Breaker tripped last week. They are coming out to replace the Intermatic transformer for the spa/pool lights. They ended up replacing it today and blew the spa light because they wired it wrong. And so it goes...
Anyone good out there with electrical issues (GFCI)
- Thread starter ITR
- Start date
Why not have them add another circuit to dedicate to your ozonator? You've got the extra room in your sub panel and what looks like an extra relay. On top of that, if I had to guess, the code probably also specifies that the GFCI breaker be dedicated to the pump, which it is not.
mgarf33
Well-known member
- Oct 27, 2013
- 207
Most nuisance GFCI trips are due to moisture in locations of exposed connections.
I would double check all wire connections especially the one at the pump, and the potential for condensation to occur.
It doesn't have to be wet or raining. Condensation can occur due to surface temperature of an object being below air dew point.
I would double check all wire connections especially the one at the pump, and the potential for condensation to occur.
It doesn't have to be wet or raining. Condensation can occur due to surface temperature of an object being below air dew point.
First thing you need to do is call a company that can megger the motor to check the insulation in the motor. Try to get the motor to switch speeds to see if it is tripping at that point. If you know some one that works in the HVAC field they would be able to check the motor for you.
If this were me, and my family & friends safety, I would DEMAND they provide a Licensed Electrician to fix this.
Dom
Dom
Well guys...it tripped again last night. I called the PB today and spoke with the owner. The electrician is going to replace the breaker with another manufacturer/brand today. He also is going to check the wiring. Apparently a little while back they stopped wiring the Ozonator into the pump circuit, so I've asked them to rectify that as well and put the Clear03 on a separate circuit. I really wish I would have found this forum before we started the build. You guys are a great help!
The only load for that breaker sbyhould be the pump. If the clear03 has a flow switch it can be cyled on and iff with that as the pump is turned on and off. The siemens gfci breaker are better designed for vsp applications.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using Tapatalk
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using Tapatalk
I suggested that as a next step (plus a refund) if the isolated circuit doesn't fix the issue.
I think your electrical contractor used to work on my car. Skip real debugging and start changing parts until it 'works'. "See, I done fixed it!"
At least you are under warranty.
I also had a GFCI breaker popping but it was always around rainy times. After about 10 warrantied contractor visits it quit happening - when I completed a pool equipment 'carport'.
At least you are under warranty.
I also had a GFCI breaker popping but it was always around rainy times. After about 10 warrantied contractor visits it quit happening - when I completed a pool equipment 'carport'.
I'm thinking he's somewhere in the middle. Being a technology guy, myself, it does seem a somewhat indirect path to finding the root cause of the issue. I was comfortable until the suggestion of the light transformer came into play. They claimed that was a direct suggestion from Jandy/Zodiac, but I really could not explain why something on a completely different circuit would be causing the issue. Don't worry. I will stop him short when he suggests to eliminate the breaker and just hardwire it direct. (totally kidding....I hope...)
See you guys in a week or two (when the breaker trips again), but hopefully you won't see me back in this thread/sub-forum.
My opinion: Make sure the filter pump is on a GFCI breaker by itself. You have room in your box for another breaker. If necessary, put whatever else you have on the filter pump breaker on a separate breaker. This is a cheap and easy thing to do.
If your pump is by itself on the breaker, then it has to be the pump, loose wire connections, or a knick in the wires.
Because you don't seem comfortable working on electrical stuff, I suggest that you hire an electrician to do the work.
If your pump is by itself on the breaker, then it has to be the pump, loose wire connections, or a knick in the wires.
Because you don't seem comfortable working on electrical stuff, I suggest that you hire an electrician to do the work.
The electrician is doing all the electrical work. I know my limits. 
He called me directly yesterday. We spoke through it and agreed to put the pump on it's own circuit given I should have additional relays in the RS-8 unit I upgraded to as part of the initial install. If nothing else, this will help resolve problems in the future after the warranty period is over.
He called me directly yesterday. We spoke through it and agreed to put the pump on it's own circuit given I should have additional relays in the RS-8 unit I upgraded to as part of the initial install. If nothing else, this will help resolve problems in the future after the warranty period is over.
Sorry, I am new to the group and would have loved to have helped out earlier.
The GFCI breaker is designed to trip between 0.004 and 0.006 Amps. They are very sensitive. But important part of the safety of your pool.
I see you are in Florida. You have 2 problems in that #1 you are in the lightning capitol of the U.S. This puts spikes on the power line from the utility that are difficult for the circuitry of the Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter to deal with.
#2 problem is humidity. Since it does not take much current to ground to trip a GFCI breaker humidity can present a bit of a problem. I saw in earlier posts that Pentair suggested that only the pump be wired to the GFCI and all other items like heaters and chlorinators etc. be moved to a different circuit. This may help if the problem persists.
Another problem having to do with surges on the power stem from Low Voltage lighting. The transformers are large inductors that cause high inrush currents causing large sags and then spikes along with big RF spikes on the powerline. I have seen 3 GFCI breakers to trip all at the same time with the pumps off while the control system was changing he color of the LED low voltage lights in the pool by turning on and off the transformer rapidly.
The solution?
Step 1.) The new version of the Siemens GFCI breaker is the QF220a. This (a) version has built in RF suppression which normally helps. Replace the Breaker with a Siemens QF220a if you do not already have one. You can tell the difference by the small LED on the white TRIP button on the breaker. The earlier models did not have an LED.
Step 2) Go ahead and move all other circuits to other breakers. It will help if there are items on the circuit that have minute current leaks to ground.
Step 3) You can install a snubber circuit that consists of a capacitor and resistor. If you would like to try that, contact me and we can make something up.
Also, if you do not have a lightning surge suppressor on you equipment I would suggest it. It will not help with the GFCI tripping but will help your expensive equipment survive surges caused by lightning. But not a direct hit or near miss.
Hope it helps.
The GFCI breaker is designed to trip between 0.004 and 0.006 Amps. They are very sensitive. But important part of the safety of your pool.
I see you are in Florida. You have 2 problems in that #1 you are in the lightning capitol of the U.S. This puts spikes on the power line from the utility that are difficult for the circuitry of the Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter to deal with.
#2 problem is humidity. Since it does not take much current to ground to trip a GFCI breaker humidity can present a bit of a problem. I saw in earlier posts that Pentair suggested that only the pump be wired to the GFCI and all other items like heaters and chlorinators etc. be moved to a different circuit. This may help if the problem persists.
Another problem having to do with surges on the power stem from Low Voltage lighting. The transformers are large inductors that cause high inrush currents causing large sags and then spikes along with big RF spikes on the powerline. I have seen 3 GFCI breakers to trip all at the same time with the pumps off while the control system was changing he color of the LED low voltage lights in the pool by turning on and off the transformer rapidly.
The solution?
Step 1.) The new version of the Siemens GFCI breaker is the QF220a. This (a) version has built in RF suppression which normally helps. Replace the Breaker with a Siemens QF220a if you do not already have one. You can tell the difference by the small LED on the white TRIP button on the breaker. The earlier models did not have an LED.
Step 2) Go ahead and move all other circuits to other breakers. It will help if there are items on the circuit that have minute current leaks to ground.
Step 3) You can install a snubber circuit that consists of a capacitor and resistor. If you would like to try that, contact me and we can make something up.
Also, if you do not have a lightning surge suppressor on you equipment I would suggest it. It will not help with the GFCI tripping but will help your expensive equipment survive surges caused by lightning. But not a direct hit or near miss.
Hope it helps.