GFCI keeps tripping

[dennislaughlin]

I have an Alterra Fairfax spa. I just filled and turned it on today for the season. It ran for about 5 hours today. It got up to temp, 101.

When I went to do a cycle of Ahhhsome, I opened the air vents and turned both pumps on, and it ran for 30 seconds, then tripped the breaker.

I troubleshoot, disconnect literally everything from the control board, and the breaker keeps tripping. GFCI breakers can go bad so I replace it.

The new breaker trips as soon as a load is placed on the circuit, rather than instantly as soon as it’s turned on. I don’t know what it could be.

Tub is on a 240v 50a GFCI breaker (tub calls for 40a, but I couldn’t find a 40a GFCI when I installed it) which pulls from a 60a sub panel shared with my chicken run. As far as I know, that circuit isn’t overloaded, s the 60a breaker isn’t tripping.

Could a fault be somewhere in the dedicated run between the GFCI and 60a sub panel? It’s about 2 years old. Any other places to look?

 

[ajw22]

You likely are having GFCI current leakage trips and not over amp trips. So 40, 50, or 60 amps make no difference when it is the GFCI tripping due to current leakage.

You likely have a water leak onto something electrical. Pump or heater likely.

GFCI trips are impossible to find electrically. Go find the water leak.

@RDspaguy may have ideas.

 

[Jimrahbe]

Dennis,

Did you disconnect the heater?

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[dennislaughlin]

You likely are having GFCI current leakage trips and not over amp trips. So 40, 50, or 60 amps make no difference when it is the GFCI tripping due to current leakage.

You likely have a water leak onto something electrical. Pump or heater likely.

GFCI trips are impossible to find electrically. Go find the water leak.

@RDspaguy may have ideas.

I took the panel off, it’s all dry as a bone underneath.

 

[dennislaughlin]

Dennis,

Did you disconnect the heater?

Thanks,

Jim R.

Hey Jim. I sure did. Started with the heater actually, then disconnected both pumps as well as the entertainment system and everything else except the control panel.

 

[ajw22]

Put a clamp on ammeter on the electrical line and measure the current it is pulling at startup.

The new breaker trips as soon as a load is placed on the circuit, rather than instantly as soon as it’s turned on. I don’t know what it could be.

Explain that you mean by this?

What is the difference between “load placed on the circuit” and “instantly as soon as it’s turned on”?

 

[dennislaughlin]

Wanted to update everyone, and thank the group for the help. I let it sit all day yesterday. In the afternoon, I randomly flipped the breaker, and bam, it worked! So, got to use it last night and so far, it's still working well. Something must have gotten wet and it dried out, that's my only assumption.