submitted by Rockford Fish Keeping
January 1, 2020
With the high demand we aquarists put on electric we must be mindful of how much we have pumps filters heaters and lights all have 1 things in common Amps (the draw of power) the more things you have plugged in the more power you draw electrical plugs are fed by the “power” box and are grouped into fuses or breakers along with lights and are normally 15 Amp. meaning you can only plug so many say heaters into a outlet before you trip it. everything you have pluged into a outlet will add to its Amp load for 1 or 2 tanks this is no problem, but when your getting into fish rooms this will become a problem and a new breaker and outlets will have to be used but you only have so much power to work with, that of your main Service type you cant get 200 GPH out of a 100 GPH pump nor can you run 200 amps with 100 amp service
Determining your Electrical system
Types of Service
– – 30 Amp Fuse Panel used up to 1950 120 Volt ONLY – MUST REPLACE
– – 60 amp Fuse Panel Used 1950 to 1965 240 Volt SHOULD REPLACE
– – Circuit Breaker Panel Used Started in 1960’s 240 Volt
Types: 60 Amp,100 Amp,125 Amp,150 Amp,200 Amp and up
Ways to tell what service you have
– Check Main Breaker (its the double pole switch) whatever amp the breaker is, is your service
– Gauge of wire coming into Circuit Box:
6 gauge for 60 Amp 4 gauge for 100 Amp 2 gauge for 125 Amp 1 gauge for 150 Amp and 2/0 Gauge for 200 Amp
– Electric Meter:
Glass Dome mounted on Round Base – 60 Amp
Meter located behind glass opening in metal box – 60 Amp
Glass Dome mounted on Square Box – 100 Amp
Glass Dome mounted on Rectangle Box – 150 Amp and up
– Conduit Diameter leading to the Breaker box
(unreliable- Conduit might be larger then service provided)
1 inch – 60 Amp
1 1/4 inch – 100 Amp
1 1/2 inch – 125 Amp
1 3/4 inch – 150 Amp
2 inch – 200 Amp
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