ECN Forum Forums General Topics of the Trade General Discussion Area Aquarium wiring.

I have suggested an addition to an aquarium forum to include a wiring forum to discuss safe wiring of ballasts and the like for DIY projects as well as the importance of GFCI and ground probes in the tank to protect from faulty equipment especially in saltwater aquariums.
This section was added but now a couple of aquarists have stated that the section should be removed so the web host is not held liable for any misuse of the information.

I would like to get oppinions as to disclaimers reguarding forums of this nature.
I believe a discussion area of this nature is very important as there are a lot of DIYers in this hobby and saltwater and 110 are not a good mix to start off.

Any discussion other than that recommending GFCI protection can be dangerous. There is too much chance of someone getting misinformation or not knowing how to safely use correct information. My best advice would be for them to buy a book or take a class.

Bill

[This message has been edited by Bill Addiss (edited 04-11-2002).]

What do you think of the handyman forum and other DIY forums with electrical help topics. I am not suggesting this forum not have an electrician moderator.

Beach,

Good question,
I'm not sure exactly how I feel about places that cater to the DIY masses. They may help some to do it right, but I wonder how many situations are really made safer by the information they get.

I think that there are 2 very different types of people that come to Forums like that looking for information. One maybe has some books they bought, along with the NEC, and are trying to make some sense out of it all to do the best job they possibly can. They have respect for Electricity and what it can do and will go to great lengths (sometimes overboard) to make sure they get it right. The 2nd type is someone that is only looking for the piece of information that will make their project work. If they can get enough information to make something work that is all they care about. This could present some very dangerous situations that might not otherwise have existed because without that missing piece of information they may have called someone in to get things working properly.

I could probably go on some more, but that is the jist of my feelings on this. When things start to get too detailed it could be doing more harm than good. And in an open Forum you can never tell who is reading what and what they will do with that information.

Bill

[This message has been edited by Bill Addiss (edited 04-11-2002).]

I am one of the DIY types for the most part, and I have a fish set up in my basement. I am thankfull that I used a GFI when I set it up. 2 months ago, the wife knocked a 10 gallon feeder tank off it base with a basket(This is near the laundry area). The light fell into the tank. GFI tripped shutting down everything, no one got hurt and none of the fish were killed.

I read this forum all the time, just to see what I can learn, (I have corrected a number of things in my house that were wrong) I always thought that it was always best to answer a persons question, because even if you don't, they are going to do it anyway. I think the biggest problem is that in the last 20 years, our country has changed so that people are not responsible for their actions.

If I ask how to wire something, and someone tells me the correct way, but I don't do it right by choice or just because I don't have the skills and something happens, who is responsible? The answer is that I should be responsibe, but the way things are now, my lawyer would claim that the guy who told me is responsible, and even if the guy wins, he has lost because he had to pay to defend himself.

When I first started to read forums, and saw the standard answer "You should call a..." I would think Gee, that sure is helpfull. But seeing how things are, I understand why no one wants to take the risk. If you work hard for yourself and family, why throw it away trying to be a nice guy.

Static

Static ---

The problem is not with liability if you are wrong.

The problem is that for many questions even a careful answer will be wrong.Aa right answer will be so long that details will be left out. Those details may be important or not depending on your experience.