earth leakage circuit breaker & bubble king

Powdermonkey · 09/22/2014, 08:30 PM

I have a Bubble King skimmer sm250 with dc pump. It will trip any outlet I plug it into. My tank is on a dedicated panel with GFI Breakers. Royal Exclusiv has emailed me and said it needs to be on an ELCB. The electrician and the search button says ELCB have been replaced by the GFI breaker. But with the help of google they still sell ELCB. I am looking for reassurance before I email RE back.
The breakers on the left run the tank. The ones on the right are for the room lights and vent fans. Thanks!!

acesq · 09/22/2014, 11:56 PM

This is correct. Same thing happened with my 240w DC pumps by another manufacturer.

alton · 09/23/2014, 06:04 AM

If what I just read online, ELCB breakers are made to protect the motor not you

Powdermonkey · 09/23/2014, 05:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by acesq

This is correct. Same thing happened with my 240w DC pumps by another manufacturer.

Correct as in I need ELCB? Please elaborate.

mcgyvr · 09/23/2014, 05:40 PM

A GFCI will trip around 5mA..
The drive used in these motors seems to have leakage current in excess of that so you want a ELCB that will allow a higher leakage current (up to 30mA) without nuisance tripping that a RCD/GFCI will suffer from.

Powdermonkey · 09/23/2014, 06:27 PM

Thank you, that is an explanation I can understand.

acesq · 09/23/2014, 06:56 PM

What he (mcgyvr)said!

There may be another option as well: the manufacturer of my pump recommended I wind the pump power cable around a ferrite ring to choke the leakage current. Unfortunately, the ring I managed to find did not work well enough to prevent nuisance trips of the GFCI.

09/22/2014, 08:30 PM	#1
Powdermonkey Registered Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Westslope CO Posts: 219	earth leakage circuit breaker & bubble king I have a Bubble King skimmer sm250 with dc pump. It will trip any outlet I plug it into. My tank is on a dedicated panel with GFI Breakers. Royal Exclusiv has emailed me and said it needs to be on an ELCB. The electrician and the search button says ELCB have been replaced by the GFI breaker. But with the help of google they still sell ELCB. I am looking for reassurance before I email RE back. The breakers on the left run the tank. The ones on the right are for the room lights and vent fans. Thanks!!

09/22/2014, 11:56 PM	#2
acesq Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Calabasas, CA Posts: 1,501	This is correct. Same thing happened with my 240w DC pumps by another manufacturer. __________________ Current tank: 340g AGE peninsula

09/23/2014, 06:56 PM	#7
acesq Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Calabasas, CA Posts: 1,501	What he (mcgyvr)said! There may be another option as well: the manufacturer of my pump recommended I wind the pump power cable around a ferrite ring to choke the leakage current. Unfortunately, the ring I managed to find did not work well enough to prevent nuisance trips of the GFCI. __________________ Current tank: 340g AGE peninsula

09/23/2014, 06:04 AM	#3
alton Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Zuehl, Texas Posts: 4,460	If what I just read online, ELCB breakers are made to protect the motor not you

09/23/2014, 05:40 PM	#5
mcgyvr Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: North Carolina Posts: 20,050	A GFCI will trip around 5mA.. The drive used in these motors seems to have leakage current in excess of that so you want a ELCB that will allow a higher leakage current (up to 30mA) without nuisance tripping that a RCD/GFCI will suffer from.

09/23/2014, 06:27 PM	#6
Powdermonkey Registered Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Westslope CO Posts: 219	Thank you, that is an explanation I can understand.