Continued GFCI Troubles

[JayBauman]

Background: My pool is 1.5 years old. I have 4 pumps. About 2 months ago, my in-floor cleaning system wasn't working, and I traced the problem to a tripped breaker. I was not able to reset it. After wiring up different scenarios, I was able to conclude that it was a faulty GFCI breaker and not anything apparently wrong with any of my pumps. I ordered a new 240vac 2-pole 20A breaker and fixed my problem. At least for a while....

Over the last 2 weeks, I have been noticing that the new breaker is occasionally tripping. This new breaker is in the same location in my panel as the faulty one I previously replaced, but it is wired to a different pump motor than the one that was originally hooked to it. (A bit of additional information: The pump originally wired to the original faulty breaker is operating perfectly well after switching it to a new circuit, so that pump is working fine.)

So here is my concern: It appears that the new breaker that I recently purchased isn't working correctly and will trip 2 or 3 times a week. It doesn't trip every time I use that pump, but it's the only one that does trip. How common are "infant mortality" problems with Square D GFCI 2-pole breakers? Should I replace the breaker (again!) or should I be looking elsewhere for my problem? The only thing this new breaker has in common with the previous one is the configuration/location in m panel.

 

[cubbienate]

Jay,

Do you have a meter that can show the load? Also can you post pictures of the name plates that are on each motor? There will be a silver sticker on each pump that gives the electrical requirements. You can get a bad breaker but after the second time it trips you need to check the motor and breaker before resetting. Could be a bad ground also.

- - - Updated - - -

It would be a clamp meter like this: Amazon.com: Auto ranging AC/DC Digital Clamp Meter: Home Improvement

 

[Trick]

Tighten any and all connections. Loose connections will cause the pump to draw more current.

A thermal camera like Seek is also great for this.

 

[lefty51]

Hi Jay, quick question. you said new breaker is in the same spot in box as the old one but runs a different pump, did you swap the pump wiring in the box or at the pump site. The reason I ask is if the wiring from that slot is the same out to pool, I would investigate that wiring circuit.

 

[JayBauman]

Jay,
Do you have a meter that can show the load? Also can you post pictures of the name plates that are on each motor? There will be a silver sticker on each pump that gives the electrical requirements. You can get a bad breaker but after the second time it trips you need to check the motor and breaker before resetting. Could be a bad ground also.

Tighten any and all connections. Loose connections will cause the pump to draw more current.

Hi Jay, quick question. you said new breaker is in the same spot in box as the old one but runs a different pump, did you swap the pump wiring in the box or at the pump site. The reason I ask is if the wiring from that slot is the same out to pool, I would investigate that wiring circuit.

I have a total of 4 pumps. The suspect breaker trips, regardless of which pump is wired to the breaker. The other 3 breakers do not trip, regardless of which pump is wired to each. During my trouble-shooting, I re-wired in the panel itself, so the circuits for each of the 4 pumps seem to be functional. I don't have IR camera, so thermal imaging isn't possible. I did not measure amperage, but the pumps work on other breakers so I do not suspect electric problems with any of my pumps. (I still have 1.5 year warranty on my pumps, so if one or more is defective, then I can get that taken care of. However, if they are fine, then I end up eating the service call...)


Here's my investigation:
1. Each pump works fine on 3 out of 4 breakers.
2. Multiple pumps trip a single breaker.
3. The tripping breaker has been replaced. The first one would not reset. The replacement trips periodically.

Ergo, I conclude:
1. Each pump is working correctly
2. The breaker is suspect
2a. The first breaker died, the replacement is defective; or
2b. The position in my panel is somehow causing problems.

2a. I can accept that my replacement breaker was defective; I just don't know how likely this could be. Any thoughts?
2b. The only commonality of my problems that I can identify is the location in my panel for the breaker itself. The breakers obviously share common bus bars, so I can't imagine that the breaker position could matter....but please enlighten me if this is a possibility.


Based on my diagnostics, are there any other avenues I should be going down?

Thanks!

 

[cubbienate]

I took a look at your build and wow! Your setup looks amazing. What I would do is get a replacement and put it in a spot that you know was good and move another breaker to the suspect position. Sounds like you might just have received a bad breaker and they should replace it. Also make sure when you replace you tighten all the fittings well. Lose ground or neutral will cause issues with it tripping also.

 

[gwegan]

There is a slight possibility that it could be position in the panel. Can you post a picture. You might try moving it to a different position.

 

[tmobileguy]

I don't believe its any of the pumps, if all 4 pumps have run with no issue on the other 3 breakers...so I think you have eliminated the pumps as one of the potential causes....now I would look at the breaker itself, the breaker spot, and the wiring to the breaker.....

Something that has not been suggested is that it could be the wiring to the breaker...something shorting out and tripping the breaker....What I would do as others have stated is try to isolate the problem....

1.) First, I would move the problem breaker to a spot where one of your other breakers have been working flawlessly and move one of the previously 'flawless' working breakers in its spot. When you do this, make sure to move only the breaker and keep the breaker wiring to each spot the same... If the problem breaker continues to trip, then most likely its the breaker and I would replace it.

2.) If the breaker that 'was' working flawlessly starts to trip in the new spot, then you know its most likely one of two thing....either the spot on the panel or the wiring to that spot on the panel... I would then keep the breakers in their same positions, but 'swap' the wiring between the two breakers (if you do this make sure to keep the phases the same on each breaker meaning swap the top wire on the breaker to the top wire on the other breaker and same with the bottom one, assuming they are on the same phase that is)... If the same breaker continues to trip then it might be the breaker position and you could try another position on the panel. If the other breaker starts to trip now then you know its probably the wires going from that breaker...

Find the common factor, whether it be breaker, breaker positon, or breaker wiring...

 

[JayBauman]

1.) First, I would move the problem breaker to a spot where one of your other breakers have been working flawlessly and move one of the previously 'flawless' working breakers in its spot. When you do this, make sure to move only the breaker and keep the breaker wiring to each spot the same... If the problem breaker continues to trip, then most likely its the breaker and I would replace it.

I got my new breaker today. (I love Amazon Prime!) I installed it to a new location. Now let's see what happens.... {holding breath}

 

[gwegan]

I would install a non GFCI breaker in the old location.