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Aquaria Installation Series (Part 3)
Installing an Aquaria Hydropack X requires a 6 AWG wire on a 50-amp double pole breaker, while the external pump plug runs on 10/2 wire with a 20-amp single pole breaker. This particular greenhouse installation in Georgetown involved nearly 200 feet of electrical wire to reach the external plug location.
Part 3 of this Aquaria installation series gets into the specifics every installer and homeowner asks about: what wire gauge, what breaker size, and what conduit to use for a Hydropack X install on a greenhouse property.
On this Georgetown, Texas job, Aquaria's Installation Manager Orlando walks through the choices the team made. The Hydropack X runs on 6 AWG wire — 8 AWG would meet code on short runs under 50 feet, but for the longer pulls on this site, 6 AWG keeps the cable well within safe operating margins. The unit terminates into a 50-amp double-pole breaker. A separate external plug, used to pump stored water back into the home, runs on 10/2 wire to a 20-amp single-pole breaker, with nearly 200 feet of wire between the panel and the plug location.
Inside the greenhouse, flex conduit protects every line from the high-humidity environment. Each Aquaria unit ships with about 30 feet of pre-wired cable, so the team has the slack it needs to position the machine exactly where the customer wants it before tying into the supply.
[00:04] Well, continuing the Aquaria installation the greenhouse here in Georgetown. I just kind of wanted to come back and touch base on the wires now that we ran out of our conduits here. So, we have a total of three four lines that are going to be going to the back. At this point we're ready to move forward and get the machines set and we'll show you we have a few of the machines outside set already and we need to get the one inside set as well.
[00:29] So, just to kind of touch base the wire to gain for our Hydropack X due to the long run we went with a six AWG. You could do an eight AWG depending if it's not longer than 50 ft. But a six AWG you know definitely just to be on the safe side. And again we we ran flex conduit here in order for you know for this to stay inside of the greenhouse not get affected by water or anything like that.
[00:56] So, again six AWG for our Hydropack X. And then for our our external plug in order for the pump to work and make sure that the that the customer is able to flow the Aquaria water Aquaria made water into their home. We put a plug outside near the near the units in order for them to be able to you know kind of pump in the water from from that's that has been created and been stored in their old storage tank outside which we'll see here in a second.
[01:23] So, on your wire you can do a 10/2 or 12/2. Again, we we do a 10/2 we'd rather be a little bit safer. You know with with our long runs here specifically this is almost 200 ft of uh feet of electrical wire of this size in order to get to the actual plug. So, again we went with the 10/2.
[01:42] You could do a 12/2 depending if if it's not too far away but a 12/2 should or 10/2 should work just as fine. So, and again for breakers our plug we use a 20 amp breaker for our plug. Um the Hydropack X uh requires a 50 amp and they're uh double pole breakers uh for our units um and the the actual plug could be on a single pole type of breaker.
[02:08] No need to uh go go any bigger or anything like that. Our first electrical line again for the unit uh inside uh we uh use a typical junction box again and our machines uh come our units all of our units come with about a 30 ft cable pre-wired already. Um so again, we're just giving ourselves ample space to be able to work.
[02:31] Um the customer is actually wanting the unit to go right in this area. So we'll show you once we bring the unit through here. Got to make some adjustments in this area. We'll lay that unit out here. Um and again uh for this specific unit is only a 20 amp double pole breaker. Uh the customer already has some break some plugs here in case of any future use for a pump or anything like that.
[02:52] Uh but we're we're pretty much set. We're pretty close. This is our line coming in. We'll be tying in through the bottom or the side once the unit is in place.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What wire gauge do I need for an Aquaria Hydropack X installation?
A: You need a 6 AWG wire for an Aquaria Hydropack X. An 8 AWG wire can be used if the run is no longer than 50 feet, but 6 AWG is the recommended choice for safety, especially on longer runs. In this Georgetown greenhouse installation, the installer chose 6 AWG specifically because of the extended cable distance involved.
Q: What size breaker does the Aquaria Hydropack X require?
A: The Aquaria Hydropack X requires a 50-amp double pole breaker. This applies to the main unit itself. A separate external plug for the pump uses a smaller 20-amp single pole breaker, and there is no need to go larger than that for the plug circuit.
Q: What type of wire should I use for the external pump plug on an Aquaria system?
A: A 10/2 wire is recommended for the external pump plug. A 12/2 wire can also work if the run is short, but the installer chose 10/2 for this job due to a run of nearly 200 feet. Going with the heavier gauge on long runs helps prevent voltage drop and keeps the system operating reliably.
Q: Why is flex conduit used inside a greenhouse for an Aquaria installation?
A: Flex conduit is used inside the greenhouse to protect the wiring from moisture. Greenhouses are high-humidity environments, and running wiring inside conduit prevents water ingress and damage to the electrical cables. This is a standard precaution when installing electrical systems in wet or damp locations.
Q: How much pre-wired cable do Aquaria units come with from the factory?
A: All Aquaria units come with approximately 30 feet of pre-wired cable already attached. This gives installers enough slack to position the unit and make connections without immediately splicing into the supply line. A standard junction box is used to tie the pre-wired cable into the building's electrical supply.
Q: What breaker size is needed for an indoor Aquaria unit that is not a Hydropack X?
A: The smaller indoor unit shown in this video requires a 20-amp double pole breaker. This is a lower demand than the Hydropack X, which needs 50 amps. Always confirm the specific model requirements before sizing breakers, as different Aquaria units have different electrical demands.
Q: How does an Aquaria system deliver water into the home?
A: The Aquaria system generates and stores water in an external storage tank outside the property. A pump, powered through the external plug circuit, then moves that water from the storage tank into the home. The external plug is installed near the units to make this pump connection accessible and straightforward.
