I have a brand new Aqua Rest AR-600 that will run on 110 V, but when I try to run it on 240 V, the outdoor 50 amp breaker trips when the pump tries to start. Any ideas?
Outdoor 50 amp breaker trips when pump tries to start
- Thread starter OneManJazzBand
- Start date
Welcome to TFP!
Just to be clear, you are internally rewiring the motor when you switch from one voltage to the other?
Just to be clear, you are internally rewiring the motor when you switch from one voltage to the other?
This is a 115 V 2 speed pump. The 240 V is for the heater. See attached pictures of pump specs and connector. For 240V I have to make changes in the hot tub circuit box. 
Does the 240V circuit for the heater you are trying to use have a neutral available in the box? or is it just the 2 hot leads and a ground?
edit.. also I think you should also only use the same hot for both speed 1 and speed 2 (split by the switch of course). I don't have a good reason it just seems like using opposite phases in a device that is not 220 could lead to a problem if something goes wrong.
edit.. also I think you should also only use the same hot for both speed 1 and speed 2 (split by the switch of course). I don't have a good reason it just seems like using opposite phases in a device that is not 220 could lead to a problem if something goes wrong.
James has a good point I am assuming you are trying to take one phase of the 240 to feed the pump with 120 but I should have stated that. This being electricity I should not take anything for granted.
Breaker is a GFCI, but it doesn't trip when just the heater, ozonater and light are hooked up. The 240 circuit for the heater is just two hot leads and a ground. As you can see in the connector above for the pump, it has two hot leads, a neutral and a ground. One hot lead is for low speed and the other hot lead is for high speed.
You generally can't run a 120V load from a 240V GFCI breaker as the breaker sees the neutral return from the 120V as a ground fault.
p.s. the spec sheet for this spa does not mention it having a heater and shows it as 120V only
p.s. the spec sheet for this spa does not mention it having a heater and shows it as 120V only
‰The following is from the owner's manual for the spa:
Will you operate the spa on 120 or 240 volts?Your spa comes ready to plug into a standard 120 volt / 15 amp outlet for power. However, it can be converted for a 240 volt hardwiredpower supply installed by a licensed certified electrician. Please read the following to help with your decision.120 volts: When connected with the 120 volt plug, the heater is 1000 watts and operates only in the low speed filtration mode. Whenthe jet pump operates, the heater will turn off. This means the water will begin to cool while using the jet pump and the heat recoverytime will take longer than it will if wired 240 volts. Many find this adequate due to their mild climate or shorter length of usage.Additionally, many prefer not to hire an electrician for the installation.240 volts: When hard-wired to a 240 volt power supply, the heater is 4000 watts. It can operate on a 30 or 50 amp service.On a 30 amp service the heater will not operate with the jet pump. However, the higher heater wattage will greatly increase the heatrecovery time. The 30 amp circuit is often selected when there is limited available power as seen in some older homes.On a 50 amp service the heater will operate with both high and low speed. This means the spa will heat while you operate the jetpump.
Will you operate the spa on 120 or 240 volts?Your spa comes ready to plug into a standard 120 volt / 15 amp outlet for power. However, it can be converted for a 240 volt hardwiredpower supply installed by a licensed certified electrician. Please read the following to help with your decision.120 volts: When connected with the 120 volt plug, the heater is 1000 watts and operates only in the low speed filtration mode. Whenthe jet pump operates, the heater will turn off. This means the water will begin to cool while using the jet pump and the heat recoverytime will take longer than it will if wired 240 volts. Many find this adequate due to their mild climate or shorter length of usage.Additionally, many prefer not to hire an electrician for the installation.240 volts: When hard-wired to a 240 volt power supply, the heater is 4000 watts. It can operate on a 30 or 50 amp service.On a 30 amp service the heater will not operate with the jet pump. However, the higher heater wattage will greatly increase the heatrecovery time. The 30 amp circuit is often selected when there is limited available power as seen in some older homes.On a 50 amp service the heater will operate with both high and low speed. This means the spa will heat while you operate the jetpump.
Ok, does it have a specific wiring diagram? I don't know about your brand of spa, but my Hot Spring Jetsetter is also a 120V /240V convertible with a 120V only main pump and circulation pump and it requires a pair of GFCI breakers. a single pole 20 amp 120V GFCI breaker for the 120V only pumps, light, etc. and a 30 amp 2 pole 240V GFCI breaker to power the heater. Conversion requires moving a couple of jumper wires inside the cabinet and connecting the 120 V and 240V conductors to the appropriate terminals.
Sorry, I've exceeded my quota on images so I'll have to give you this link to the manual. The wiring diagram is on page 12.
https://peoplelikeclearwater.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/AquaRest-HU2-Electric-Heat-Models.pdf
- - - Updated - - -
Also, today we switched the black and red hot leads into the hot tub and the pump started up in low speed, but when I hit the button for high speed the GFCI tripped.
https://peoplelikeclearwater.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/AquaRest-HU2-Electric-Heat-Models.pdf
- - - Updated - - -
Also, today we switched the black and red hot leads into the hot tub and the pump started up in low speed, but when I hit the button for high speed the GFCI tripped.
Ok, what brand and model of GFCI breaker are you using, and does it have a connections for 2 hots plus a white neutral pigtail?
It's an Eaton BR50SPAST 50 amp 240V GFCI with connections for 2 hots plus a white neutral pigtail.
Hot6
0
Did you remove the jumper as shown in your diagram on page 12? It also states this in step 2 on page 12.
Yes we removed the jumper between J28 and J57, installed the black jumper on J11, and moved #10 dip switch to off (for 50 amp service). The tech from Balboa, the company who made the parts, said that line 1 and neutral coming into the spa supply the 120v to the pump. But the pump connection has 4 wires -- black, red, white and green. The system is supposed to change the 120 V from the black wire to the 120 v from the red wire when the pump is switched to high speed. It almost seems like the pump might be getting 240v when it switches to high speed, which would trip the GFCI.
Hot6
0
If you have the spa setup exactly the way the instructions and the diagram show I would revisit the spa GFCI panel. On page 13 of your manual shows how it should look. Pay particular attention to the white wire on the spa side of the GFCI breaker.
Here's the wiring inside the GFCI box. I think everything is as should be, but please check. Wiring from house is at the top, wiring to hot tub at bottom.
Here's an update. The hot tub works with the dip switch #10 at the low amp (30A) setting, which means at the high speed of the 2 speed pump, the 240V heater (4kw) does not heat. It only heats at the low speed. When I put the dip switch on high amp (50A), the 50 A GFCI trips when the pump is in high speed mode. At high speed, the heater is also on when the dip switch is set at high amp.
So for some reason, when the heater and high speed are on at the same time, the 50A GFCI trips. Any ideas?
So for some reason, when the heater and high speed are on at the same time, the 50A GFCI trips. Any ideas?
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