New Hayward SP3400VSP tripping GFCI breaker

[NeedMoreSun]

Still sloooowly working on getting my new equipment in. The old single speed was on a dedicated 20A NON GFCI breaker. The Hayward pump manual says to use a 15A branch circuit so the new one was connected to a 15A GFCI breaker. It would got through the little boot process but as soon as the motor clicks the breaker trips.

So, back to the old breaker and it works fine. Yes, I also had to pull out the 14 Awg wire I had to put in 12



However, looking for ideas on which direction. If the pump manual is accurate then I shouldn't need a 20 amp breaker, but if it's true that the manual is stating a bare minimum and it's common then I may be good to go after just replacing the old breaker with a 20A GFCI. Or, even with a new pump, sitting on a dry pad, never wet, and just wired in broad daylight is there some GFCI issue and it having been a 15A breaker has nothing to do with it? 240v by the way.

The sub panel is in a Hayward PL-Plus but currently the controller is not yet being used and it's still just a panel. The breaker is off, but there is a side GFCI outlet on it and it doesn't trip at all when it has been on.

Searching the site it "seems" most with issues with tripping came about later but almost all were using a 20A circuit in the first place, so my fingers are crossed that all I need to do is return this 15A GFCI and get a 20A GFCI, which is a few bucks cheaper even

 

[NeedMoreSun]

It's getting a little dark, so I'm not touching anything tonight, but I think I "may" have found the issue?

The PL-Plus sub-panel was installed by an electrician. The old pump at that time was simply connected to the breaker in it as opposed to a different panel in the house. There was no pool bonding to the PL-Plus yet. The pool guy connected that today, as well as to the new pump. However, I found the bonding lug on the PL-Plus is so loose I'm surprised it stayed in there.

So, pardon the simpleton ideas and description, but with the pump itself properly grounded in the panel as well as bonded to the pool well but the panel itself is NOT bonded then any possible ground loop between house ground and pool bonding would be happening at the point of the pump? Fixing the bonding lug at the PL-Plus would give it the same potential then so the GFCI would stop tripping?

 

[danpik]

Maybe, but doubtful. GFCI's are a bit of a misnomer as there is no connection in a GFCI to the grounding system. Loose grounds or missing grounds have no bearing on how a GFCI works. There has been some talk in the past about certain brands of breakers not playing well with VSP's and some brands that do play well. I don't know all the particulars so maybe someone on here remembers the conversation.

 

[NeedMoreSun]

Ok, it's resolved For those with an interest:

1. Old pump was on a 20A standard breaker and worked fine (owned house 2 months and fixing things yet)

2. Hayward Aqualogic controller and sub-panel installed as a 100A sub, controller not yet in use. Old pump still worked fine on old breaker.

3. Pump manual states connect to 15A circuit, so I used a 15A with an Eaton/Cutler-Hammer GFCI. New pump trips breaker right at motor start.

4. Put new pump on old 20A standard and it worked fine(Yes, wires replaced to match). Not sure if over-current or GFCI issue.

5. Picked up an Eaton 20A GFCI, pump still trips the breaker. (Yikes, GFCI issue for electrician to chase down, or with only thing on the circuit a bad pump)

6. Late last night and digging through PILES of messages mentioning they are finicky about brands, but few mentioning WHAT brand I found one mentioning Siemens.

7. Back to Home Depot for a Siemens, fingers crossed all the way home. Houston, we have lift-off!!!! Pump started right up and no tripped breaker!!! No idea if I may get random ones in the future, but it works!!!

So, for those in the future who may be searching and have one more thread they may find an answer the breaker you want is a Siemens QF220P. Since I had already changed to 20A I have no idea if the 15A Siemens would have also worked.

Only note is the Siemens is much longer so when installed in an Aqualogic it entirely covers any access to the neutral bar for that space. I already had knockout out and stuck but you may want to be sure it goes on the right side. Otherwise, with two of these in there I will have very few accessible neutral connections for other things and a future need could entail pulling a breaker to get to it. No big deal, just a pain.

Hayward Ecostar VSP3400 = Siemens QF220P

 

[chrisexv6]

What Cutler Hammer panel does a Siemens breaker fit in ?

I have a type CH panel (beige circuit breaker bars) but finding a GFCI breaker is tough....would be nice if I could use a Siemens instead.

Thanks.

-Chris

 

[NeedMoreSun]

No idea on that! I was hoping one of the electricians around here would chime in. However, as far as I know, only Cutler Hammer makes type CH and almost everyone else some equivalent of type BR. It probably wouldn't hurt to e-mail Siemens and ask if they make any type CH equivalent. In my last house when I added a 200A panel my electrician then steered me away from CH for that reason anyway so I'd have more breaker options or availability if that was 100% accurate anyway, I only took his word for it and got a Square-D that was on sale.

Otherwise, even if it's a pain, if you are also having GFCI trip issues and only a CH option you "could" use a type CH standard breaker to another small sub right next to it just big enough for a couple double pole breakers to put the GFCI in?

 

[chrisexv6]

Actually my issue isnt nuisance trips....I want to upgrade my wiring to 220V to give myself more options for new pumps, and apparently finding a 220V CH GFCI isnt the easiest (and surely not the cheapest) thing int he world to do.

Thanks though...I think you are right, BR you can get generic replacements for but CH is through Eaton/Cutler Hammer only.