There's been talk about the next code edition requiring AFCI protection everywhere in homes. In a way, I'm surprised that there was not an earlier move to make established GFCI technology apply throughout the house.

We never know just what a receptacle will power. I suggest that a GFCI might be a good thing for this aquarium:




So here's the question: IF you were on a service call to a house, and saw an aquarium ... would you recommend a GFCI?

No.

Yes.

Poor Kitty and fish (Hope neither were harmed in that incident) I have cats and fish myself (Just a small 10 Gallon tank) and the top did fall in once(Just cleaned the tank an hour before did not notice the top was on incorrectly so I open to feed them and the whole thing falls in) but I use an inline GFCI Since I live in an apartment and cannot change the wiring. It did trip when my hood fell in the water. So I would recommend any fish owner to have GFCI Protection for at least the light and ever else can fall in the water the easiest and probably the heater also since I have that GFCI Protected also.

So we have a no, a yes, and an 'I seen it work'

I have to ask this, assuming the cord to the lamps are two wire how would a GFCI help?

I have been told that the GFCI is activated from a drop of 5 mili amps in the return current in other words part of the current is going to a ground fault not necessarily to the grounding.
Also Iv'e heard talk of all residences requiring AFCI protection being pushed by NFPA

That is 100% correct.

However what other path for current is available here?

Water in a glass tank sitting on a stand that may or not be conductive sitting on a floor that is likely to be non-conductive.

Without an EGC or other fault path the only path for current is line to line....GFCIs ignore line to line current.




It's more than talk, the 2008 NEC will require AFCI protection for most dwelling unit circuits,

In the example above, where the light fell in while a person was trying to open the top, consider the likely reaction of a person in that situation. It is likely that he would grab for the light to remove it quickly. Now, a person is in contact with the metal hood of the light and/or the water of the tank. Depending on what else that person is in contact with, you now have a fault path.

Perhaps new UL standards for aquarium lights would be a better solution. Require that the lights are suitably sealed so that they can withstand immersion in water.

How about a new NFPA 70E requirement for PPE for all pets?

I dunno, Ghost. It's tough enough getting the humans to wear PPE, but cats? Maybe if they're made in camo that cats can use to hunt mice and birds.

Brian in contact with what?

What in that room is both grounded and within reach?

But I was really talking about the GFCI helping the fish.

I suspect the 5 ma that humans can handle is a little tough on a gold fish or the cat.

I agree with Brian P because for a GFCI to trip it must sense current "leaking" from it's normal path back to the source. If the lamps falls in the drink, then current will flow through the water and lamp and eventually through any person unfortunate enough to take it out of the water. GFCI protection would avoid this.

Great discussion.

"I have to ask this, assuming the cord to the lamps are two wire how would a GFCI help?"

Perhaps a ground path is provided by the pump and filter, or the air bubbler? Perhaps if the wall and floor got splashed, there was enough leakage current thru the metal studs, or damp plaster, damp wood, or something else.

How long must the current flow before the trip threshold is reached? Would capacitance charging of the floor, wall and cat, be enough to trip the GFI?

Without seeing the room, I don't know. One possibility is a metal stand for the aquarium with a power strip (with a metal case) sitting on it, plugged into a grounded outlet. (A power strip isn't that unlikely, since a basic setup (light, air pump, and heater) requires three cords.) Possibly through the floor, depending on footwear, flooring, dampness, etc.

I don't know about the fish. How much current would go through the fish and how much would go around it?

Better designs of aquarium lights would help (and there probably are some better ones available). Make it so it fits more securely on the top. A cat shouldn't be able to knock it off.

Would the current flowing through the water (and fish) be considered current leakage?

The GFI would not see current that went out the hot and returned through the neutral. That would look like any other load.

If there's one thing the trade has taught me, though ... try as you might, there ALWAYS seems to be a ground path somewhere. I've lost count of the 'tingles' I've had, when I thought I wasn't touching anything conductive.

At maybe $12, I figure a GFCI receptacle is cheap additional protection for the aquarium. Mine certainly has one ... and my house is two-wire (no ground).

It might not not be in time to save Fluffy or keep from making 20 gallons of Chowder, but shouldn't the CB trip at some point?

Unforetally not always the case because if the lumiaire do drop in the water and if the tank is fresh water it may not trip the breaker at all unless it have salt water then it have slightly more chance to trip the breaker depending how " condtiveity " of the water itself