Power management plan--electrical safety feedback appreciated

[JoJosReef]

Working on an electrical safety and redundancy plan for the new tank. Plan below with notes. Electrical safety feedback much appreciated!

Important points:
1. I am in a leased office building and cannot mess with wires or anything in the walls, breaker boxes, etc. Best I can do is plug something in.
2. I would like to protect myself and the building as much as possible, so I understand using GFCI is important.
3. I have one wall double outlet to use for the tank and another on the other wall I can run an extension cord to
4. I am thinking of using the following GFCI adapters:

Tentative plan:

Outlet 1:
-> GFCI adapter, single
---> Hydros Power Strip #1
------> MP40
------> Helio Heater
------> Plank Feeder
------> Plank Pump
------> USB: Fans

Outlet 2:
-> GFCI adapter, triple
---> Hydros Minnow
---> Hydros Power Strip #2
------> Finnex 300W heater
------> Return Pump
------> Reef Factory 3-head Doser
------> Sump powerhead
------> USB: Fans
---> Power Strip
------> Noopsyche K7 Mini
------> Noopsyche K7 Mini
------> Noopsyche K7 Mini
------> Noopsyche K7 Mini
------> Kessil a160we

Outlet 3 (on other wall):
-> Extension Cord
---> Mini Fridge


Notes:
1. Outlet #1 has the MP40 and Helio Heater (primary heater), whereas Outlet #2 has the Hydros + Return Pump + Finnex heater (secondary). So if Outlet #1 trips, flow and heating continue from Outlet #2. If Outlet #2 trips, flow and heating continue.
2. Likewise, the Plank Feeder is on Outlet #1, which dispenses the Reef Jerkey and Pellets, and Outlet #2 has the Reef Factory Doser, which dispenses the OysterFeast/PacPods/PhytoFeast/RotiFeast--so at least the tank gets some food if either other the outlets trips.
3. I don't have the refrigerator on a GFCI outlet. I understand that is preferrable.


Additional questions:
1. I worry about having 5 LEDs + Hydros Minnow + Return Pump + Doser + Heater + Powerhead + Fans all coming from a single outlet. Can someone comment on whether that is Griswald Family Christmas bad or will the outlet handle that fine? For reference, the 4x Noopsyche Minis have the following electrical input/output:

Which I don't really understand. @exnisstech do you have all of your Noops plugged into the same outlet?


That's all I can think of for now. I'm sure I'll have more questions. Thanks!!

 

[exnisstech]

Which I don't really understand. @exnisstech do you have all of your Noops plugged into the same outlet?

All of mine are on the same circuit breaker I installed just for the tank but two power strips plugged into two separate outlets. My entire tank is on one circuit. Bad idea I know but I never leave home for more than a few hours at a time. I do have another outlet behind the tank that I should move the return pump to. I have 2 heaters on an inkbird, 6 K7s, 6 MP40s, ATS leds, 2 air pumps, and ato .

 

[Brisk]

Are all three outlets on different circuits? If an outlet trips, wouldn't that bring down the other outlets if they are on the same circuit? I'm not sure, not an electrician. I was also looking into those GFCI plugs because I wasn't sure if I wanted to mess around with the electricity. I ended up replacing the outlets with GFCI and a cover. Each outlet is connected to an XP8. Each power strip has a return pump, heater, powerheads, etc so if one outlet trips, the other is still running.

 

[kvansloo]

Most home outlets are rated at 10 amps not sure about business outlets 10 - 15 amp maybe. According to the rating it looks like the lights only draw 1.5 amps at 110-240 volts they should be fine.

 

[JoJosReef]

Are all three outlets on different circuits? If an outlet trips, wouldn't that bring down the other outlets if they are on the same circuit? I'm not sure, not an electrician. I was also looking into those GFCI plugs because I wasn't sure if I wanted to mess around with the electricity. I ended up replacing the outlets with GFCI and a cover. Each outlet is connected to an XP8. Each power strip has a return pump, heater, powerheads, etc so if one outlet trips, the other is still running.

Makes sense. I don't know anything about circuits. I don't know if each plug goes into an individual circuit, if the whole outlet runs on a single circuit and gets shut off if there is a trip, or even if different outlets on different walls run on the same or different circuits.

I also don't know with these GFCI adapters, if there is a trip, does the power stop at the point of the adapter or does it stop at the point of the outlet. I am inclined to think it stops at the point of the adapter, because the outlets themselves aren't GFCI.

 

[JoJosReef]

Most home outlets are rated at 10 amps not sure about business outlets 10 - 15 amp maybe. According to the rating it looks like the lights only draw 1.5 amps at 110-240 volts they should be fine.

Thanks!

So I understand correctly, with 4 Noops each drawing 1.5 amps, we're at 6 amps of draw? Plus the Kessil, which I don't know its draw. Here is what Kessil gives us:

If we assume similar 1.5 amp draw, we're up to 7.5 amps.

Then there remains the Hydros Minnow, Finnex heater, return pump and doser running off of the same plug. I have no idea what kind of draw those devices have. It would seem likely that I'm in the clear if the outlet supports 15 amps, but no idea if it's cutting it close on 10 amps.

Also, I have no idea if it is 15 amps per plug or 15 amps for the entire 2-plug outlet.

Thanks!

 

[kvansloo]

40W is 3.33 amps. Can you access the braker panel our is it locked.

 

[Red_Beard]

40W is 3.33 amps. Can you access the braker panel our is it locked.

40W is 0.33 amps.
The circuit rating is per plug as well as per breaker. those plugs are likely all tied to the same home run(same breaker in the panel, plugs daisy chained together). Typical commercial ratings are 20A.


edit... per plug, you get a rating of 15A usually, 20 if it has the half plus looking prong, with a total circuit rating of 20A. so for example if you use 15A on one plug you only have 5 left for the rest.

 

[kvansloo]

Sorry miss calculation or fat finger, LOL

 

[alton]

I can't read the verbiage on what you posted, so is it an auto reset GFCI? If not if your building loses power the GFCI will remain off when power comes back on.

 

[JoJosReef]

40W is 3.33 amps. Can you access the braker panel our is it locked.

All electrical is managed by the (very large) commercial property managers. I don't know where the breaker panel is or if I can access it--can ask around.

 

[JoJosReef]

40W is 0.33 amps.
The circuit rating is per plug as well as per breaker. those plugs are likely all tied to the same home run(same breaker in the panel, plugs daisy chained together). Typical commercial ratings are 20A.


edit... per plug, you get a rating of 15A usually, 20 if it has the half plus looking prong, with a total circuit rating of 20A. so for example if you use 15A on one plug you only have 5 left for the rest.

So for a typical suite of offices, everyone is running on a combined 20A? Unfortunately, I don't have access to the breaker box, currently, so I can't tell you if there is a breaker for each of the offices in the suite.

In any case, after looking it all over, it would appear that with 15A circuit rating, I'm still likely well in the clear with the 5 lights and other tank equipment. Plus computers, office stuff, etc.

So if I go with the automatic GFCI adapters and surge protected power strips, then I should be maximizing both personal and office protection without having to request any modifications to the electrical guts of the office.

 

[JoJosReef]

Thanks @fishguy242 for the call! Great guidance for the uninitiated!

 

[Red_Beard]

So for a typical suite of offices, everyone is running on a combined 20A? Unfortunately, I don't have access to the breaker box, currently, so I can't tell you if there is a breaker for each of the offices in the suite.

In any case, after looking it all over, it would appear that with 15A circuit rating, I'm still likely well in the clear with the 5 lights and other tank equipment. Plus computers, office stuff, etc.

So if I go with the automatic GFCI adapters and surge protected power strips, then I should be maximizing both personal and office protection without having to request any modifications to the electrical guts of the office.

sounds like @fishguy242 got you squared away.

 

[BeanAnimal]

Most home outlets are rated at 10 amps not sure about business outlets 10 - 15 amp maybe. According to the rating it looks like the lights only draw 1.5 amps at 110-240 volts they should be fine.

homes and business in the US are both equipped with either 15A or 20A breakers and receptacles for 120V circuits.