I built a pond and for a waterfall I put in a sump pump that is capable of handling two inch solids. I also ran all the electrical wires to handle the electrical loads and installed a gfci switch for the pump. What is happening right know is the switch keeps on poping for some reason. The pump will pump for a day and then pop or I will plug in the pump to another gfci switch and it will pop in 5 seconds then I will reset the gfci and then it will pump ok for a day or so and then pop again. Do you gyes think that perhaps the pump could be having power surges or something similair that could be causing the gfci switches to pop. It doesn't look like it is a water break because if it was it would be poping immediately when I plug the pump in. What do you gyes think the cause is and how can I fix this. I don't want to have to remove the gfci. thank you

 

A power surge will NOT trip a GFCI. It will trip a circuit breaker if the power surge is great enough, but it will not trip a GFCI.

The problem is that the pump is leaking current. This happens with motors, especially as they get older. New GFCIs are more tolerant of this than older ones.

I suggest that if the GFCI is not new that you replace it. Also, if the pump is not new that you replace it, better yet, use a pump designed for outdoor ponds, and not a sump pump.

 

gfci switches are old. around 5 years old. The pump however has only been in there for a about 2 weeks. Perhaps it isn't a bad idea to install a new gfci and see what happens.

 

Are you talking about GFI circuit breakers, or GFI recepticles?

Are they tripping because of the GFI or is the breaker tripping on overload?

I am thinking that you are saying that the breaker is tripping. This could be because the circuit is too small for the pump.

 

Plenty of juice for the pump. This is a receptacle. The pump has its own 20 amp circuit and draws around 10.5 amps. I had another pump (this pump was actually designed for ponds) that I used for a waterfountain. The receptacle popped on this too. I blamed it on the pump but it looks like perhaps I could have faulty gfci receptacles. I figured the probability of both failing like this was slim to nill but perhaps that is the case. Any suggestions. THank you.

 

So it is a GFI recepticle and not a GFI breaker.

And, the GFI is tripping on ground fault, not the breaker tripping on overoad or short?

I ask questions so that I can better understand the situation before I give more advice.

In this case it seems like you have an older Gfi recepticle and the best thing to do would be to replace it. If that does not work put in a regular recepticle at the pump and a gfi breaker at the panel.

 

IS it a new pump? Or did you find it at work?
Definately a pump issue. You get what you pay for.

 

No it is a good pump. Good news though. day and a half the pump has ran without popping the new gfi switch. Jee come to think of it I just removed the older pumps and got this one because of them popping the gfi switch and I thought that the fountain pump was faulty to but all along it was the gfi switches. I really do think it might be best for them to place something in the instruction manual that this can happen over time. but for both of them to be doing this at the same time though must be a common thing with gfi switches. Thanks