GFCI help please

[Dargason]

I just went to Home Depot and bought several of those portable GFCI&Surge protectors that you plug into the wall. They work great for the pumps and powerheads, but they trip when I try to use them for my lights.

I have 3 PFO 400W ballasts driving 400W metal halides. I don't think there is anything wrong with the equipment because they all seem to do the same thing. I even went so far as to remove everything from the circuit, plug one of the GFCIs into the wall and 1 ballast into it... it still tripped.

Sometimes it trips immediately, and sometimes it will run for a few minutes before tripping.

Has anyone had this problem? Is there another kind of GFCI that isn't quite as sensitive? Or is there something I can do with my ballasts to prevent them from tripping the GFCI?

Thanks!
Mike

 

[wnfaknd]

is each of the outlets on the GFCI strip rated for as much as 400w?

 

[DarwinTheDog]

I had the same problem with the portable GFI from Home Depot. They worked fine on everything, but the lights (175 watt MH). I ended up installing a GFI for one tank, and use the portable units on a smaller tank.

One other word of warning, if the power goes off these portable units seem to trip, and not reset. You might consider making your own portable GFI....I know others on this board have mentioned that before (search the archeives.

HTH

 

[bowfront]

Hi, never tried the portable GFI you mention but regular wall GFI's are relatively cheap and not very hard to install yourself. If I could handle it you can. HD has a section on converting a regular wall outlet to GFI in their general household repair book if you need quideance. A regular wall GFI should handle your MH lights without problem.

 

[Dargason]

Thanks for your replies. I've installed standard GFCIs before, so that doesn't bother me, but I didn't really want to have to do it from inside my stand with 2500 pounds over my head... But I defintely don't want these if they trip when the power goes off!