Need electrical help - new pool install

Thanks again to everyone for the feedback - Good and Bad.
This is our very first pool build, and we have learned a lot. Going on well over a year into the process, and we have learned one thing for sure - The fiberglass pool industry is a joke!!

I don't swim, and frankly don't care much for water either. However, my wife and son wanted a pool, and practically live in a pool every chance they get. Therefore, I wanted to give them a pool. My wife and son were set on fiberglass, due to the smooth feel on their feet, and the easy cleaning and upkeep.

We live in the DFW area and started searching out a builder over a year ago. After finding out that the first builder was a scam artist, and only getting our hefty deposit back by means of signing legal papers from his lawyer, I was very reluctant to move forward again. Then builder #2 was recommended to us, so we called him out. The sales guy was very friendly and trustworthy, so again, we moved forward with another contract, and another deposit.

Well, then this thing called Covid ramped up, and the fiberglass pool industry took a hit with shortages and delays. Our initial September start date was pushed back as the builder no longer knew when they would get our pool made. Thoughts were that it would happen in October, which was fine with us, as we wouldn't be swimming till next year anyway. October came.......... no pool, no information, and we were then informed that manufacturers were not even giving build dates anymore, until the actual build had started. We were then told that we may not get ours till next year.

Then we get a phone call from the builder towards the end of October. Turns out that a pool, same size and model that we had ordered, but from a different manufacturer, had just come available as another contract had fallen through. The builder said they could be out with it the next week and start the install. Of course, we were excited, and the process had begun.

The dig and install of the pool, and the concrete went very well. The subs and crews were very knowledgeable and kept us in the loop the whole way. Then, we get a call from the president of the pool company who informed us that from here on out, all remaining items would be handled by a new guy that he had just put in position to "finalize" all of the remaining items on any new builds. This is where things went south again.

We have basically been dealing with a guy who couldn't find his rear with both hands and a road map. Every week, multiple times a week, we had texts and calls saying something would happen or get done, and then nobody would show up, or they would show up and nothing would get accomplished. Any subs that were sent out were basically worthless, as nothing got completed or resolved either.

With this wonderful new world of Covid - nobody wants to work, employers can't get people to work, and when they can get people, nobody takes pride in their work or puts forth an effort to actually get things done. Ohh, and don't get me started on having common sense........... which should not be called common sense anymore, because IT IS NOT COMMON!!!!

So, why does our electrician have all items run to only one GFCI breaker?? I have no clue. I don't know if this is standard practice, or just something that this company does. I don't know what is normal for a pool. I do know that the electrician came out the first time to do the wiring, and only half of the equipment was here, so he said he would have to come back when they got the rest delivered. We never saw him again, and someone from the pool builders crew actually wired up the remaining items. At this point, we are kinda stuck between the pool builder who is paying the electrician, the electrician who says it is not his problem as he did not do all of the wiring, and the genius in charge who doesn't do anything he says and doesn't return calls or texts. We just want it done, so I am resorting to seeking out help and advice on my own.
 
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Post pics of all the electrical boxes and wiring areas for us to help you further. We can help you understand what should have been done so you can either direct the pool builder electrician or hire a different electrician to start over and redo the wiring.
 
Actually no, NEC specifies no breaker shall be loaded at more then 80% of its rating. A 20 amp breaker should not have more then 16 amps of load. You are within 10% of maximum load on that circuit.

I can’t follow all the verbal description of your wiring and while it may sort of work it is no where near best practice for a pool electrical setup.
The breaker being used is a 20amp double pole GFCI, which pulls 20amps from each of the right and left leg of the panel. Therefore, 14.97amps being pulled from each leg is within the 80% rule. The breaker will trip when either one of the legs draws more than 20amps.

"With 240 volt, the watts or power is doubled .... Amps are not cut in half
Since each leg of 240 volt circuit offers 120 volt potential to ground, then you're getting two legs of out-of-phase 120 volt when you use double breaker, and doing so doubles the voltage and doubles the watts (power), it does not halve the amps.
This shows that each leg of 30 amp double breaker delivers 30 amps, and not 15 amps. ."
 
Post pics of all the electrical boxes and wiring areas for us to help you further. We can help you understand what should have been done so you can either direct the pool builder electrician or hire a different electrician to start over and redo the wiring.
I'll get some pics of the setup later today and post them.
Thanks again.
 
I said, You are within 10% of maximum load on that circuit.

You are trying to parrot electrical theory, I am trying to give you best practices. Electricity is not a digital medium and does not always cooperate as theory says it should. As you are seeing with your electrical problems that should work but are not.
 
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I said, You are within 10% of maximum load on that circuit.

You are trying to parrot electrical theory, I am trying to give you best practices. Electricity is not a digital medium and does not always cooperate as theory says it should. As you are seeing with your electrical problems that should work but are not.
Electrical theory is how to troubleshoot. The fact is less power is returning than leaving. It is how a gfci operates. He has something leaking current to ground. He needs to disconnect one at a time until it holds.
 
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Electrical theory is how to troubleshoot. The fact is less power is returning than leaving. It is how a gfci operates. He has something leaking current to ground. He needs to disconnect one at a time until it holds.

Yup, and he will be stuck with that diagnostic method unless the wiring is improved.
 
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Actually no, NEC specifies no breaker shall be loaded at more then 80% of its rating. A 20 amp breaker should not have more then 16 amps of load. You are within 10% of maximum load on that circuit.

I can’t follow all the verbal description of your wiring and while it may sort of work it is no where near best practice for a pool electrical setup.
So, this is correct, but the devil is in the details. Normal 20amp breakers are rated for 80% "continuous load". And full 20 amps with transient loads. A pool pump would fall into the continuous category. You can also get fully rated breakers that you can run 20amp (or whatever their amp rating) all day long.
 
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