Grounding Probes, GFIs, current, voltage,etc. for the electrically ungifted

[KBennett]

Capacitors store energy, not electrons.  Every electron forced onto the negative plate pushes an electron out the other side.  Current in always equals current out. 

 

[Reef Hero]

[quote author=Pistol link=topic=7695.msg80699#msg80699 date=1392052833]
T5 ballasts, especially electronic, should not trip a GFCI, some motors have large enough capacitors and enough winding loss to trip them, variable speed drives are also known to trip them, almost all the stuff we deal with should not.

So what would be tripping the GFCI from my T5 lights, the wiring, as opposed to the actual ballast?

[/quote]

Is your DIY t5 light fixture properly bonded?

 

[curiousphil]

Capacitors store energy, not electrons.  Every electron forced onto the negative plate pushes an electron out the other side.  Current in always equals current out. 

Thanks, that helps my understanding

 

[jroovers]

I would think it's a defective ballast or an end cap that is leaking to ground. If you disconnect the ballast one wire at a time you might be able to isolate it.

[quote author=Pistol link=topic=7695.msg80707#msg80707 date=1392054281]
I would think it's a defective ballast or an end cap that is leaking to ground. If you disconnect the ballast one wire at a time you might be able to isolate it.

+1
I would go first for end caps. Maybe corrosion or salt deposits.

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[/quote]

Is your DIY t5 light fixture properly bonded?

Not sure if it is properly bonded or not... I ordered some retrofit kits and will be replacing the ballasts, wiring and endcaps.  Got over 5 years on my DIY ones, so no reason to complain.

 

[Reef Hero]

[quote author=Pistol link=topic=7695.msg80707#msg80707 date=1392054281]
I would think it's a defective ballast or an end cap that is leaking to ground. If you disconnect the ballast one wire at a time you might be able to isolate it.

[quote author=Pistol link=topic=7695.msg80707#msg80707 date=1392054281]
I would think it's a defective ballast or an end cap that is leaking to ground. If you disconnect the ballast one wire at a time you might be able to isolate it.

+1
I would go first for end caps. Maybe corrosion or salt deposits.

Sent from my SGH-I747M using Tapatalk
[/quote]

Is your DIY t5 light fixture properly bonded?

Not sure if it is properly bonded or not... I ordered some retrofit kits and will be replacing the ballasts, wiring and endcaps.  Got over 5 years on my DIY ones, so no reason to complain.
[/quote]

If your DIY fixture contains any metal parts then it should be bonded to the ground bond. In most cases the ballast alone is metal and has a bonding (ground) connection. This would usually require a green wire in the cord set that will electrically connect the bond terminal (ground....well kinda ground....actually bond but we won't get into that) of your receptacle (the U shaped terminal of your receptacle to be specific) to the metal parts and ballast of your DIY fixture. Got pics?


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[jroovers]

If your DIY fixture contains any metal parts then it should be bonded to the ground bond. In most cases the ballast alone is metal and has a bonding (ground) connection. This would usually require a green wire in the cord set that will electrically connect the bond terminal (ground....well kinda ground....actually bond but we won't get into that) of your receptacle (the U shaped terminal of your receptacle to be specific) to the metal parts and ballast of your DIY fixture. Got pics?

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Don't have pics but yes it is grounded.  Wire runs from the U shaped terminal of the receptacle to a metal loop in the ballasts casing that is labelled ground, it is all contacting well (I opened the receptacle to double check).

 

[Reef Hero]

Ok cool. Sounds like its good to go....
Went back in the thread and seen you posted that it's only one ballast tripping it...... I'd try just replacing that ballast.....
Or buy the sunpower it's a nice fixture for sure....


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[jroovers]

Bit of an update, I ended up getting two replacement ballast retrofit kits, and after opening one up, decided it was going to be a huge PITA to redo my canopy.  Anyhow, so I went to work on my existing ballast, tried grounding the reflectors, tripped again... Then tried regrounding the ballast, tripped again.  Then I decided to try a spare 3 prong cord I had lying around, and it worked!  ;D  So obviously whatever was going on was an issue with my wall socket cord. 

Another question, I've read on RC that people say that enough stray current can travel through individual T5 reflectors to cause a GFCI to trip... I don't have my reflectors grounded at the moment and all is well - any thoughts on this?

 

[Boga]

I would ground the reflectors. I think that many fixtures have the reflectors grounded anyway because they are assembled on the metal housing, which is grounded.

Was the cord touching the aquarium wall or any "wet" or "salty" surface in your normal setup?

 

[Reef Hero]

You should bond the reflectors or any other metal parts.....


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[jroovers]

What is the easiest way to bond the reflectors?  Run a ground wire across all four of my individual reflectors and then run that to the casing of one of my ballasts?

 

[Reef Hero]

You can bond everything together using any type of conductive material.... Perhaps a nice thin flexible piece of aluminum between the reflectors or something?

 

[jroovers]

Then what do I run that to... down to the ground (literally?)

 

[Reef Hero]

Run it back to where the ballast case is bonded or where ever your bond wire from the cord is attached to..... The idea is that all metal parts are bonded together and then bonded back to the bond terminal at the recept.

 

[jroovers]

Gotcha