240V system/ Circuit advice

Going to a 240V 30 amp system. So consensus out there on wiring it to a standard double 30 amp breaker or a GFCI breaker? Have worked with a 2000w element in my 5 gal system on 120V & never had any issues.

 

Ideally you put a 30A 2-pole GFCI breaker in your breaker box. That's what I did.

 

I used a standard 30A double in my box, but it's wired into a garage wall-mounted 50A GFCI spa panel w/ added receptacle into which I plug my power cable from the control box.

 

Get the gfi. When you need it you will be happy you had it. There are plenty of options: gfi breaker, spa panel, or gfi cord. I had the protected cord and its awesomd

 

Using the standard breaker increases your risk of shock and can cause sparks where you don't want them. It's cheaper though, or you have one handy.

If you had the GFCI one you would increase personal safety and reduce risk of sparks. Also you would use it commercially if you had to pass a building inspection. It is also nice to be able to kill the power with the test button if you didn't want to remove the plug (to keep the ground connected).

Hope that helps

 

This isn't entirely true. Using the standard breaker WITHOUT one of the other GFCI options mentioned mrwizard0 could be a problem. Using a standard breaker with a GFCI spa panel is totally acceptable, and is what most of us end up doing. Interestingly, a GFCI spa panel and a regual circuit breaker is often cheaper than a stand along GFCI circuit breaker, even though the GFCI spa panel has a GFCI breaker in it. Some bean-counter screwed that one up...

-Kevin