Electrical Question

[jhutto]

Have successfully kept a reef and fish nano for close to a year and now want to move up to either a 90 or 120 gallon. Have read several of the books like the Marine Aquarist and others. Cannot really find information on the topics of power consumption. I plan on a sump with refuge, skimmer, fl lights etc. Question is: anywhere I plug it in is going to be on one breaker and would be difficult to rewire in basement placement, as its all finished. I want to do the multiple plug protection from surges from outside, etc but concerned about blow outs from all the pumps, skimmers, lights, heaters etc. Is it doable and safe to plug it all into a home run wire that is of the standard new house wiring? I can add all the wattage up etc. but really looking for the best way to do it. Might have to go smaller if the power requirements are too much.

Joe

 

[jessezm]

When you run into having to use a chiller with metal halides is usually the point at which you ought to start thinking about two circuits in my experience. Earlier in my reefing days, I ran a 110g with 50g refugium and a sump off of one circuit, running a 1/2 hp chiller, 2 250w halides, VHOs, and a 1200gph pressure rated pump, and never blew the breaker. Looking back on it, however, I would NOT do it again! But that's not to say it can't or shouldn't be done. It's really all about the level of risk you're willing to accept... Add up the wattage and see how many amps you'll expect to run. Just remember that you should not plug a vacuum cleaner into the same circuit (or an air compressor, as I stupidly discovered last week when installing a large tank in a bar!)

 

[fishybusiness]

My house was built in 1920 and my wiring is so screwed up! On one breaker I have my 140 and a 90 gallon and my computer rus off of it. My lights and my fans however for the 140 are on a seperate breaker. It couldnt take all of the stuff running at once. Your big power consumers are lights, chillers and heaters. All of my pumps all use low wattages which costs a little more but ultimatly pays for itself. If you've got an extra place for a new breaker I would say run a dedicated line to the tank if its going to be a larger one.

 

[family reefer]

I am currently running my entire 135 gal AND a 52" projection TV on one 15 amp breaker. (3-250 watt MH, 2-72"VHO actinics, etc...) I trip the breaker when I plug in the auxilary water change pump if I don't turn off something. I am in the process of setting up a 220 gal reef and I am running 2-20 amp breakers to 4 outlets with GFCI for the new tank. Lesson learned!

 

[johnqx4]

Some food for thought...

In a normal case, you should be able to run your tank off of a single 15amp breaker. As mentioned before adding halides (enough to require a chiller) and then a chiller, will probably bring you to the edge (or over). a single (or two small halides and PC's or VHO's will probably be fine.

If you chose to do the work and addup the amps (a good exersize to be certain), remember, circuits were designed to handle 80% of full load. on a 15 amp, you only want to pull ~12 or so. THis allows room for spikes. This is usually what causes problems when vacuums, large TV's or computers, are on the same circuit (they spike when turned on).

My $.02 worth...

johnny