Electrical Engineering - Portable/adjustable GFCI/AFCI availability?

Author

Portable/adjustable GFCI/AFCI availability?

Salmon Egg

2007-09-15, 5:25 pm

My experience, and what I hear from others, GFCI's are not very useful for
submersible pumps in hydroponic greenhouses. There are just too many
nuisance trips. I think that it is difficult to have the pump motors truly
impervious to water intrusion. On the other hand, being in the salt water
environment from the nutrient solution. The usual solution is to make sure
that the pumps are well grounded. Nevertheless, I sure would like the
security of GFCI protection.

I have been able to get in-line GFCI extension cords. Are similar devices
available with adjustable trip current settings?

Bill
--
We need a freedom FROM speech (and religion) amendment. Practice them but do
not shove it down unwilling peoples' throats.

Gerald Newton

2007-09-15, 8:25 pm

On Sep 15, 1:32 pm, Salmon Egg <salmon...@sbcglobal.net> wrote:
> My experience, and what I hear from others, GFCI's are not very useful for
> submersible pumps in hydroponic greenhouses. There are just too many
> nuisance trips. I think that it is difficult to have the pump motors truly
> impervious to water intrusion. On the other hand, being in the salt water
> environment from the nutrient solution. The usual solution is to make sure
> that the pumps are well grounded. Nevertheless, I sure would like the
> security of GFCI protection.
>
> I have been able to get in-line GFCI extension cords. Are similar devices
> available with adjustable trip current settings?
>
> Bill
> --
> We need a freedom FROM speech (and religion) amendment. Practice them but do
> not shove it down unwilling peoples' throats.

The word "greenhouse" does not appear in the 2005 NEC. I just did a
search using acrobat pro. This is a building that needs addressed.
This summer I watched a worker using an extension cord and vacuum
cleaner on a very wet floor in a greenhouse. The cord was damaged and
the receptacle was not GFCI protected. I informed the worker of the
hazard, the worker informed his supervisor and the worker was promply
laid off three days later. I plan to submit a change for the 2011 NEC
to address this issue.

Salmon Egg

2007-09-15, 8:25 pm

On 9/15/07 5:47 PM, in article
1189903656.588759.47960@o80g2000hse.googlegroups.com, "Gerald Newton"
<electrician@electrician2.com> wrote:

> The word "greenhouse" does not appear in the 2005 NEC. I just did a
> search using acrobat pro. This is a building that needs addressed.
> This summer I watched a worker using an extension cord and vacuum
> cleaner on a very wet floor in a greenhouse. The cord was damaged and
> the receptacle was not GFCI protected. I informed the worker of the
> hazard, the worker informed his supervisor and the worker was promply
> laid off three days later. I plan to submit a change for the 2011 NEC
> to address this issue.

Great! That certainly is something that should be addressed.

When my roof was being installed and the gutter installers wanted power, I
noticed that the their extension's grounding plug had be clipped off. It
also was a drizzly day. my conscience would bother me if I did not try to do
something about that. I wrote a snail mail letter to the appropriate VP and
never heard from him.

For the greenhouse the pump's electrical leakage is small enough so that
ground protection is good enough. The appropriate circumstances and a wet
floor, however could be a big deal.

I did notice that my trips usually, if nor always, happened when the pumps
were turned off. My guess is that it comes from an inductive kick. I may try
connecting a capacitor across the line.
--
The PC conservative does not believe in evolution but likes to see natural
selection proceed. The PC liberal believes in evolution but will do almost
anything to prevent natural selection from working.

TheKraken

2007-09-15, 8:25 pm

On Sat, 15 Sep 2007 17:47:36 -0700, Gerald Newton
<electrician@electrician2.com> wrote:

>On Sep 15, 1:32 pm, Salmon Egg <salmon...@sbcglobal.net> wrote:
>
>The word "greenhouse" does not appear in the 2005 NEC. I just did a
>search using acrobat pro. This is a building that needs addressed.
>This summer I watched a worker using an extension cord and vacuum
>cleaner on a very wet floor in a greenhouse. The cord was damaged and
>the receptacle was not GFCI protected. I informed the worker of the
>hazard, the worker informed his supervisor and the worker was promply
>laid off three days later. I plan to submit a change for the 2011 NEC
>to address this issue.

Idiot. I am quite sure that there are no metal cased vacuum cleaners
in use in the current, modern world.

Gerald Newton

2007-09-16, 3:25 am

On Sep 15, 5:12 pm, TheKraken
<ReachUpandSuckYouDowntotheDep...@yup.org> wrote:
> On Sat, 15 Sep 2007 17:47:36 -0700, Gerald Newton
>
>
>
>
>
> <electric...@electrician2.com> wrote:
>
>
>
>
> Idiot. I am quite sure that there are no metal cased vacuum cleaners
> in use in the current, modern world.- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

There were plenty grounded metal objects in this greenhouse including
the frame of the building. The vacuum cleaner was not the problem as
much as the possibility of the water becoming energized at 120 volts
from the damaged cord. Then anyone standing in the water that touched
anything grounded could be electrocuted.

Salmon Egg

2007-09-16, 1:25 pm

On 9/15/07 7:31 PM, in article
1189909875.656028.149610@n39g2000hsh.googlegroups.com, "Gerald Newton"
<electrician@electrician2.com> wrote:
[color=darkred]

Don't pay attention to this guy. He is just practicing to be an Iraqui
inurgent.

Bill
--
If intelligent design trumps evolution, please explain hemorrhoids.

Tim Perry

2007-09-16, 1:25 pm

"TheKraken" <ReachUpandSuckYouDowntotheDepths@yup.org> wrote in message
news:tk0pe3daaoovpj5e8urep2br12j7lpn8bm@4ax.com...
> On Sat, 15 Sep 2007 17:47:36 -0700, Gerald Newton
> <electrician@electrician2.com> wrote:
>
for[color=darkred]
truly[color=darkred]
water[color=darkred]
sure[color=darkred]
devices[color=darkred]
but do[color=darkred]
>
>
> Idiot. I am quite sure that there are no metal cased vacuum cleaners
> in use in the current, modern world.

My good old Kirby is all metel save for a plastic handle. I expect it to
live at least as long as I do.

Michael A. Terrell

2007-09-16, 5:25 pm

Tim Perry wrote:
>
> "TheKraken" <ReachUpandSuckYouDowntotheDepths@yup.org> wrote in message
> news:tk0pe3daaoovpj5e8urep2br12j7lpn8bm@4ax.com...
> for
> truly
> water
> sure
> devices
> but do
>
> My good old Kirby is all metel save for a plastic handle. I expect it to
> live at least as long as I do.

Their website still has the consumables for their aluminum models.

--
Service to my country? Been there, Done that, and I've got my DD214 to
prove it.
Member of DAV #85.

Michael A. Terrell
Central Florida

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