HELP..Breaker keeps tripping on new VSP install

[JamesR]

I replaced a Hayward super pump with a Hayward VSP super pump. Last night when finishing up, I just turned on the breaker, made sure the display lit up on the pump, it started to spin up and I then shut it down. No problem.
This morning I’m ready to fire it up and get it programmed. As soon as I turn on the breaker, it trips. I disconnected the load wires from the breaker and it still trips.
If I disconnect the ground wire from the pump, it will not trip. The other end of that ground wire runs directly to the GFCI breaker. That’s the way the original pump was wired.
So basically I only have the ground wire on there and that’s enough to trip the breaker. ???
What am I missing here?
It’s a Hayward SP2603VSP.

 

[ajw22]

The ground wire should not run to the GFCI CB.

You have something misfired.

Show us pics of the pump wiring and the CB panel and wiring.

 

[JamesR]

Here is the pump connection and the breaker.
All I basically did electrically was disconnect the old pump at the motor connection and use the same three wires on the new pump. No changes made at the breaker.
On the pic of the breaker, the 2 red wires are obviously the load. The white goes to the neutral bus bar and that green goes directly to the pump motor.

 

[ajw22]

Show me your complete breaker panel.

Show me the full CB.

The ground wire should go to a ground bar in the panel and not to the CB.

 

[JamesR]

Top left breaker. It feeds the top right Intermatic timer. The 2 red wires disconnect from that timer come from that breaker.
I don’t understand why it powered on last night and then this morning it trips.

 

[ajw22]

Connect the pump green ground wire to the panel ground bar.

 

[JamesR]

Closeup of the breaker.

 

[ajw22]

A VSP should get constant power and not be connected through a timer.

 

[ajw22]

To be blunt if you don’t know the difference between a neutral line and a ground line, and the way a GFCI works, you should not be doing electrical wiring.

Electrical GFCI - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

 

[JamesR]

Correct on the timer. I’m going to bypass it and have it run 24/7.
Back to the tripping issue. The original wiring use the ground at the breaker. That is it senses current flow to ground for safety and trips.
There is no neutral connection at the pump. Just 240 VAC line 1 and line 2.
If I tie the pump ground to the bus bar instead of the breaker sense, what is the breaker using for a safety trip?

 

[ajw22]

Back to the tripping issue. The original wiring use the ground at the breaker. That is it senses current flow to ground for safety and trips.

That is an incorrect understanding.

The GFCI looks at the current balance between the load wires. If the current is not the same it means electricity has leaked somewhere else and it trips.

There is no neutral connection at the pump.

That is correct for a 240V circuit.

Just 240 VAC line 1 and line 2.

Correct.

If I tie the pump ground to the bus bar instead of the breaker sense, what is the breaker using for a safety trip?

See above.

Use the TEST button on the breaker. If it is wired correctly the breaker will work and TEST correctly.

The CB worked correctly tripping on your miswire.

 

[JamesR]

Thanks, I understand the current imbalance theory.
I’m just trying to understand why it worked this way for 20 years with the old pump.
I did not rewire anything at the breaker panel.
I literally removed the 3 existing wires from the old pump and stuck them on the new pump.
Regardless…. I’m now moving the ground wire from the breaker and onto the ground bus bar. Stay tuned…..

 

[ajw22]

It could very well be that the ground wire did not make a proper connection at the old pump.

You have a messy panel. That bad ground connection raises the safety question of what else may be miswired in your system. I would have a knowledgeable person go through it and clean up the rats nest of wires.

 

[JamesR]

Admittedly it’s pretty messy there.
Not my work. I inherited it.
You’re correct that it needs a good review.
I’ll get on that as well.

 

[JamesR]

As a test (because I a a glutton for punishment), I laid the old pump out there and connected all 3 wires to it. Made sure I had good connections and momentarily turned the breaker on/off. The pump started. I don’t t get it.
Anyway….. I re-wired the ground to the buss bar. The new pump functions now.
Surprisingly quiet.
Thank you Allen.