Electrical Wiring

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lappiesreef

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Hey Guys

I want to sort out my jungle of wires...
As most of you know by now I'm a bit of a dunce when it comes to electrics...
I don't want to kill myslef so need lots of easy suggesitons...

I wondered about merging plugs? Say adding all my pumps into one plug nad my lights into another ect...
Can this be done?
What is the dangers?

ANy other suggestions on how to make wiring and electrics more tidy and user friendly like say DB boards ect?
 
Well, my advice is rather go and buy yourself a big multiplug, don't merge plugs like that, you're asking for trouble in my opinion. Rather buy a multiplug and also go and get a wire casing thing, it's like a plastic tube with a tool to push all your wire into it. This will keep all of your wire together without the dangers of one plug to all pumps IMHO
 
Thing is I have like 3 Multiplugs on already...
I woul really like DB board type thing where you could have one switch for pumps, another for lights ect...but not to sure on DIY on that...
 
Oh ok, well, the reason I say don't go one plug is "Imagine that one plug gets wet, one plug = all pumps gone" get what I'm saying. Maybe you could get one of those electrical boards with all the switches, not sure where you could get them though.
 
Masses of adapters and extension leads is never a good idea.

overloading a plug with an aqarium should never be likely as the appliences are all generally low wattage. Compair a 100W heater to your wifes 3000W oil heater. So combining a few per plug in that regard should be fine.

but with electricity safety is always a must.

remember the following (Mostly common sense)

lable wires and arrange logically. (dont stop your pump if you want to pull your light plug out)

electricty and water dont mix - joints should be in the plugs and should never get wet.

keep the colours together- browns (live) together and blues (neutrals) together when connecting in a plug.

if you use cable ties dont fasten too tightly - rather use a cable spiral

dont have any tesion on a joint.

alway ensure all joints are tight. loose conections cause heat and sparking - you will regret it later

when stripping the insultion off the wire - dont cut too deep and loose 1/2 the wire in the process- this will also cause heat build up.

Dont force anything to fit no more than 2 or 3 to share a plug.

no bare wires or loose strands that could short out.

Good luck - As I said its mostly common sense.

regards
Roy
 
Yeah I get what you saying...I'm just really frustrated with all the wires...
 
What about making your own multiplug but with female/male kettle connectors, doesn't take up space like normal 15A plugs, you can double stack them quite easily.

Also agree that joining low wattage pumps can be done, but is quite a problem when you have to disconnect one unit.
 
Warr can you please explain a bit more about the kettle connectors? DIY idiot here remember... :whistling:
 
lappiesreef said:
Warr can you please explain a bit more about the kettle connectors? DIY idiot here remember... :whistling:
Click to expand...

check out pics

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ReefMn Mini Review - All Other Hardware
 
Lappies - I agree with Warr - that DOES indeed seem very nice and neat. Just w.r.t the db board.
An "empty" DB board box costs about +-R600. Then, each DB switch costs anything between R180 and R250 (depends on ampage). The trip switch/earth leakage switch costs between +-R350 and R480 (depends on where you purchase this).

I still want to do this as well. I have been able to reduce my wires/cables mess TREMENDOUSLY, but it is still not as I would like it to be.... I still have a mini-mess going on ;-)

Warr - what housing is that? Is this yours or from the web-site?
 
Wow, I didn't know it is that expensive jacie... Thanks.
Yeah my mess just seems ot be getting bigger and bigger.

The wiring at this stage is the following so imagine the mess:
3 heaters
2 return pumps
6 internal pumps for flow
6 lighting units
2 air pumps
1 small pump for my chemical purification.

Thats a total of 20 plugs, Yikes :whistling:
 
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