Hayward Aquarite trips breaker when turned on

mrjama

New member
Jun 15, 2024
3
New England
Greetings - need help with the following issue:
My pump and Aquarite Chlorine generator are on the same circuit. Pump runs fine, no issue.
When I turn on the generator, it immediately trips the breaker (causing pump to stop as well).
I disconnected the salt cell from the panel, but it still trips the breaker. If the pump is off, still trips the breaker.
I installed a new salt cell (same model as previously) at the start of last year, and it ran fine for several months, but this problem started happening at the very end of last year.
Inside of the panel looks ok, nothing obvious. Any ideas?
Thanks - J
 
Welcome to TFP.

Is the circuit breaker GFCI?

Put a clamp on ammeter on the Aquarite power lines and see what the current at startup is.

Post pics of the board and inside cabinet.
 
Greetings - need help with the following issue:
My pump and Aquarite Chlorine generator are on the same circuit. Pump runs fine, no issue.
When I turn on the generator, it immediately trips the breaker (causing pump to stop as well).
I disconnected the salt cell from the panel, but it still trips the breaker. If the pump is off, still trips the breaker.
I installed a new salt cell (same model as previously) at the start of last year, and it ran fine for several months, but this problem started happening at the very end of last year.
Inside of the panel looks ok, nothing obvious. Any ideas?
Thanks - J
When you turn on the generator, do you mean moving the Switch to the "Auto" position?
To narrow down the troubleshooting, remove the yellow 20A fuse and see if the breaker trips. If it does, disconnect all the transformer wiring from the bd and try again. Let us know.
 
See schematic below and attached pics.
schematic.png
Flipping the switch to SWG on switch box trips the pool breaker (in house) as soon as power is supplied to it. It never turns on at all.
The pump runs fine - but as soon as the SWG panel is turned on (or I try to turn it on), the breaker causes the whole system to stop. I can reset the tripped breaker and the pump again will start and be fine. The cell (connected or not) seems to be unrelated.
I DID install a new cell start the start of last season, but everything ran fine for a few months.
Could there be a blown component in the SWG circuit board? Should I check the 20A yellow breaker?
My best guess is the transformer: Amazon.com
Any ideas? Thanks so much!!!!
 

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Attached is the breaker that trips ("pool filter" - which looks to me to be GFCI). I will remove the yellow 20A fuse and see if that changes anything.
I'm not an electrician but can do simple stuff. I have a multimeter but am not sure which lines are the incoming power lines (The blue and the red in the last attached pic above OMG_0452, connecting screws 1 and 4 of the left side of the circuit board)?
I see no obvious blown or broken components. Thanks again
 

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Thanks for uploading the pics and for providing detailed info. Your swcg is wired for the 240VAC operation.
With reference to the RED arrow in the pic below, ensure that there isn't a strand of the RED wire touching the metal jumper above it.
The discoloration on the Varistor marked with the white arrow is noticeable. To rule out the varistors, disconnect all 4 labeled wires from the bd . You can accomplish this with ease using a plier or needle nose plier. Do not pull by the wire! Turn on the breaker and let us know.

IMG_0452 copy.jpg
 
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