How Do I Handle My Power/plugs Safely?

[Kris T]

I've just set up my new tank today. I ran my 6 way extension lead along the skirting board to the tank, but where exactly should I keep it? I was thinking of up along the side of the tank, high enough to avoid water if any ever leaked out, but most of the pictures I've seen of people's tanks, I see the plugs/cables right under the stand, or in one of the cupbaords in the stand.

What would you suggest I do? It looks a lot neater if I just put the plugs around the back into one of the cupboards, and it's much easier to plug and unplug things in the future. But should I be doing something "safer"? (I'm using a power breaker, by the way, as an extra precaution!)

 

[mixmaster jay]

that sounds fine in a cupboard as long as you have a drip loop (just the cable in a u shape lower than the wall and the tank sockets) so if a leak does occur then it will drip off the cable off the bottom of that loop rather than in your sockets, an rcd(breaker) is a vey good idea ive still yet to get one.

all my plugs (10 of) are in my tank cupboard too hidden away its alot neater

 

[rabbut]

What type of power breaker? RCB or just a standord CB? You need a 30mA RCB connected to the sockets for the tank to be any more electrically safe than with just a plain old fuse realy....

It is best practice to have the plugs off the floor and to the side of the tank, and to run all power from then with the cables passing below the plugs in a "drip loop" before going back up to them. This said, I never bother...

All the best
Rabbut

 

[arobinson1984]

Personally myself, mine is fixed onto the side of my cabinet on the outside. Luckily my tank is close to a wall on one side so they are on that side so cant really be seen.

Most of the extensions have holes on the back to hang then from objects so measure the distance, insert 2 screws into your cabinet's side and slot it on, its then held at a nice level, away from any water and can easily be removed.

Andy

 

[hollanda88]

Personally myself, mine is fixed onto the side of my cabinet on the outside. Luckily my tank is close to a wall on one side so they are on that side so cant really be seen.

Most of the extensions have holes on the back to hang then from objects so measure the distance, insert 2 screws into your cabinet's side and slot it on, its then held at a nice level, away from any water and can easily be removed.

Andy

I too have done this but on the inside of my cabinet, however a week after managing to put the screws in (very difficult inside a cabinet) i bought timers and now the extension bar cannot clip onto the screws as the timers are in the way lol, so now its on the shelf

andrew

 

[Kris T]

Thanks for the advice, everyone!

The positioning of my tank makes it impossible to follow all the standard guidelines about having it way off to the side and with a drip loop...So your input is helping me find a compromise.

What's the real danger we're trying to avoid here? Is the main thing to have the plugs off the floor? If that's the case, I can see why hanging the extension from the side of the cabinet is a good option. I think with my stand, though, it might be better if I can hang it from the inside...My stand is like a pdoium, so the cabinet wall is narrower than the tank itself...

 

[Mikaila31]

Install a GFI outlet or get a powerstrip with GFI built in. I run all my tanks off GFI outlets. GFI's are the same thing in your bathrooms, if water ever gets into the powerstrip or anything shorts out, it will turn off

 

[arobinson1984]

Yes you want the plugs off the floor, high enough for all your wires to hang down then have to come back up again forming like a 'U' shape

This way if you get any leaks, the water will run down the wire to the bottom of the 'U' obviously it cant get back up the other side so it drips off the bottom (this is called a drip loop)

If your plugs are on the floor then the water could run all the way down the wire and into the plug socket causing major damage.

Andy

 

[Kris T]

I know it's not ideal, but what about if the "drip loop" on the wires is under the tank? In other words, what if you have the wires going down behind the tank, then rising back up into the top of the cabinet with the exntension mounted on tbe underside of the cabinet shelf? Drips wouldn't be able to run up there, but obviously if there was a *major* leak the plugs are under the tank...

 

[arobinson1984]

That should be fine as long as you have a drip loop.

You could go all day about 'what ifs' but its unlikely you'll have a massive leak so your in the same position as everybody else as I dont think many people keep their plugs far away from the tank.

Andy

 

[keenonfish]

I got a standard 6 way extension, and stuck some sheet metal to the back with an inverted u shaped bend along top edge. This hangs on the back of the tank at the top so forming natural drip loops without worrying. You can see a timer pop over the back but it doesn't worry me. Probably not a good idea to hook directly onto glass but my Juwel has plastic trim for hood so not a problem.

Also people never consider fuse sizes if a standard aquarium then a 3A fuse in the extension plug is more than necessary.

As for RCD mentioned above this is an extra safety precaution but must not be relied upon before normal common sense. If you have a modern consumer unit with rcd you shouldn't need one though.
Also as I have said before most socket RCD's will trip in the event of a power cut so make sure it is a latching type otherwise a small brownout or blackout will result in a loooong blackout for your fish!

 

[Kris T]

Thanks again for the help!

Andy, I think you're right about the "what ifs." If you think about them too much no one would have a tank! I think I'll go with mounting the extension on the underside of the cabinet. And the RCD plug as a little extra precaution (I'll make sure it isn't the kind that cuts the power, keenon, thanks!)