GFCI issues - Coralife

Will try to make this brief...

I bought a Coralife 2x150wMH with 2x96w PC & 4 lunar light retrofit kit for my canopy. Installed it and plugged everything in. MH's, lunars worked fine. Plug in the PC's ballast and the GFCI trips. I think maybe there's too much of a load on that circuit so I try another one...TRIP. What's odd is sometimes you flip the switch and the PCs would come on. Very next time it'd trip the GFCI. 4 out of 5x it'd trip the GFCI. Tried plugging into a 3rd and separate circuited GFCI, TRIP. Grrr. What's interesting is if you just leave one of the lights connected, no problems. Doesnt matter which one, but soon as you connect them both...GFCI's trip. I then talk to Coralife's tech support again (3rd time...also forgot to mention they'd sent me another ballast, but was doing the exact same thing) and they ask how old my house is. Told them it's just coming up on 4 years.

They explain to me how there's been issues with overly sensitive GFCI's and electronic ballasts (the MH's are magnetic). They suggested I try plugging the PC's into a non-GFCI outlet. Bueno! You can turn them off/on multiple times and they work every time. Problem is is the nearest non-GFCI outlet is not near the tank! :-/ Right now the cord is running across the living room and THIS is where my question is for anyone who responds to this... You've any suggestions??!! LOL. I'm wondering if I can get into my attic or something and do something that way...

signed,

'clueless'


ps. I googled GFI/GFCI and discovered a couple other reef forums with same electronic ballast issues, but other make fixtures as well as Coralife.

 

not a professional electrician by any means. but maybe get a higher amp gcfi.

take it with a grain of salt though.

 

I've heard of this happening before as well. I also think that lights really don't need to be on the GFCI but as to how you're going to get them there I have no idea, sorry. Maybe replace an outlet with a non-GFCI outlet?

Otherwise if all else fails maybe return the fixture and get another one. Find one that doesn't trip the GFCI.

 

Getting a higher amperage GFCI won't fix this...
I'm not electrician either, but my family works in home inspections and house retrofits... I'm the one who deals with electrical (low and high voltage).

A few suggestions that should fix it though:
Getting a higher quality GFCI MIGHT actually fix it. Sounds like the current GFCI is overly sensitive due to being cheap, or by design. (Weird that your house has these are normal circuits... are the circuits shared with a kitchen or bath, or an outside outlet?)
Check your electrical panel to determine what amperage the circuit can handle as well. Stay away from the cheapest GFCI they have, because chances are it's just a builder spec GFCI. (Personally had bad luck with Chicago brand)

Other one to try would be a capacitor, a large one. if you can't find one at a good price, I'd be happy to send you one if you feel comfortable with wiring that in.

EDIT:

This is incredibly thorough if you decide to replace the outlet. Don't be intimidated, it's very easy. Just be safe!
http://www.easy2diy.com/cm/easy/diy_ht_index.asp?page_id=35720244

 

How old do you think your existing GFCI recep is? Older GFCIs do have a tendency to ghost trip. Newer ones are much better.

The first suggestion I will make is to replace the GFCI with a new one. Go to your local electrical supply house and get a nice Pass-Seymour 20 amp commercial grade recep. It will probably be a little pricey, but hey what in this hobby isn't.;D

PS I HIGHLY suggest running everything associated with your aquarium on a GFCI recep(s) or breaker. This is for your own safety.

PSS If the ballast continues to trip even the new recep, perhaps there is a problem with the ballast. Maybe exchange for a new one or try a different ballast?

PSSS I am an electrician.

 

awesome info guys! Thank you! I intend to stop by Home Depot in the am and will check into a higher quality and/or amperage GFCI. I need to go there anyway to figure out all the pvc etc i'll need to plumb the sump/fuge.

Also, do y'all run everything out of one outlet (2 plugs)?? If I'm correct, I think I need to add up everything that's getting plugged in to determine If I'll be overloading the outlet. Does it count/not count if an item(s) are plugged into a different outlet, but that's on the same circuit? Man, maybe I just need to have an electrician come over Lol!!!

ps. fuzz, i've done basic wiring in this house, ie. all the fans and lighting so the capacitor you're talking about shouldnt be too difficult. Of course at this point I'm not sure what a capacitor does or would do...derrr

 

Suggestion here: Less bends, the better. Might think about FLEX PVC. It is pricier, but sometimes it will come out cheaper as you can avoid buying 90's and 45's in whatever number you made need them.

You are correct... same circuit, no matter which outlet, can overload the circuit just as easily. I'm betting you're running off a 20 amp breaker, I sure hope you don't overload that... 2200 watts!

Capictor holds a "reserve" amount of energy. So if there is a larger power spike, much of it will be pulled immediately from the capacitor, and once the spike subsides the capacitor will gradually recharge.

 

Lighting update

The outlet nearest the tank was protected by a GFCI circuit that started in the kitchen. What I ended up doing was swapping the GFCI outlet with the one nearest the tank and putting the regular outlet in the kitchen (not near water; sink's 10' across the kitchen). This way everything plugged into the tank is GFCI protected and just the PC ballast is plugged into the outlet in the kitchen. phew!!! That was such a chore going through all the testing, getting a new ballast sent, etc. etc. etc before finally coming up with a workable solution. It sure would've helped to begin with if Coralife had said something in the retrofit instructions that the electronic ballast for the PC's may trip a GFCI'd outlet.

Fuzzball, I looked at the circuit breaker panel and all the switches have a '20' on them, but the GFCI outlet itself that i pulled out said 15amp.. ???

 

Sounds like it's the wrong GFCI then in that case... 20 amp should have been printed somewhere on it.

I'd really advise about putting a GFCI back in the kitchen though, if an electrical fire were to occur that could be the difference between homeowners denying your claim...
Like I said before, you want the GFCI on the first outlet in the chain, that way all outlets are protected. Considering it was in your kitchen before, that'd lead me to believe that outlet was the first in the chain.

 

15 amp devices are perfectly acceptable on a 20 amp circuit.

Electrical code requires all kitchen counter-top receptacles to be GFCI protected. You may with your modification now be in violation of this provision.

Perhaps you could replace the GFCI recep at your tank with a standard recep and get a GFCI adapter?

Single Outlet GFCI Adapter,15 Amps,120V - Portable GFCI - Ground Fault Protection - Electrical : Grainger Industrial Supply