Melting GFI hot tub outlet


  #1  
Old 05-24-05, 01:23 PM
Blair Stack
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Melting GFI hot tub outlet

This is concerning an outlet that I connect my Hot Tub to. The outlet it self keeps frying out (Melting) on me. The outlet is a 15amp GFI and the Hot tub plug also has a GFI plug on the end of the cord. The Tub pulls 120V 15amps 60Mhz 1800watts. It does not through the breaker or through the reset on the GFI, it just melts the outlet after running for extended times. One thing also is the house has aluminum wiring.
Could it be having two GFI units plugged into one another causes the over heating problem or what?

Cheers, Blair
 
  #2  
Old 05-24-05, 01:45 PM
M
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Is the GFI outlet approved for use with aluminum wire? How many outlets have you melted? Have you tried different brand outlets?

If the outlet is not designed for aluminum wire you could have enough resistance at the screws due to aluminum oxide or poor connection to generate the heat which is melting the outlet.
 
  #3  
Old 05-24-05, 02:58 PM
C
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Yep...unless you are specifically making sure you are connecting to that AL wire in an approved way, that's probably your problem.

Another problem with what you describe (though I doubt it is causing your problem) is that the GFCI receptical in question should be a 20A receptical, since the Cord-and-Plug Connected Load is over 12A (at least, if I am understanding 210.21(B)(2) correctly).


If at all possible, I believe you would be well advised to run a new, dedicated circuit to feed this heavy load with much safer copper. Since the load pulled is 15A, it should be a 20A circuit, and, as stated above, use a 20A GFCI.

Of course...that's easy for me to say...I'm not the one having to do the work.
 
 

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