After removing the main panel cover in preparation for a transfer switch install, I noticed something I dont like.

I have a 240V 20A GFCI breaker for a pool pump. Two red wires are obviously connected. There is a third spot for a neutral, but the neutral is not connected to the breaker, and is instead going to the neutral bar.

This doesn't seem correct at all. Is there a legitimate reason why I shouldn't connect the neutral to the breaker?

 

Neutrals on GFCIs go to the screw denoted for it. The GFCI pigtail goes to the neutral buss. Make sure the hack that installed it didn't clip the pigtail off.

 

Many cases a 240 volt piece of equipment would not need a neutral. Is the neutral not used at the receptacle? If not, it is not needed. The GFCI would still trip if there was an issue on the line wires.

 

The pump may be straight 240 volts and not need a neutral. The neutral pigtail would still connect to the bus.

 

I've done some more digging.

There appears to be a 120V non GFCI breaker (B-W-G) circuit going into the same conduit, which is attached to a GFI outlet outdoors by the pump..

The pool pump has two red wires coming from the 240V GFCI breaker, and no neutral. The pool pump ground is actually connected to the 120V outlet ground.

There is no pigtail on the GFCI breaker.

This looks less correct than before. I can't see how the GFCI breaker would function in this situation.

 

You'll need to replace the GFCI breaker that Elmer Fudd installed and clipped the pigtail. Can you post pix of the panel and GFCI in question?

 

Here is the picture

Attachment 23090

Ok, I stand corrected, the pigtail is actually coming out of the back. Maybe it isnt as bad as I thought. I still don't understand how the GFI breaker can function if the pool pump has no neutral and the ground is shared with a different circuit?

The black wire comes from a 120V non GFI breaker
The ground is shared between the 120 and 240
The neutral goes to the 120 V outlet
The two red wires come from the 240 GFI Breaker

 

240 volt applications don't need a neutral unless there is a clock or similar involved. 120 volt sine waves cross at 360 times a second or 60 cycles. 240 hot leads cross at the same interval without a neutral causing one lead to become "neutral" for that blink of an eye. Very interesting to see what happens on an oscilliscope

 

A GFI will function correctly without any ground. Sharing the EGC is not an issue. However, sharing the conduit with non-GFI circuits is an issue.

 

Good call, Jim. Forgot that

 

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