Tripping main breaker

Fishy1234

0
Bronze Supporter
Jul 6, 2018
449
Apple Valley, CA
Pool Size
21600
Surface
Plaster
Chlorine
Liquid Chlorine
Pumps were in freeze mode during the night. I woke up at 4:30am and did not hear them. When I checked the main breaker was tripped. Reset breaker and tried to start the pool pump, it turned over for a second then tripped main. Reset and tried the spa booster pump, it did not turn and tripped breaker.
I tried to plug a hair dryer into the gfci outlet, and main tripped again. It is 30 degees outside not sure what to do.
 
Update
I tripped all breakers on Pentair panel except one, and then turn on one at a time until I found one that trips the main. I believe the booster pump is tripping breaker.
So with that breaker off the pool pump runs, spa mode works. Heater works as well.
Currently system is running in freeze mode without booster pump.
 
That is why you should have individual GFCI breakers for any device that requires it and not rely on GFCI at a main breaker. That way one device getting sick will not turn off all the other devices. And it will make it easier finding the sick device.
 
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That is why you should have individual GFCI breakers for any device that requires it and not rely on GFCI at a main breaker. That way one device getting sick will not turn off all the other devices. And it will make it easier finding the sick device.
Ok but that is the way pool builder made it. I remember a pentair rep came out when I had a cracked pump casing, and he said same thing. He called PB but the guy said, to leave it alone, it is perfectly fine this way.
 
Ok but that is the way pool builder made it. I remember a pentair rep came out when I had a cracked pump casing, and he said same thing. He called PB but the guy said, to leave it alone, it is perfectly fine this way.
Sure, it is fine until a device gets sick.

PB is cheap and lazy to not do it right.
 
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I have someone coming tomorrow AM. Hopefully its just a capacitor on top of booster pump is rusty looking.
Good luck. A bad capacitor usually does not cause a GFCI trip.

GFCI trip is caused by corrosion around the electrical connections that may be able to be cleaned up or corrosion in the motor which requires a motor replacement.
 
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Good luck. A bad capacitor usually does not cause a GFCI trip.

GFCI trip is caused by corrosion around the electrical connections that may be able to be cleaned up or corrosion in the motor which requires a motor replacement.
Oh great. I am so sick of this already. He is bringing a capacitor just in case. I suffer with anxiety from military, so this is not helping. I may be going to ER soon because of chest pains.
 
Oh great. I am so sick of this already. He is bringing a capacitor just in case. I suffer with anxiety from military, so this is not helping. I may be going to ER soon because of chest pains.
Take care of yourself.

Your booster pump is not necessary to run your pool.
 
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I need it so pipes wont crack around booster pump, right?
I assumed the booster pump you had was for a pool cleaner. I don't see that.

Are you talking about your spa jet pump on the left of your filter pump?

full
 
Your pipes will not freeze and crack with this weather forecast.

Read...



1731860418371.png
 
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Your pipes will not freeze and crack with this weather forecast.

Read...



View attachment 618678
Good info.
 
Just waiting for him to find the correct cap.
I found mine at the HVAC supply. The pool store only had a couple sizes (not mine of course), and the plumbing and electrical supply stores both claimed it was the other guys part.

The HVAC place had one close enough as 5%(?) was an acceptable variance.
 
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So everything is up and running again. I noticed the system was in freeze mode last night even without the Spa pump running because it was turned off, and it was the system was super quiet with just the variable speed filter pump. The spa pump motor makes enough noise that it keeps me awake at night.
I asked the tech and he said. It will cost thousands to replace it with a quieter pump.
 
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