# Cord Organization



## PaulineMi (Apr 3, 2008)

Now that I have more than one tank (7, but one's in a separate room) I'd like to know what to do about all the electric cords. How do you who have multiple tanks but not a full fledged fish room organize and/or condense these things? As you can see I really need help!!!

I'm using power strips and have a "shop light" up and will be adding another one. (There are no live plants involved.) This will free up outlets for the individual tanks' lighting on the 4 top tanks. I will only need lighting for the two bottom shelf tanks. Other than that there are HOB filters and heaters and a couple air pumps. Would multiple attachment outlets for airlines work? I don't need much surface agitation as these are angelfish, shellies and guppy tanks.

These tanks are in a basement backroom. The goldfish cycles tanks for me. Another tank will be going on the top left stand shortly. Am just hung up on the best way to do all this!

Thanks in advance for helpful ideas.


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## Geddonight (Aug 7, 2009)

Two suggestions:

1) get the sample roll of multi-colored electrical tape (comes with like 5 colors) so that way you can organize each plug by type (white for air, yellow for lights, green for whatever, red for header, blue for pumps, etc.)

2) look into getting something like this: http://www.chipquik.com/digikey/strips/prod_eps4126_nd.htm


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## PaulineMi (Apr 3, 2008)

Oh...I like that powerstrip!!! Thanks for the link! :thumb:


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## matthew1884 (Jul 24, 2009)

Im not sure if you have a Big Lots near you or in michigan but if you do they usually have 6 foot power strips for like ten dollars.


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## cjacob316 (Dec 4, 2008)

nice, i need to check out big lots

shop light is a bad idea, fish still need full spectrum lighting, plants aren't the only things that need light to be healthy


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## PaulineMi (Apr 3, 2008)

Big Lots...another great idea! Thanks again.

cjacob316....It's a "T8 size bulbs" shoplight that will have 48" aquarium tubes installed. :thumb:


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## cjacob316 (Dec 4, 2008)

oooh i'm thinking the hang on car shop lights that are incandescent


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## car0linab0y (Aug 10, 2009)

please tell me you don't have all those tanks running off the same power circuit...


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## PaulineMi (Apr 3, 2008)

It's two separate circuits. There's a second one being used around the corner where the tools are.
That's one of my concerns though with organizing the cords and condensing everything. I'm cutting back on tank lights, need heaters and filters in 4 tanks.... Suggestions are welcome!


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## Geddonight (Aug 7, 2009)

car0linab0y said:


> please tell me you don't have all those tanks running off the same power circuit...


Why not?

A standard circuit breaker can pull 15 amps or approximately 1650 watts (assuming 110 volts). He's nowhere near that load. I've done the calculations for my dedicated fish room and I'm pulling 9 amps and I've got oodles more tanks (and therefore equipment) than he does.

Cheers!


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## car0linab0y (Aug 10, 2009)

it's not the breaker you have to worry about. the breaker will trip if it needs to. more than likely that's 14-16 gauge wiring in the recepts though, so how long would you let 1650 watts run through one outlet?


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## Geddonight (Aug 7, 2009)

I'm unfamiliar with the term "recept" and the internet isn't helping my knowledge any.

In any case, it looks like a pair of wires are being run through the studs-- yellow is typically 14 guage, and white 12. I assume the white goes to your tools, yes?

What else is on the circuit with the fish equipment?


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## car0linab0y (Aug 10, 2009)

Geddonight said:


> I'm unfamiliar with the term "recept" and the internet isn't helping my knowledge any.
> 
> In any case, it looks like a pair of wires are being run through the studs-- yellow is typically 14 guage, and white 12. I assume the white goes to your tools, yes?
> 
> What else is on the circuit with the fish equipment?


recept is just short for receptacle, or plug, or outlet.


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## lloyd (Aug 24, 2005)

perhaps i could help. i am an electrician. i note your picture shows a stud wall behind the tanks so this is an easy time to prepare that wall for custom electrical considerations. 1) how many receptacles exist within cord reach of the area now? what other area lights/receptacles are powered on that same circuit? do you have a list of all electric equipment anticipated for all your tanks?


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## nick a (Apr 9, 2004)

I agree that the open studwall/exposed wiring is an excellent opportunity to hardwire in receptacles at appropriate locations. I would also highly recommend that all of your fish (wet area) outlets be GFIs (or at least be looped through a GFI). Also agree 100% that you need to 'map out' what else you have on the circuit to plan the outlets intelligently.



> it's not the breaker you have to worry about. the breaker will trip if it needs to. more than likely that's 14-16 gauge wiring in the recepts though, so how long would you let 1650 watts run through one outlet?


Typical here is 14Ga on 15A and 12Ga on 20A circuits & unless my understanding of electricity has a short in it, it really doesn't matter if the load comes from a single outlet or a dozen--the load on a circuit is the load on the circuit???


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## PaulineMi (Apr 3, 2008)

The things that will be running on those lines are:

6 filters (3 Emperor & Penguin H.O.B.s, 1 Magnum H.O.T. and 2 Whispers)
3 single tube strip lights - 24"
4 heaters
3 small air pumps (may add 3 valves and only use one air pump)
2 double 48" F8 tube shop lights

I have a 10 outlet Belkin Metal Case Surge Protector "Workshop" rated which shows "continuous duty electrical rating: 125V/15A/60Hz/1875W" that was installed this morning.

If I'm overloaded on anything wouldn't the circuit breaker go off?

Will any additional information help to determine if I'm okay to go now? Thanks SO MUCH for all the help!


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## car0linab0y (Aug 10, 2009)

it's like with christmas lights. you see all the time people's house catch fire because they had too many running from one outlet. not enough amps to trip the breaker, but enough amps over sustained time to build heat in the wires. heat increases the wire's resistance, which causes more heat, so it compounds the issue until finally it burns up.


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## lloyd (Aug 24, 2005)

PaulineMi said:


> I have a 10 outlet Belkin Metal Case Surge Protector...if I'm overloaded on anything wouldn't the circuit breaker go off?


 since you've already bought the surge protector, let's work from there: with the surge protector added to the circuit, as a convenience for more outlets, you should try to restrict usage of other loads that now share that line. as carolinaboy stated, adding christmas lights to this circuit would not be prudent. consider to buy a few plastic safety caps and install them into the other receptacles on this line. this will help to remind you, and others, that this particular line is in heavier than average use already. for example, plug the vacuum elsewhere, move the micro furnace, etc. you might also want to consider replacing any light bulbs on this circuit with higher efficiency/lower wattage types. especially, if this circuit involves more than a few fixtures.
if you see lights flicker/dim when another appliance starts, or the breaker and/or surge protector shut themselves down, call in a licensed electrician for a detailed inspection. 
have you considered air driven sponge filters? i've bought a AV-50 air pump and manifold (made by won brothers inc., USA. 888-417-6750, www.wonbrothers.com) and it has performed without issue for more than two years now. it drives 16 sponges easily. this single pump uses 40W power and can easily replace all of your other filter devices. HTH.


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## PaulineMi (Apr 3, 2008)

Does this sound okay:

We have a two story house with two very large circuit breaker boxes. All "daily living" items such as microwave, refrigerator, bathrooms etc are upstairs and are on one box. A second box is for the downstairs which consists of basics like TV, computer and lights. There is a second box for this area. Then there is a downstairs back room/basement area. That's where my tanks are. Nothing runs on the outlets I'm using for the tanks except "tank stuff".

I've decided I don't need the air pumps for "bubbling"/moving surface water around. That will be 3 fewer things plugged in. The sponge filters or even in tank box filters would be okay except I purchased the Penguin and Emperor filters new. I'd like to use them.......

Again, thanks.


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## PfunMo (Jul 30, 2009)

North Carolina must be a bit behind the curve if they have 16 gauge in receptacles. For practical advise I would prefer to have some of the equipment on different circuits just so they don't all draw from the same and potentially quit together. It only happens when you leave for the week. I like to think at least one half will survive a crisis.


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## PfunMo (Jul 30, 2009)

No sweat on the capacity in that case. Too many people panic without considering how little power a mag drive motor pulls. The TV pulls more than your entire setup unless all the heaters come on at the same time. They are the only power hogs you have. A one hundred watt heater draws the same power as a one hundred watt bulb. Assuming your house is wired for lights??? A quick (and cheap) way to help sort the cords is to bundle them in some way you understand. Each tank together or each type together, for instance. The bundle materials can be as simple as a twisty off a loaf of bread just so it is consistent and you understand the code. Under my computers, I have twisted different colored wire around different groups so I don't have to trace them back . Simple things like that will get you going without insanity and rewiring the basement.


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## PfunMo (Jul 30, 2009)

Just to check, I looked at my Eheim 2217 filter. It only draws 20 watts. It would take three of them to equal one single sixty watt bulb. Bet there is more power going through the nearest lamp.


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## PaulineMi (Apr 3, 2008)

Whew...I'm feeling better now knowing that I'm not pulling too much power and being concerned about fires, etc.

I now have the cords wrapped with electrical tape. Blue for filters, white for lights, red for heaters. They're bundled up so they're not hanging all over the place.



> For practical advise I would prefer to have some of the equipment on different circuits just so they don't all draw from the same and potentially quit together. It only happens when you leave for the week. I like to think at least one half will survive a crisis.


 That makes sense and has given me something to take into serious consideration! Thanks. :thumb:


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## PfunMo (Jul 30, 2009)

Just to ease your mind a bit more, I have a suggestion. Most equipment has a note somewhere on it that tells how much power it uses. Lots of time it is in watts. Light bulbs like a sixty watt. Often it is in amps (A) or milli amps(MA). those figures need to be converted to watts. I'm sure there are formulas on the net for converting back and forth. Total up all the fish equipment you are using and then go look at the TV to compare the two. Bet you wouldn't blink at plugging the TV in where the tanks are. I also bet the TV pulls more power than the tank. I may be wrong so I'm not betting much, you understand. :wink: 
It will give you a better feel for what you have there. :thumb:

My computer monitor runs 2 amps.


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## nick a (Apr 9, 2004)

Watts = Voltage x Amps. 120V X 2 Amps =240 watts

Pf has it pretty well said. Most of the items we use have a *very low * draw. Heaters are usually #1, followed by lights. The linear piston air pump which supplies my entire fishroom draws about 75 watts....think about that single light bulb in the hall closet...when have you worried if that was gonna burn your house down?



> 6 filters (3 Emperor & Penguin H.O.B.s, 1 Magnum H.O.T. and 2 Whispers) 6 x 20 watt=120W
> 3 single tube strip lights - 24" 3 x 20 watt=60W
> 
> 4 heaters ?????
> ...


Pay attention to the size of your heaters.... what's the wattage rating on them....100...200....?
Four 200 watt heaters adds up to a lot of draw ...6~7 amps

120W
+60W
+45W
=120W
345 watts=3AMPS

3AMPS
+ (Four 200 watt heaters) 7 amps
= 10 amp draw on your circuit (using conservative numbers)


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## PfunMo (Jul 30, 2009)

For the tank size, I was figuring smaller than 200w heaters but one should perhaps assume the worst and expect better. It gets kind of crazy when we don't really look at the figures. If we look at the power used to watch a movie on an old VCR and a tube type TV, it kind of throws a different light on a tank's power use. My blankity, blank DVR sets there with the cooling fan running most of the time. Just kind of a spinal tap on my wallet.


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## PaulineMi (Apr 3, 2008)

I use Stealth Visi Therm heathers. Two are 150 watts each and one is 100 watts. I will need another heater for a 37 gallon tank I'm currently cycling. The 37 has a sheet of styrofoam underneath and I'm seriously considering putting a sheet on the back also if that would help hold some heat.

Lights are:
2-20 watts each, 2-32 watts each, need one more at 2-32 watts
Heaters-2 are 150 each, 1 is 100 watts, need one more at 150

So is it: 
120 watts for filters (based on nick a's calculations)
168 watts on lights
550 watts for heaters
838 total wattage

Not sure about converting watts to amps. I tried googling it but it got a bit complex for me...I don't know the volts. Whew...and my husband thinks I'm a "mad scientist" when I'm checking water parameters. Now it's electrician stuff. :lol:

I appreciate your input guys. :thumb:


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## nick a (Apr 9, 2004)

Amps= watts/voltage.

Voltage is often expressed as 120/110...I just use 120 as a standard number.

840 watts/120V=7 Amps

You're only pulling about 1/2 the load that the circuit is rated for (assuming 15 Amp).
I din't see any issues......
:thumb:


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## PaulineMi (Apr 3, 2008)

Thank you so much for that information and the help everyone gave me to get to this point. =D> It's really, really appreciated.


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## PfunMo (Jul 30, 2009)

And that is only if they are all working at the same time. Good chance your heaters will not all be on at once and if so it will more likely be at night when the lights are off? Good to go either way, but safer to ask a few questions.


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## PaulineMi (Apr 3, 2008)

Good point! :thumb:


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