GFCI Vs. Grounded 3 prong

Does anybody have knowledge of the difference between these two. I know that a GFCI can be installed when a ground is not available ie...in a 2 wire system. Does a 3 prong outlet provide the same safety mechanism assuming a good ground is present in the home? At $12.00 GFCI is the safe way to go, but I was just wondering.

What do people on the forum have?

 

[glow=red,2,300] Always use a GFI.  A Ground fault interupt Senses if a ground has shorted and turns off the power.  A Three prong will not do anything but let it short to the ground.
              [smiley=stop.gif]
IF YOU ARE NOT USING A GFI YOU WOULD BE WISE TO GET ONE NOW!!!!
               [smiley=stop.gif]  
Not only are you possible saving your own life you are also protecting your fish.  Their is no reason why anyone should not have A GFI period.  They are easy to install and fairly cheap.[/glow]

 

Trickman2 is right.

Also, most building codes require use of GFCI within some distance,
often 6 feet, of a water source. Of course, what constitutes a water source is not always clear.

 

Relax! I have already installed a GFCI, I just read some conficting articles about the difference.

 

Yeah, honestly I am just using powerstrips that have surge protectors on them. Won't this protect it against surges and shorts?

 

Matt,  I would recommend that you put one in ASAP,  Either a whole new socket or if you are not comfortable with replacing a Electrical out Then I would buy Powerstrip with a built in GFI.  A powerstrip cannot protect like a GFI will.  They can be bought at home depot for 5-10 dollars I believe for the Electrical socket type.  If you want the powerstrip type its probably around twenty.  I would hate to see anyone from 3reefs Get hurt over not having a GFI when they are so inexpensive and Valuable.   [smiley=yaknow.gif]

A powerstrip will probably protect your pumps but not you or your fish.

 

Our Reef club sponsored a vendor who makes big time surge protectors and they had a news clip, and video displaying the danger of so called "surge protectors". Most have a little chip thingy called MOV's that supposedly protects ....but it wears over time, and eventually doesn't work any more. Some have even caused house fires!

A good surge protector should have a Capacitor type of device in it to be reliable.

http://www.zerosurge.com/residential.html

Here is the link, if interested in more details....

Of course they are pricey, they were recommending the 8R series for reefers, they gave us one free to raffle ;D And after all, we spend hundreds of bucks on the equipment, why not protect it.

They were not pushy at all so I can't say they were just pushing sales either. It was good info tho.

 

Something to put on the list. thanks!

 

[quote author=Trickman2 link=board=General;num=1103559725;start=0#5 date=12/20/04 at 15:09:12]
A powerstrip will probably protect your pumps but not you or your fish.[/quote]

Never a truer word spoken, it is not always realised that normal circuit breakers are in place to protect wiring, not people.

John

 

"Does anybody have knowledge of the difference between these two. I know that a GFCI can be installed when a ground is not available ie...in a 2 wire system"

I do not believe this is true. But I could be wrong. In a GFI circuit , the earth ground ( there is no positive and negavtive in a ac system. AC voltage travels in BOTH directions) is the medium between the 2 ac lines. Without the 3rd earth ground, tye GFI has no reference and cannot properly "throw" the circuit. I think even the instructions in the box show this.

If installed incorrectly, the GFI will not work! and a false sense of protection is present. Please follow the instructions carefully!! )

thats why I never thought of a grounding wire in the tank. But I will look into that asap. !!

thanks for all the great info all!!

Scoffer