GFCI on hot springs ho tub keeps tripping
#1
04-12-20, 02:53 PM
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GFCI on hot springs ho tub keeps tripping
I have a sovereign model 1 HotSprings hot tub with a 6000 watt no fault heater. It has been working perfectly. When I reset the GFI at the electrical sourse, it runs a few minutes, running the flow pump and the heater starts to warm up and then it trips. When I repeat this, I can hear a series click inside the area with the pump, etc. 5 clicks, it starts up then stops and GFI is tripped. I tried reset button and wait 30 sec.s on heater and unplugging power for several minutes. If I wait long enough, as in hours, it runs for 3-5 minutes before tripping. The more often I reset it, the shorter it will run. Any help would be great. There are no service ares anyway near me. Thanks KW
#2
04-12-20, 03:10 PM
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It sounds like your no fault heater has a fault.
Disconnect the heater and run just the pump(s). Does the GFI trip now ?
It sounds like your no fault heater has a fault.
Disconnect the heater and run just the pump(s). Does the GFI trip now ?
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05-05-20, 07:25 AM
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"Had a similar problem. Heater was not involved. GFCI was 10 years old....and over time, moisture seeped into it and finished it off. New $25 GFCI solved the problem. "
That'd be my suspicion....GFCI outlets and breakers fail safe in that they trip, making a nuisance of themselves, far more often than they fail to trip when there is actually a fault. They do fail also.....I have made a lot of money in the past replacing faulty GFCI outlets and breakers....I am not in the business any longer but I know that arc fault breakers are an even better source of revenue for service electricians....they trip and fail at an amazing rate!
If it is a breaker and not an outlet check the neutral connections....not only tight but make certain they didn't cut strands out of the wire when it was terminated. 99% of the time, especially with a 50 amp GFCI breaker the wire is too big to go under an available lug on the neutral bar and the electrician will trim it...it will work but can heat up and become lose....the GFCI senses a difference in current between the phase conductor (hot wire) and the neutral.....and it only takes a small difference to trip the breaker. A lose neutral will result in a lower amount of current on the neutral side somewhere in the 60 hertz cycle and the breaker will trip.
That being said if it will run for more than a few minutes the breaker or outlet probably ain't the problem....
That'd be my suspicion....GFCI outlets and breakers fail safe in that they trip, making a nuisance of themselves, far more often than they fail to trip when there is actually a fault. They do fail also.....I have made a lot of money in the past replacing faulty GFCI outlets and breakers....I am not in the business any longer but I know that arc fault breakers are an even better source of revenue for service electricians....they trip and fail at an amazing rate!
If it is a breaker and not an outlet check the neutral connections....not only tight but make certain they didn't cut strands out of the wire when it was terminated. 99% of the time, especially with a 50 amp GFCI breaker the wire is too big to go under an available lug on the neutral bar and the electrician will trim it...it will work but can heat up and become lose....the GFCI senses a difference in current between the phase conductor (hot wire) and the neutral.....and it only takes a small difference to trip the breaker. A lose neutral will result in a lower amount of current on the neutral side somewhere in the 60 hertz cycle and the breaker will trip.
That being said if it will run for more than a few minutes the breaker or outlet probably ain't the problem....
