How to fully protect your tank from electrical hazards?

[apista]

could you imagine having 240v at every receptacle!!!! It seems a little unnecessary just to watch some tv.

That makes little sense, what is the difference between 240 and 110? Your TV will use the same wattage regardless of voltage.

The only difference between 110 and 220 is 220 systems break out one of the 3 phases to a home, 110 use a centre tap transformer or that phase is split so to speak.

Are Kettles prevalent in 110v countries, can you get 2kw from an outlet with 110?

 

[Paul B]

And that is one of the major problems of society today. Choosing to ignore facts and then offering their own opinion.

I didn't ignore the facts. I just didn't look closely at the picture. I did say I don't know how you got 210 volts unless you are in Europe. I assume Australia has the same power structure. But my "opinion" is not an opinion, it is fact being I am an "A" Rated Journeyman construction electrician with 50 years experience which is the highest rating you can get anywhere on Earth and maybe the moon, I am not sure as I have not been there yet.

 

[tedfisher496]

Really no need to be snarky about it. Could have said Please look at his power bar.

why does it matter where he is located? electricity is the same just the frequency is different.

 

[KrisReef]

I didn't ignore the facts. I just didn't look closely at the picture. I did say I don't know how you got 210 volts unless you are in Europe. I assume Australia has the same power structure. But my "opinion" is not an opinion, it is fact being I am an "A" Rated Journeyman construction electrician with 50 years experience which is the highest rating you can get anywhere on Earth and maybe the moon, I am not sure as I have not been there yet.

I thought I bumped into you and the misses on the moon last week during the eclipse? Could have been some other folks but the connection was shocking considering that the Moon isn't gounded to the earth, as far as I know?

The irony of some of these posts. I often can't see some of these images people post because they often look like they were taken at 600' (~190M) below sea level, or if in white light, like an exposure from the dark side of the moon.

Let's keep focused on staying wired in a safe positive environment, well grounded in the universe of civility, please.

Not necessarily aimed at my good buddy Paul B, what is that image I posted?

 

[apista]

I didn't ignore the facts. I just didn't look closely at the picture. I did say I don't know how you got 210 volts unless you are in Europe. I assume Australia has the same power structure. But my "opinion" is not an opinion, it is fact being I am an "A" Rated Journeyman construction electrician with 50 years experience which is the highest rating you can get anywhere on Earth and maybe the moon, I am not sure as I have not been there yet.

Do you wire things red to red, green to green and blue to bits?

 

[gbroadbridge]

Do you wire things red to red, green to green and blue to bits?

Paul's a black and white type of guy

 

[gbroadbridge]

could you imagine having 240v at every receptacle!!!! It seems a little unnecessary just to watch some tv.

It's quite useful for powering devices such as kettles, coffee makers, toasters, ovens and high power workshop tools, without the need for very bulky and heavy power cords.

 

[Zinda]

I would also add that I am not a fan of "ground probes" for many reason - but if you do decide to use one, then the entire aquarium and everything near by needs to be GFCI (RCBO in EU/AU) protected.

@BeanAnimal could you elaborate why you're not a fan?

 

[BeanAnimal]

I didn't ignore the facts. I just didn't look closely at the picture. I did say I don't know how you got 210 volts unless you are in Europe. I assume Australia has the same power structure. But my "opinion" is not an opinion, it is fact being I am an "A" Rated Journeyman construction electrician with 50 years experience which is the highest rating you can get anywhere on Earth and maybe the moon, I am not sure as I have not been there yet.

I slept at a Holiday Inn last night - Can I be your apprentice?

 

[CKW]

could you imagine having 240v at every receptacle!!!! It seems a little unnecessary just to watch some tv.

It’s not the voltage that kills its the amperage.

 

[BeanAnimal]

@BeanAnimal could you elaborate why you're not a fan?

They create a fault path that would not otherwise exist and therefore must be used with a GFCI or they can create a deadly set of circumstances

They allow induced current to flow and that can be damaging to livestock, pump bearings, etc, and cause sensor malfunctions, etc.

There are other reasons, but none of them or above are worth the debate or argument here.

 

[thatmanMIKEson]

That makes little sense, what is the difference between 240 and 110? Your TV will use the same wattage regardless of voltage.

The only difference between 110 and 220 is 220 systems break out one of the 3 phases to a home, 110 use a centre tap transformer or that phase is split so to speak.

Are Kettles prevalent in 110v countries, can you get 2kw from an outlet with 110?

the difference of getting electrocuted by 1 amp at 120v vs 1amp at 240v FEEL'S much worse. but yes the tv will use the same wattage regardless of voltage that's why the running cost doesn't change weather it's 120 or 240v the only thing that changes is the amount of wire, wire size and braker size, oh and the funky plug end.

the issue is not what the device is using as far as w/v=A , or how much it cost to run a device, its that there's always 240v in all the walls and outlets (outlets = electrical openings not receptacles) in a standard awesome American 120/240v (not110/220v) system, for lighting, branch and small appliance circuits there is only one ungrounded conductor that has potential to be dangerous, with a 240v system you have two potentialy dangerous ungrounded conductors that could short in a box when getting made up or get nicked during old work being performed in the house. there is just plainly more current carrying conductors ran throughout the house and in the walls, obviously not required for residential appliances.

when you short 120v compared to 240v there is a noticeable difference in the actual feel and visual arc. I wouldn't want 240v all around my house in all my walls, it just seems a little unnecessary to use small appliances in a residential setting.

I guess you save money by lowering wire size when building, that's probably one aspect, imagine how much copper is saved if an entire country is using 14awg vs 12awg for the majority of their work. when voltage goes up the required amperage goes down so you can get by with smaller wire and less copper.

in the US in most residential applications. we have 240v single phase electric coming from a 240v wye transformer with two ungrounded and one grounded conductor coming to the house.

although we may not use Kettles as much, we do use coffee makers and large countertop appliances.

kettle @ 2kw = 2000w/120v = 16.6666a

here kitchen countertop receptacles are required to be 20A which has a rating of 2400w so yes our 120v system at 20a will have no problem running a kettle. now if that was a continuous load that would change because you are already at 80% of braker load but that's stepping out of residential going more into a commercial setting unless your running the kettle for 3hrs or more lol.

cheers

 

[thatmanMIKEson]

It’s not the voltage that kills its the amperage.

that's true and less than .5a can do it so be careful!

 

[KC2020]

Call me crazy but I think the first thing you should do is stop using that chiller

 

[BeanAnimal]

with a 240v system you have two potentialy dangerous ungrounded conductors

Minor distinction - in the EU/AU system there is only 1 ungrounded conductor. They don't run split phase.

I guess you save money by lowering wire size when building, that's probably one aspect, imagine how much copper is saved if an entire country is using 14awg vs 12awg for the majority of their work. when voltage goes up the required amperage goes down so you can get by with smaller wire and less copper.

This carries over to distribution transformers as well, they are both simpler and require less copper and size.

As you note. that for any given power consumption the current is half, meaning less heat in conductors, contacts, etc. Any time that you are dealing with less current, you theoretically increase safety.

I am not going to argue which is actually safer, as it is not going to get solved here.

 

[apista]

The internet is one funny place

 

[thatmanMIKEson]

r

The internet is one funny place

you should meet some of the people lol

 

[Paul B]

electricity is the same just the frequency is different.

And the voltage.

considering that the Moon isn't gounded to the earth, as far as I know?

It's actually hard to test because my test leads are not that long.

Paul B, what is that image I posted?

I have no idea, it could be red wing blackbird eggs about to hatch or brine shrimp eggs boiling.

Do you wire things red to red, green to green and blue to bits?

Thank God I am retired so I don't wire anything if I can help it. I don't even like to put batteries in a flashlight. (That's something we used to make light with before they invented cell phones)

It’s not the voltage that kills its the amperage.

This is true, "kind of". You still need voltage. A car battery could put out 400 amps which is 4 times the amount in most homes, but they are 12 volts so you won't get a shock from a 400 amp car battery even though in movies they show a person tied up and they are going to torture him by shocking him with jumper cables from a car battery. That won't even shock a pod. WEll...Maybe a Pod, I haven't checked, not even on the moon.

the difference of getting electrocuted by 1 amp at 120v vs 1amp at 240v FEEL'S much worse.

Just about all the buildings in a city such as NYC uses 277 volts for their lighting and I have gotten shocked by that to many times. Maybe thats what gave me PTSD?

It not only shocks you (if it doesn't kill you) but it also burns a big hole in your skin that takes forever to heal. (don't ask)

We use 277/480 because you can put twice as many (or more) light fixtures on the same circuit and wire is the biggest cost of wiring a building. Houses use only a little bit of copper wiring. A tall building in a city uses 500,000 mcm wire, 5 of them in a pipe at the same time. (compared to #12 or 14 in a home) and about 3' of that is probably the same weight as all the wiring in a normal house. The conductors are huge. Thats normally what I worked on as we didn't wire houses.

But the higher the voltage, the smaller the conductor, thats why our power lines overhead and in man holes (which I have worked on many times) uses 600,000 volts or higher. That will wake you up.

I re-wired the electrical services in Chrysler building in Manhattan. Those old buildings use what we call Frankenstein switches. You can see smaller ones in Frankenstein movies. They are like 6' tall, all copper bars and takes 2 guys with a 2X4 to pry the thing open while the sparks jump 3',

It's scary, (Not of course for a Manly Man. )

I am not going to argue which is actually safer, as it is not going to get solved here.

I want to argue about it...OK maybe later.

 

[BeanAnimal]

Paul, I worked in underground coal mines for over a decade. Been into 525vdc trolly wire numerous times. Not a good feeling.

Friends bar had 400A service… with bus fuses. Beside the panel was a box full of said fuses, a pair of lineman’s gloves and a huge pair of channel locks. On busy nights when the place was hopping we would often blow a fuse. Some poor sot would have to do the hot swap… It was kind of like your knife switch dance. Sparks and arcs and fun for all.

 

[Dom]

I once had an experience like this. I've since connected my system to a GFI outlet and installed a grounding probe.

I have listened to many debates about the use of a grounding probe...

On one side, the grounding probe gives stray voltage a path out of the tank, just as you did when you were standing on the floor and put your hand in the tank.

But I've read others say that that the grounding probe creates current in the tank which can be fatal to your inhabitants.

Personally, I use a grounding probe. I love my fish, but, better them than me.