TonyV Posted March 17, 2009 Share Posted March 17, 2009 Should I use a 15 amp or 20 amp? My new RSM 130D trips the breaker when I turn a component off and I currently have a 15 amp installed. Could it be that I do not have my pumps submerged in water yet and that is causing extra power drain? I am still in the set up process of my new tank. Thanks in advance for your help. Link to comment
neanderthalman Posted March 17, 2009 Share Posted March 17, 2009 15A. If you want 20A, you're going to need to run a thicker cable (12AWG instead of 14AWG) from your breaker (fuse) panel, as well as install a larger breaker or fuse. Is it tripping the GFCI or is it tripping the breaker (in the panel)? The two do totally different things. GFCI = current imbalance. Breaker = overcurrent/short circuit protection. Link to comment
TonyV Posted March 17, 2009 Author Share Posted March 17, 2009 It's tripping the GFCI outlet. It is an in-wall version and not the external versions. It has an indicator light on it to show proper hook up and won't reset unless properly wired. Link to comment
neanderthalman Posted March 17, 2009 Share Posted March 17, 2009 OK, well, not only will a 20A GFCI not be supported by your existing wiring, it won't help either. Your problem is that one of your devices is doing something "funny" when it is turned off. Can we have a full equipment list, what trips the GFCI, and what doesn't. Link to comment
TonyV Posted March 17, 2009 Author Share Posted March 17, 2009 It is a brand new RSM 130D that hasn't even seen a drop of water. I have the hood turned on, and then I just went thru the power panel on the RSM and turned each of the other components on and then off. I think it was one of the two circulation pumps or either the skimmer pump that tripped it when I turned it off. I will try it again tonight and determine if it is one particular item causing the trip. Link to comment
reefone Posted March 17, 2009 Share Posted March 17, 2009 u really shouldnt be running the pumps without any water running through them. Link to comment
Phixion Posted March 18, 2009 Share Posted March 18, 2009 Pumps will tend to trip things, or can. I know back when I used a plug-in GFCI outlet (shockbuster type) unplugging any pumps from the powerstrip I had plugged into the GFCI, would trip it off. So would power being restored after an outage. SOMETIMES I'd get this from my hard-wired in-wall GFCI outlet, but not always. I think it's just the way that pumps draw current that makes them trip, but I really don't kow what causes it. If I remember correctly, if the plug is yanked from the socket fast enough, it won't trip. I use 15A outlets myself as you want to match it to what the outlet you're replacing is rated at. Link to comment
Pickle010 Posted March 18, 2009 Share Posted March 18, 2009 u really shouldnt be running the pumps without any water running through them. ^ +1 not good for the pumps at all. Link to comment
TonyV Posted March 18, 2009 Author Share Posted March 18, 2009 All is ok now. I can only contribute the tripping to the fact that I had just wanted to make sure that all my accessories were properly hooked up in my RSM and that all devices functioned before I fill it with water. Now I get to wait out my cycle. First piece of living hitchhiker organism was a hairy crab which I promptly removed after reading some of the threads on here. Link to comment
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