GFI Breaker A Must?

[ChineseSavior]

Hello Internet,

I have bought another 30amp breaker. Should I be buying GFI breakers for saftey? 240v 30amp for each pdu. Thanks.

I want to be as safe as possible. I had a blowout the other day. Fried a ballast in the other room. Would GFI have saved the ballast?

God bless

[1713592523]

1713592523

[NotFuzzyWarm]

No it would not have saved the ballast.
Along with protecting against direct power overloads like a normal breaker, GFI ones additionally protects people from voltage leakage to chassis/cases in ungrounded systems or grounded ones where the wired ground may not be the lowest resistance path to earth-ground.

[QuintLeo]

GFCI breakers are a safety must for areas that are routinely damp/wet - bathrooms in particular, or anything that is used outdoors, and arguably any outlet next to a kitchen sink or utility sink.
 I also used a GFCI breaker on the circuit I put my "pull air into/push air out of a window" fans, as Iowa where I lived at the time often had very high winds that could push rain into the fans - sometimes even the fans blowing OUT would get overpowered by the wind.

 Otherwise they're a waste of money, and no it would NOT have saved a ballast to use a GFCI instead of a normal breaker.

[ChineseSavior]

No it would not have saved the ballast.
Along with protecting against direct power overloads like a normal breaker, GFI ones primarily additionally protects people from voltage leakage to chassis/cases in ungrounded systems or grounded ones where the wired ground may not be the lowest resistance path to earth-ground.

i cant seem to find much about it online. You seem to know some about ballasts.

If I unplug the light side of the ballast (not the power cord side) will it damage things.

I ask because i was high as fk. One day i hear a BOOM. I go into the garden a few hours later. Bulb is blown and ballast is blown. Then i beging unhooking the sexond ballast an accidently unplug the light side cord first. BOOM.

2 ballasts down 1 light blown.

The last light running is trying to maintain the garden until later today.

I was wondering if you have ever hear of this? Blown bulb blowing a ballast? Then also the 2nd Ballast blowing out due to unplugging light side cord first?

Thank you

[NotFuzzyWarm]

If you are using a HPS (High Pressure Sodium) or a metal halide light then yes running a ballast for them without a load is very bad... Those light use a high voltage that can be up to 1-2kv - under load -to start the bulb. With no bulb that starting voltage will rise much higher and probably start arcing over inside the ballast or bulb socket. Once an arc starts the ballast is toast.

If you are a MM grower, try using LED grow lights like the UFO series. Much more efficient and better spectrum for the plants to use.