Fire in Fish Room Everything is Fine

[LizStreithorst]

I heard a circuit breaker trip.  I walked down to the fish room and there was a big fire in my water storage container.  I was warming up for WC.  I freaked but I figured it out and put it out.  As usual, I figured that it was something I did wrong,  I wired up my air pump today and it is on that circuit.  But it was not me.  It was something with the heaters I had going in that container.

Scared the shit out of me.

[Mugwump]

I'll bet it did..... 'crickey' girl that'll soil the shorts for sure...I'm glad everything's ok now...much damage?...I hope it didn't melt anything....

[LizStreithorst]

Nothing really.  four heaters are cooked, a hose melted,  I haven't checked the cord on my sump pump.  Nothing big.  I wonder why it took a fire to trip a breaker?  I have everything on GFI.

[Mugwump]

All those heaters have ground prongs?....check the outlet to see if the grounds good??

[LizStreithorst]

None of my heaters have ground plugs other that these titanium things that have a separate controller.  I have all different kinds because I'm never satisfied with any of them.  I had one old black plastic Stealths in the container The others were were all Ebos.
They're not cracked or anything, just cords melted.  The heater who's cord actually burned in half was the Stealth's.  The others were just melted.  I say it's the Stealth that did it. 

I just checked my sump pump and it is running.  I sure don't feel like doing a WC right now, but I have babies and growing juvies so I must.

[BillT]

Glad to hear nothing too awful happened.

GFI works by detecting an imbalance between the current flowing in the hot wire vs. that flowing in the neutral wire. An imbalance would indicate the current is going elsewhere and should be turned off (because it might be going through you).

A circuit breaker trips when the there is more current going through the circuit than the circuit breaker deems proper (probably based on the amount of heat generated).

You probably had a lot of current going through a cord to trip the circuit breaker but did not trip the GFI because it was still restricted to the hot and neutral wires.
My guess, a bad cord either had a short from the hot to neutral or a thinning wire caused increased resistance which causes heat and further thinning of the wire until something catches fire.

[LizStreithorst]

I understand now.

I bet it was that old Stealth.  I had some that sent a current through the water.  I have few left.  They are old.  I will throw them  out.

It was actually a small fire.  But it seemed huge to me.  There were big flames that didn't want to go out.  It was the lid to a blue 55 gallon tub that was burning.  That stuff is very good at burning.  I think that I'll buy a fire extinguisher.

[Mugwump]

Also note that your circuit breakers trip at a lower current loads than your gfi's...did you try your gfi 'test' button??...
and yes a fire extinguisher is a very good investment....get the right type..they're labeled..

[b125killer]

That's some scary stuff, I'm glad everything is ok and there is minimal damage.

[PaulineMi]

[quote author=LizStreithorst link=topic=1717.msg15725#msg15725 date=137886448


I had one old black plastic Stealths in the container The others were were all Ebos.
They're not cracked or anything, just cords melted.  The heater who's cord actually burned in half was the Stealth's.  The others were just melted.  I say it's the Stealth that did it. 

[/quote]

Glad you,  your home and fish are okay!

The Marineland Stealth heaters were notorious for this type of problem. They were recalled about three years ago. I returned nine heaters after I lost a tank full of crystal red and cherry red shrimp . The Stealth heater went to 90 degrees on its own.

[Barb]

Holy moly Liz, what a scare, sure glad it didn't happen while you were sleeping or at work!  Did the melted plastic give off toxic fumes?  Did you air out the room well?  Will call you when I get home later.
Barb

[BallAquatics]

WOW, Barb's right, it's a good thing you home to catch it or it could have been disastrous.  Glad you and the critters are all alright.

Dennis