Spa's GFCI trips immediately

[PashkaTLT]

Hello,

While I was on vacation I left my spa in the "Sleep" mode.
When I came back, the spa wasn't working and I saw that the GFCI trips immediately.
I opened the spa, disconnected power cables and the GFCI doesn't trip anymore. But when I connect the high voltage cable - it trips (doesn't trip with neutral & 12v connected).
I tried disconnecting all load (pumps, ozone generator, etc.) and it still trips. So I as understand the problem is in the electric board?
All fuses are fine.

Please advise.

Kind regards,
Pavel

 

[ajw22]

Let’s see what @RDspaguy thinks.

 

[RDspaguy]

If you mean the gfci breaker trips while your hand is still on it, it's likely a bad heater. With the breaker off, disconnect the heater, being sure to hold the post beneath the nut to prevent twisting the post when loosening and tightening the nut. Wrap the leads (wires) in electrical tape, separately of course, and turn it on. Let us know what it does.

 

[PashkaTLT]

@RDspaguy
Yes, the GFCI breaker trips while my hand is still on it or within a few seconds after I release it.
As I said, it trips even if everything is disconnected from the board, i.e. I tried disconnecting all these connectors:



Although I don't see a label for heater connection here.

 

[Jimrahbe]

P,

Look at your pics... The heater is bolted right into the bottom of the control panel.. Right above where it says "Balboa"

Thanks

Jim R.

 

[PashkaTLT]

Thank you, will try soon!

 

[PashkaTLT]

Ok, guys, finally 3 months later, I got time to look into the hot tub issue.
To my surprise, when I tried to turn the GFCI on, it didn't trip. I tried turning on the spa and it did, jets & lights were working.
But I quickly noticed that it was leaking from the union connecting the heating element to the pipe.
Took my a few days to find a replacement union, as the one leaking was cracked a little.
Today I replaced the union, but...
...The GFCI trips again ((
We had a very strong rain earlier today. So I suspect that the reason the GFCI trips is there's water (either from the rain, or from that previous union leakage, or it's condensate) that leads to a short circuit. Sounds right?

UPD. 4 hours later:
So I put at an electric heater & a fan near the open control board (or whatever it's called, above the Balboa heating element). And after 3 hours I tried to turn on the spa, and it did turn on!
I guess this proves there's a water leak somewhere or condensate that leads to a short circuit...
How do I find out where the water makes a short circuit? What are the first places to check?

 

[1poolman1]

Ok, guys, finally 3 months later, I got time to look into the hot tub issue.
To my surprise, when I tried to turn the GFCI on, it didn't trip. I tried turning on the spa and it did, jets & lights were working.
But I quickly noticed that it was leaking from the union connecting the heating element to the pipe.
Took my a few days to find a replacement union, as the one leaking was cracked a little.
Today I replaced the union, but...
...The GFCI trips again ((
We had a very strong rain earlier today. So I suspect that the reason the GFCI trips is there's water (either from the rain, or from that previous union leakage, or it's condensate) that leads to a short circuit. Sounds right?

UPD. 4 hours later:
So I put at an electric heater & a fan near the open control board (or whatever it's called, above the Balboa heating element). And after 3 hours I tried to turn on the spa, and it did turn on!
I guess this proves there's a water leak somewhere or condensate that leads to a short circuit...
How do I find out where the water makes a short circuit? What are the first places to check?

Check that the plugs on the side of the control panel are tightly inserted into their respective socket. Be sure none of the cord are damaged. With the power off, open the control and try to see where water may have been collecting or entering.

 

[PashkaTLT]

Check that the plugs on the side of the control panel are tightly inserted into their respective socket. Be sure none of the cord are damaged. With the power off, open the control and try to see where water may have been collecting or entering.

Thank you.
Yesterday the GFCI started tripping again, although there was no rain and everything looks dry. I disconnected a lot of cables/wires from the board and on the board and it started working again. So it seems the reason is not a water leak but a bad connection somewhere on the board...

 

[1poolman1]

Thank you.
Yesterday the GFCI started tripping again, although there was no rain and everything looks dry. I disconnected a lot of cables/wires from the board and on the board and it started working again. So it seems the reason is not a water leak but a bad connection somewhere on the board...

The first thing to suspect in a portable spa is the heater element. At least 95% of tripping issues are the result of a bad element, especially if it is 4 or 5 years old. Either unplug it or remove the wiring at the heater (depending on which Balboa system you have) and give the system a try. Remove the wiring at the internal relay inside the control panel, not at the heater itself. Sometimes the small nuts that hold the wiring will break off and then you have to replace the element, regardless. Not a difficult, nor very expensive, replacement.

 

[PashkaTLT]

The first thing to suspect in a portable spa is the heater element. At least 95% of tripping issues are the result of a bad element, especially if it is 4 or 5 years old. Either unplug it or remove the wiring at the heater (depending on which Balboa system you have) and give the system a try. Remove the wiring at the internal relay inside the control panel, not at the heater itself. Sometimes the small nuts that hold the wiring will break off and then you have to replace the element, regardless. Not a difficult, nor very expensive, replacement.

Thank you. It was tripping even when everything on the left side & the heater (2 wires in the top right corner of the board) were disconnected. It made me think something on the board itself was tripping. So I started unplugging everything on the board one by one. And eventually, the GFCI started working with everything connected.

 

[tstex]

what model of hayward pump do you have ?

 

[PashkaTLT]

what model of hayward pump do you have ?

Why? The pump is for the pool, not for the spa.

 

[PashkaTLT]

Here's an update guys:

In the previous episode:
...Started tripping again, without any rains. I tried to disconnect everything on the board and connect again and it started working immediately after that (suggesting bad connection somewhere)....

In the latest episode:
But later it stopped working and started making sounds as if it starts and stops (once every 15 seconds maybe). I decided to open the metal front panel on the board while the spa was trying to start and immediately after I removed the panel it started working normally as if the panel was pushing some wire too much or something. Then I noticed another union was leaking a little and when I was replacing it (the screw thread was broken) a lot of water spilled from the pipe. I vacuumed all the water I could see/reach & let it dry for several hours. But now when I turn the GFCI on, the spa starts the pump1 and after a second stops it and then after a second starts it and stops it, and so on. And on the board, the "pump high" light is blinking. I googled a little and found some people saying it may be due to water in the upper control panel, but disconnecting the control panel doesn't help.

 

[PashkaTLT]

Update:
So... after I dried up the spa internals with an electric heater & a fan, reconnected all the cables/wires, replaced 2 leaking unions & added some scotch tape to prevent water from getting inside, my spa is finally working!
It was working the whole evening yesterday, and has been working the whole day today! Hope it will be ok now, fingers crossed!
Thank you very much, everyone, who shared their advice in this thread, I really appreciate your help!

 

[wireform]

Thank you very much, everyone, who shared their advice in this thread, I really appreciate your help!

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