+brian.srock Posted January 14, 2013 Share Posted January 14, 2013 So I've been up since 5am ripping apart my plumbing in order to get my return pump out of my sump since the wife heard "the noise" that usually means somethings tripped the breaker since i have my lights and aqualifter for my HOB overflow on a different breaker than my pump which gets a tripped breaker ofter surprisingly. I went to go press the reset button on the breaker and funny thing was it didn't trip. Tried unplugging and replugging the outlet in different locations to no avail. I tried opening the pump while it was still submerged to see if I could clean it from there but In the tight spot that its in I just couldn't open it anymore. Now granted I'm super sleepy and grumpy at this point so I got out my dremel and cut my tubing. When I went to grab the pump out I got a nice tingly feeling then a sting where I had my paper cut so I pulled my hand out of the water and washed it off and tried again and again and still kept getting shocked. Well it turns out my sump light timer is putting out a current whenever the lights are off. I unplugged it and pulled the pump out so now I'm working on that. The pump is an AquaEuroUSA 1000 and I have an 1200gph CPR aquatics dual overflow so the pump was under rated since I have to go right a foot then up 5 feet but from what I've read is you don't need much turn over in the sump. Trying to clean the pump now but in case its out for good I need help in picking a new one today. Keep in mind that I have a second twin tank that'll be operational withing a month as well. More to come around 9 when I'm at work Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
(Bio)³ Posted January 14, 2013 Share Posted January 14, 2013 I like my danner mag pumps. Lmk if I can help you in anyway, like the cash I owe you? I can swing by work after class and pay you so you can drop that on a pump or if you need my tank space for anything lmk bud. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+brian.srock Posted January 14, 2013 Author Share Posted January 14, 2013 Thanks Chris. Not sure what to do since it looks like the pump is a goner. I soaked everything in vinegar and cleaned everything with a toothbrush as best as I could that early in the morning. It was pretty bad in there and it looks like it was causing the magnet to grind. I can plug it in and hear it humming but nothing then other times I plug it in it kicks on but not a big stream. It's like its jammed with crud inside the part I can't get opened. Unfortunately I just dropped $750 on the wife's eyes and need to pay another $250 tomorrow so gotta do some creative accounting to see how If I can get another better one that'll be able to accomodate both tanks when I get paid tomorrow. I do need to head to lowes today and pick up some tubing since that's what I planned on switching to anyway and some hose clamps for it. For now thought I've got some salt mixing up and I'll do a water change tonight but I think I should be good for another day or 2 without it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
victoly Posted January 14, 2013 Share Posted January 14, 2013 I've got a few pumps. maybe we can work something out. I'll send you the specs when I get home from work this evening. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+brian.srock Posted January 14, 2013 Author Share Posted January 14, 2013 Thanks Ian. Sent the wife the budget for this pay period and awaiting approval on if she'll let me pick up another pump. I did save $75 on water by not running the sprinklers in Dec so that'll help me out. Just gotta do some research and see whats available. I was thinking if there's a return pump that I can have out of the water that would work best. I also need to figure out about this stray voltage. The timers I use seem to be the culprit but I'm not sure if I'm getting an amplified current somehow or what. I'm an not an electrician but I think these timers put out power on the ground then cut it when it's time to turn on. I could be wrong but it looks like all 3 of them do it like this. Nothing powerful at all, sorta like a joy buzzer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Mitch Posted January 14, 2013 Share Posted January 14, 2013 I have a Mag3 being unused if you need some flow to hold you over. I also have a Mag5 that's part of my mixing station I can easily pull off. Both can be used either submerged or external. I also recommend Eheim pumps. Here's a table of flow vs pumping height for the Mags: http://www.marinedepot.com/Danner_Mag_Drive_Supreme_3_350_GPH_Water_Pump_Up_to_500_Gallons_Per_Hour_Submersible_Aquarium_Pumps-Danner_Mfg.-DN1119-FIWPSBUF-DN1121-vi.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timfish Posted January 14, 2013 Share Posted January 14, 2013 +1 on the Mag pumps as well and prefer to use two (not always feasable) for redundancy. The timers should not be putting out any current on the ground line. Yo didn't say but have you tried already plugging in the lights you have on the timers one at a time directly into the wall outlet bypassing the timers to see if one of them is causing it? It's also possible you have a common ground with your light fixtures so any of the three plugs would give you the stray voltage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+brian.srock Posted January 14, 2013 Author Share Posted January 14, 2013 (edited) Does anyone else have trouble with GFCI tripping all the time or am I the only one? I have my stuff split between 2 different breakers. All Lights and aqua lifter are on my living room breaker and 2 tunze pumps/aqua c remora pro skimmer, heater, and return pump are on my kitchen. If I unplug the return pump then I pop the GFCI almost every time. I'm hoping it was the return pump that was the issue since I will be replacing it. Thanks for pointing me to the chart mitch. I need to figure this out b/c my current pump was only a 1000gph and according to the chart I should of been at a 1800 gph due to the height but still be under rated for my overflow. I might have to take you up on the loaner pump since the wife says my creative budgeting was too creative. Tim, If I am able to put them out of the tank then I was thinking 2 so I never have to worry about one tank getting filled too fast. I'll test the lights when I get back home. I was still sleepy so it was a win just to figure out what was doing it after my sump fiasco. I have my lights on a grounded surge but see the below diagram on how I have them plugged in... and I think I've had too much coffee this morning. Sorry all for all the typing. also my ATO is tied into my sump timer. Edited January 14, 2013 by brian.srock Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Mitch Posted January 14, 2013 Share Posted January 14, 2013 Brian, LMK ASAP if you need to borrow and which pump as i'm heading to Houston Fri afternoon and won't be back home til Mon eve. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+brian.srock Posted January 19, 2013 Author Share Posted January 19, 2013 Was messing with the tank and was getting that tingling feeling so ran and grabbed the multimeter that I picked up and after grounding it lo and behold I was picking something up. After unplugging equiptment piece by piece I got to my stealth heater and back to 0. POS! The wife isn't too happy since we just replaced the pump so do me a favor guys and when you see my wife tomorrow send her your condolenses. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Mitch Posted January 19, 2013 Share Posted January 19, 2013 In case you weren't aware, these were recalled back in 2011: http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml11/11202.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+brian.srock Posted January 19, 2013 Author Share Posted January 19, 2013 Certainly wasn't. Thanks for the info Mitch Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
(Bio)³ Posted January 19, 2013 Share Posted January 19, 2013 Yeah I had to return several for hydro. Petsmart had no issue taking them and giving replacements to me. Just got heaters of equal size Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+brian.srock Posted January 20, 2013 Author Share Posted January 20, 2013 Thanks for the info guys. Took the heater to petsmart and they easily returned the recalled heater and I was able to pay $5 more and upgraded it from a 150 to 300. I really wonder now if the heater was the root cause of my gfci tripping all the time. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
(Bio)³ Posted January 20, 2013 Share Posted January 20, 2013 glad to hear they made it right I'm curious also about your GFCI now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+brian.srock Posted January 20, 2013 Author Share Posted January 20, 2013 Same here. Its kind of a hassle whenever it pops Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+brian.srock Posted January 22, 2013 Author Share Posted January 22, 2013 Turns out the gfci still pops. It seems to be whenever I pull a grounded cord. On the plus side my new mag 12 came in so I'm going to get that connected tonight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sifuentes31 Posted January 22, 2013 Share Posted January 22, 2013 I would replace the GFCI just in case that is the problem. Cheap fix just make sure to turn off the power!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+brian.srock Posted January 23, 2013 Author Share Posted January 23, 2013 I thought about that but it tends to happen on other GFCI outlets as well since I was testing out the old pump after putting it in a vinegar bath and cleaning it out in my extra bathroom. Not sure whats going on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
esacjack Posted January 24, 2013 Share Posted January 24, 2013 does the gfci trip with any other devices besides the pump? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+brian.srock Posted January 24, 2013 Author Share Posted January 24, 2013 It's usually the pump but even the new pump is doing it now. There has also been random times where i'm not touching anything and no one is home but me when it trips. I'm going to take Mitch's advise and get a UPC soon so if the GFCI does trip my pump will at least stay one until I can hit the reset button. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
esacjack Posted January 24, 2013 Share Posted January 24, 2013 When did the behavior start? Can you correlate it to possibly the AC or heater kicking on? or your security systems motion detectors? When I moved into my house, one of my GFI's was tripping constantly. I could never figure it out till one day I fell asleep on the couch right by the socket. My dog got up off the couch, and the moment she moved, the GFI tripped. I reset it, and it tripped again... That's when I noticed everytime it tripped I would hear a chirp from the garage. Turns out that chirp was the alarm letting me know it was losing power. Alarm company fixed the problem, and now I only have one GFI that trips when anything downstream is plugged in. But that is due in part to terrible wiring on the contractors part. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.