New GFCI Breaker for Pump Tripping on Startup

[Orion7319]

Mojito sounding good right about now. The GFCI replaced a regular 15 amp breaker and I think that’s the right amperage for my motor but don’t know for sure. It’s just super weird that I upgrade a breaker to GFCI and it trips on startup when it never happened prior.

I just looked and used my brain and updated the post. Is the 15 amp powering the pump? Looks like the 20amp at the top to me.

 

[jbird0215]

Sorry you are right (and I am still mojito-less). Replace all my 15 amp references with 20 amp.

I just looked and used my brain and updated the post. Is the 15 amp powering the pump? Looks like the 20amp at the top to me.

 

[Orion7319]

Mojito sounding good right about now. The GFCI replaced a regular 15 amp breaker and I think that’s the right amperage for my motor but don’t know for sure. It’s just super weird that I upgrade a breaker to GFCI and it trips on startup when it never happened prior.

Yeah mojito‘s are da bomb! Lol! Those are GE circuit breakers. I have one and I can’t run my pool pump below a certain speed because it causes it to trip at lower speeds. I think I stated above that the GE ones are susceptible to electrical noise and they trip regularly under certain conditions. Could try to replace it with a Siemens branded one.

 

[Orion7319]

Sorry you are right (and I am still mojito-less). Replace all my 15 amp references with 20 amp.

Depends on what they are running. I can’t tell where that tripped 15 amp one is going. I was assuming before it was running your pump because it looked tripped or turned off.

 

[jbird0215]

20 amp runs the pump.

Depends on what they are running. I can’t tell where that tripped one is going.

 

[Orion7319]

20 amp runs the pump.

Yeah and it looks like it’s running though the controller and it’s a GE. The GE ones can be flakey in my experience.

 

[jbird0215]

Would be great if it’s just an issue with the brand of breaker. Simple swap for sure to replace with a Siemens.

Yeah mojito‘s are da bomb! Lol! Those are GE circuit breakers. I have one and I can’t run my pool pump below a certain speed because it causes it to trip at lower speeds. I think I stated above that the GE ones are susceptible to electrical noise and they trip regularly under certain conditions. Could try to replace it with a Siemens branded one.

 

[JamesW]

You should have 240 volts on the main red and black wires coming into the box.

It would have made more sense to wire it for 230 volts instead of 115.

It will work like it is, but you can change to 230 if you want.

You would need a double pole 240 volt GFCI breaker and then change the plug in the pump to the 240 volt setting.

Change the white wire to black or red to denote that it is a power wire.

 

[Orion7319]

Would be great if it’s just an issue with the brand of breaker. Simple swap for sure to replace with a Siemens.

It wouldn’t hurt to try it. If you weren’t having any issues before and it’s just from swapping to a GFCI. If a short was causing it, it should have tripped the old one, unless the wiring got messed up somehow.

 

[JamesW]

Turn off all breakers and then check for continuity between the ground screw and the power wires.

If the meter shows continuity, disconnect the power wires from the pump and check for continuity between the power terminals and the ground screw.

The motor is single speed and it is not going to have the same GFCI problems as a variable speed pump.

 

[JamesW]

The new breakers are arc fault as well as ground fault.

It looks like the wires might have been arcing, which would cause the breaker to trip.

I would switch to a 230 GFCI double pole breaker and then switch the pump to 230 volts.

Replace the white wire with a red or black wire.

You would also need to run a new power wire from the breaker to the #3 terminal on the filter pump relay and then connect the new power wire from the #4 terminal on the filter pump relay to the pump.

Redo the terminal ends on the black and green wires.

Check the pump terminals for continuity to ground with the power off.

Disconnect the power wires from the pump and check them for continuity to ground with the power off.

Only do what you know that you can do safely.

If you are unsure about anything, call an electrician.

 

[jbird0215]

Much obliged @JamesW. I was hoping I could go to 230v because I think it gives me more motor options when this one goes belly up. I’ll be making a call to a licensed electrician for sure. This is not something I desire to tackle (would rather take my 4 yo golfing with all my fingers, toes, and wits intact).

Thanks

The new breakers are arc fault as well as ground fault.

It looks like the wires might have been arcing, which would cause the breaker to trip.

I would switch to a 230 GFCI double pole breaker and then switch the pump to 230 volts.

Replace the white wire with a red or black wire.

You would also need to run a new power wire from the breaker to the #3 terminal on the filter pump relay and then connect the new power wire from the #4 terminal on the filter pump relay to the pump.

Redo the terminal ends on the black and green wires.

Check the pump terminals for continuity to ground with the power off.

Disconnect the power wires from the pump and check them for continuity to ground with the power off.

Only do what you know that you can do safely.

If you are unsure about anything, call an electrician.

You should have 240 volts on the main red and black wires coming into the box.

It would have made more sense to wire it for 230 volts instead of 115.

It will work like it is, but you can change to 230 if you want.

You would need a double pole 240 volt GFCI breaker and then change the plug in the pump to the 240 volt setting.

Change the white wire to black or red to denote that it is a power wire.

 

[Orion7319]

The new breakers are arc fault as well as ground fault.

It looks like the wires might have been arcing, which would cause the breaker to trip.

I would switch to a 230 GFCI double pole breaker and then switch the pump to 230 volts.

Replace the white wire with a red or black wire.

You would also need to run a new power wire from the breaker to the #3 terminal on the filter pump relay and then connect the new power wire from the #4 terminal on the filter pump relay to the pump.

Redo the terminal ends on the black and green wires.

Check the pump terminals for continuity to ground with the power off.

Disconnect the power wires from the pump and check them for continuity to ground with the power off.

Only do what you know that you can do safely.

If you are unsure about anything, call an electrician.

Would the electrician need to know to change any dip switches or pins or anything in that Hayward ProLogic Control Panel if it’s converted to 230?

 

[JamesW]

It might be an arc fault trip due to the centrifugal switch opening.

I suspect that an arc fault breaker is not a good choice.

When the centrifugal switch opens, it arcs due to the current being interrupted.

The relays also arc.

I would replace the breaker with a 230 volt gfci breaker (not arc fault) and change the pump to 230 volts.

Replace the wires going to the pump.

Pull out the black, white and green and inspect them for problems.

Run the new hot wires from the breaker to the filter pump relay and then from the relay to the pump.

Check the pump for ground faults.

Have an electrician do this if you are not 100% sure about what you’re doing.

Do at your own risk.

 

[JamesW]

Would the electrician need to know to change any dip switches or pins or anything in that Hayward ProLogic Control Panel if it’s converted to 230?

On the pump, there is a black block with an arrow that points to 115 or 230 volts.

You have to move that black block so that the arrow lines up with 230 volt arrow.

From the breaker, run the power wires to the relay and then from the relay to the pump.

 

[jbird0215]

@JamesW will the other GFCIs need to be replaced as well or just the one for the pump? The lights are working fine and I haven’t fired up the heater yet to see if there are any breaker issues but will try it tomorrow.

It might be an arc fault trip due to the centrifugal switch opening.

I suspect that an arc fault breaker is not a good choice.

When the centrifugal switch opens, it arcs due to the current being interrupted.

The relays also arc.

I would replace the breaker with a 230 volt gfci breaker (not arc fault) and change the pump to 230 volts.

Replace the wires going to the pump.

Pull out the black, white and green and inspect them for problems.

Run the new hot wires from the breaker to the filter pump relay and then from the relay to the pump.

Check the pump for ground faults.

Have an electrician do this if you are not 100% sure about what you’re doing.

Do at your own risk.

 

[Orion7319]

On the pump, there is a black block with an arrow that points to 115 or 230 volts.

You have to move that black block so that the arrow lines up with 230 volt arrow.

From the breaker, run the power wires to the relay and then from the relay to the pump.

So just have to run the extra leg to the switch in the pro logic and that’s it then? It is weird that they didn’t wire it up 230 to begin with when it’s already there. Good call on the arch fault breaker. If the pump has faults then it might be a great excuse to replace with a variable speed pump, they are awesome!

 

[jbird0215]

Agree. The folks that that apparently installed the plumbing and electric were not very competent. I’ve already had to replumb the pad because they had the salt cell pre-filter. They also had a separate pump running the slide and pulling from the same suction as the main pump. Now, no GFCI breakers and should have wired the pump 230v but did not. I should have had a swimming pool inspection when we bought the house 2 years ago.

So just have to run the extra leg to the switch in the pro logic and that’s it then? It is weird that they didn’t wire it up 230 to begin with when it’s already there. Good call on the arch fault breaker. If the pump has faults then it might be a great excuse to replace with a variable speed pump, they are awesome!

 

[Orion7319]

@JamesW will the other GFCIs need to be replaced as well or just the one for the pump? The lights are working fine and I haven’t fired up the heater yet to see if there are any breaker issues but will try it tomorrow.

I’m going to guess that the lights are LED and the heater is gas, but you might want to specify that for JamesW.

 

[Orion7319]

Agree. The folks that that apparently installed the plumbing and electric were not very competent. I’ve already had to replumb the pad because they had the salt cell pre-filter. They also had a separate pump running the slide and pulling from the same suction as the main pump. Now, no GFCI breakers and should have wired the pump 230v but did not. I should have had a swimming pool inspection when we bought the house 2 years ago.

If it’s any consolation, I had a pool inspection on my house when we bought it two years ago as well. They missed the busted fiberglass stairs, the trashed liner and didn’t seem concerned at all about the leaking pump. All that added up to over $12k and so I basically wasted money on the inspection! My pool is old like built in the 70’s old and didn’t have a GFCI either. Also we say nothing about the weird bonding... shush.... somehow just the coping is bonded somewhere someway to the house and that was all fine in the 70’s apparently.. and so was aluminum wiring.