Single BusBar and GFCI outlet

I have a very small apartment that I am adding a mini-split heat and air system. It calls for 15AMP circuit. I added a new breaker to the panel, wired directly from the new box installed on the outside wall. nothing else on the line. The panel only has a single bus and I was told to wire the ground and neutral to that bus. I did that and I get power to the box which has a GFCI outlet. I can plug a lamp in and it works fine. The minute that I plug in the heater it trips the GFCI (only after it starts the outside compressor) the breaker however does not trip. When I take the GFCI off and add a regular socket, it works fine. I ran it for a couple of hours with no issues. Is there a conflict with having a GFCI outlet when you do not have a separate ground bar in the panel. I have attached a picture of the box (before I added the new circuit breaker)
Thanks

 

Welcome to the forums.

Your mini split runs on 120v and plugs in to a receptacle ?

If the mini split is causing the GFI to trip then it has the problem. The wiring in the panel will not cause the GFI to trip.

That panel may be wired correctly as a sub panel as I see a ground lug with what looks like a ground wire attached to it. If the wiring was correct.... you'd put the white wire on the neutral bus bar and the ground would go in that lug with the ground wire. From here we can't tell if that wire is actually grounded.

 

This is an apartment. You probably are not legally allowed to perform the electrical work.

 

If this panel is in the same building as the service it is wired incorrectly. It should have had 4 wires or it was for 240 volt loads only.

 

Problem and topic no. 1. If this box is fed by another panel (as opposed to being a separate service fed by a meter) then major revisions are needed before you may use it for 120/240 volt equipment (loads). You need to add another bus bar. It needs a neutral bus bar set off from the box frame/body with plastic standoffs. It needs a ground bus bar fastened to the box frame in an approved manner or with a jumper wire fastened to the box frame (similar to attachment at lower left of box pictured above). The incoming feed needs 4 conductors for two hots, neutral, and ground respectively. Neutral and ground bus bars are sold separately but you need to get one that is approved or rated for your make and model of panel or box.

Problem and topic no. 2. The heater is "leaking" current to ground which also energizes its frame including exposed metal parts. This is one of the reasons why ground fault circuit interrupters trip. This is usually a defect but could also occur with some heavy mechanical equipment or where long cable runs are involved and minute induced currents (phantom voltage) occurs which is not a defect. Then use a grounded non-GFCI receptacle and it will be fine.

The box will work as you described with a regular receptacle instead of the GFCI receptacle. But after you made the changes, it is no longer grandfathered (if it ever was). The improper combining of neutral and ground impairs the ability to fully dissipate any phantom voltage described immediately above and it may or may not be safe as a result.

In most cities, electrical work on multifamily buildings must be done by a licensed professional. Sometimes there may be exceptions for some permutations such as 2 family owner occupied, where the landlord can do the work.

 

Thank you everyone for the great advice. I want to provide a little more information. First, I had an electrician in to look over the whole system and it was given a passing grade. The box I am showing is a seperate metered box going directly outside. It is not a subpanel.
I intend to swap out the GFCI outlet with a new one in case it is defective and if that still does not work, I will get an Electrician. Property is vacant (being remodeled).
Regarding the Mini-Split, my reaction was the same. A mini-split system with no need for HVAC guys and just plugs in (12500 BTU) can't be true, but it is. Seems to be a very good product simple to install and under $2,000. I don't think we are allowed to mention company names on this board so I won't.
Thank you again for the advice and I will follow up with results

 

Please give us the name and model number.

 

Model and manufacture. Ideal air urha-12wdc