[dgasmd]

I have a 360 gal tank with a 100 gal sump and soon to add another 100 gal sump/refugium/LR. As you can imagine with all the equipment involved, I have tons of cords, extensions, plug ins, and electrical connections and they are all around the sump, skimmer, and all other equipment. Some of the plug ins get some salt spray and water spray for time to time and I find myself cleaning it or trying to work out why the GCFI tripped. I would like to avoid all this. Is it possible and more importantly SAFE to wrap all the electrical connections with some form of plastic like cellofane paper or transparent plastic? I have heard pepople talking about heat shrinking wrap, but have no idea of what it is and where to get it.
This is all eventually going to get redone, but for now it is all sitting in my garage. Eventually, I will isolate all electrical connections and equipment to one side of a wall and leave the wet end of the equipment in another room. For now, I need a more inmediate solution.
Thanks in advance for all the help.

[scubadude]

It depends on how many cords, the gauge thickness of them, and how long they are, Heat = Resistance in electrical lines and you can start more electrical problems if you start wrapping them together....I would either rewire the plugins where they are away from saltspray or hire someone to rewire them. A simple amp induction meter can help you organize your electrical outlay too, Conduit is a very good if applicable in your situation. A breaker and a outlet box (maybe relocated?) is definately well spent money. I would say a good immediate fix would be Duct Tape Not sure how safe that would be though.

[mgams]

Try lightly covering the male prongs of the plugs with petroleum jelly. It seals out the H2O and salt.

[electric130]

i mounted receptacles up in my stand above the water level.

[Reefland]

That is very nice indeed electric! What is the box to the right with the red switches? Ahhh....if only the inside of my stand appeared that way....

Regards,

[electric130]

Originally posted by Reefland
That is very nice indeed electric! What is the box to the right with the red switches?

it is a control panel for all the outlets. each outlet is individually controlled by an illuminated switch (so a standard duplex outlet is two individually controlled power sources, i took the jumpers off the outlets) here's a closeup of the front. i have since replaced some of the "Receptacle" tags with more appropriate tags like "Heater", "Refugium Feed" and "Refugium Light" also, i have added a fuge to the sump and that's the reason for the last two tags.

and here's one while opperating. now, there's about 3 more switches that stay on, so they're illuminated too.

[Reefland]

That is very nice! Do you have any steps that you may have typed up when you put it together? That is definately something we could all learn from.

Well done friend,
Scott Z.

[electric130]

i don't have anything formally put together. i hope to get time to do a web page sometime soon. i'll write about it there. it's very expensive to do it they way that i did because the switches are industrial control switches for corrosive environments. i had some connections and got these used. otherwise, this panel would have cost a couple hundred $$$'s i have pics of the installation and insides if you're interested.