Better safe than sorry bro.
I plug my entire brew stand into the GFI outlet on my BBQ island. It has never tripped, but it gives me peace of mind anyway.
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BrewMasterBrad
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Re: GFI for your Pump??
I saw a werewolf drinking a pina colada down at Trader Vic's
Re: GFI for your Pump??
Plus 1. I have GFIs everywhere outside .. you cannot help but plug into one when brewing at my place.
Not overly worried but then again, I'm not taking any chances and I'm covered.
Dan
Not overly worried but then again, I'm not taking any chances and I'm covered.
Dan
Re: GFI for your Pump??
Yep. Anything plugged in near the brewery is on a GFCI protected circuit.
Re: GFI for your Pump??
When I updated the garage wiring every outlet got protected by GFCI. That's required by electrical code. When I had large numbers of aquariums they were all protected too. I had one issue back then. When the neighborhood lost power the GFCI would often trip when all the stuff turned back on. Not good when I wasn't home to correct the situation.
Your pump probably has a grounding wire. That offers you lots of protection. Most failures will use that grounding path and trip the circuit breaker. So,the risk should be fairly small. The problem is when you get a failure such that you become the grounding path instead of the grounding wire you get a 15-20 amp dose. Should one live through such an event a GFCI will seem the cheap protection that it is.
One can get arc detecting circuit breakers too.
Your pump probably has a grounding wire. That offers you lots of protection. Most failures will use that grounding path and trip the circuit breaker. So,the risk should be fairly small. The problem is when you get a failure such that you become the grounding path instead of the grounding wire you get a 15-20 amp dose. Should one live through such an event a GFCI will seem the cheap protection that it is.
One can get arc detecting circuit breakers too.
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maltbarley
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Re: GFI for your Pump??
My system came with one on it, but if it didn't I would have added it.
You can buy plug-in GFI breakers at Home Depot for less than $15.
You can buy plug-in GFI breakers at Home Depot for less than $15.
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backyard brewer
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Re: GFI for your Pump??
+1.BrewMasterBrad wrote:Better safe than sorry bro.
I plug my entire brew stand into the GFI outlet on my BBQ island. It has never tripped, but it gives me peace of mind anyway.
Your circuit breaker won't always protect you because it requires the total current flowing to be greater than the breaker, usually 15 amps. Circuit breakers are designed to protect property, not life.
A GFCI breaker basically measures the current flowing through the circuit and if the current flowing out of the breaker is not the same as the current flowing back from the load, it senses a leakage and trips. At least that;s how it was explained to me once.
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Re: GFI for your Pump??
Sweet! I was considering rewiring.maltbarley wrote:My system came with one on it, but if it didn't I would have added it.
You can buy plug-in GFI breakers at Home Depot for less than $15.
An intelligent man is sometimes forced to be drunk with his fools. - Hemingway