by a guy who sells fish tanks
he wrote better about gfci than you could about fish tanks
and likely better than you could about gfci :lol:
 
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Ingenieur said:
wrong
an egc does not prevent shock with a hi z fault
like a human at ~ 1000 ohm
google 'Dalziel' and learn something
gfci have saved alot of lives
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GFCIs have saved a lot of lives, at a time when metal frame tools and 2 prong outlets were king.

An intact EGC will present a low enough impedance such that a high Z fault will produce exceptional low levels of touch potential at the faulted frame.

your responses do not either lol
it was written by a guy who sells fish tanks
he wrote better about gfci than you could about fish tanks
and likely better than you could about gfci :lol:
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He was advocating putting a grounded probe in the tank, which will create create massive gradients in the tank should the GFCI fail.
 
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