Sundance Spa popping breaker..

[JMCFAN]

Spa heats fine....2 speed pump runs fine. When I hit the high speed pump main breaker pops. Disconnected high speed pump and all is fine...took high speed pump and in and it bench tests fine...

Now what...??

2002 Sundance Cameo

 

[Patrick_B]

I'm sorry I can't answer but I wanted to say welcome to TFP, and give your thread a bump. Hopefully someone can make a suggestion.

 

[C5Mike]

As an electrician and electrical designer I might be able to help if you can supply more detailed information.

Did you just install the spa and discovered this problem or has it been installed and working fine for some time and just now started tripping the breaker?

What do you mean by main breaker? Is this the service entrance main breaker in the panel that feeds your entire house or the breaker that feeds just your spa?

If it is the breaker feeding just your spa, what size is it? Is it a GFCI breaker?

I found the installation and owner's manual for your spa online. It provides information about the electrical circuit requirements. Here is the URL:

http://www.sundancespas.com/Communications/InstructionManuals/02850Man.pdf

 

[woodyp]

Welcome to the forum C5Mike.

 

[C5Mike]

Thanks woodyp. I just subscribed to this thread and my reply to the original question disappeared. What did I do wrong?

 

[JMCFAN]

has been fine since install in 2002...

 

[woodyp]

Your post still appears here C5mike. It was a double post seems like. Pm me if you have any issues.

 

[JMCFAN]

oh and its the breaker at the spa...50 amp... GFCI

 

[Kiss4aFrog]

Welcome to the forum JMCfan

So ...
It's been working for a couple of years and just started tripping the 50 amp GFCI when you turn on the high speed pump

Is this 50A breaker in the main panel for your home or in a remote location near the hot tube ??

 

[JMCFAN]

Remote.... near the spa.

 

[C5Mike]

Can you tell if the breaker is tripping on overload or ground fault?

If it is overload and it has worked fine for years, it may be time to replace the breaker. Motors, especially loaded motors have a starting current which can be about 6 times the running load which can exceed the ampere rating of the breaker. Breakers are built to withstand this momentary inrush but can get weak over time and no longer be able to withstand it. It is probably a thermal magnetic breaker and the magnetic trip portion may have weaken after many cycles of heavy inrush. If the running current on the breaker has been close to it's rating of 50 amps, the thermal element may have weakened and be the cause.

Since your spa can be configured 3 different ways, it is possible that the breaker should have been a 60 amp from the beginning. Check to see if it is set up in the 60 amp configuration listed in the owner's manual, that is such that the heater, both pumps and the air blower can operate simultaneously.

If it is tripping on ground fault, you should have an electrician diagnose and fix the problem.

 

[silvers_13]

A lot of times its tripping because its under an abnormal load, have you checked your filter lately? Usually I find that's all a lot of people really need!