Pentair superflo VST trips breaker at lower speeds

[Orion7319]

I discovered this winter that that when I run my new Pentair superflo VST below 1400RPM (I was trying to run it at 1200rpm 24/7 for the winter) the electrical breaker will always trip at some point during the day. Obviously I am not ever planning on running it below 1400RPM now, but what would cause it to keep tripping the breaker at lower speeds?

 

[Jimrahbe]

7319,

VS pumps are known to randomly cause some GFCI breakers to false trip.. I assume it is tripping the GFCI breaker and not a normal breaker.

Is the breaker from Pentair or Siemens??? If not, I would replace the breaker with one from Pentair or Siemens..

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[JamesW]

Siemens 20 Amp Double Pole Type QPF2 GFCI Circuit Breaker US2:QF220AP - The Home Depot

Siemens GFCI circuit breakers are UL Listed and CSA Certified as Class A devices. These circuit breakers offer the new Self-Test and Lockout feature as required by UL 943, enabling the GFCI to automatically

www.homedepot.com

 

[Orion7319]

7319,

VS pumps are known to randomly cause some GFCI breakers to false trip.. I assume it is tripping the GFCI breaker and not a normal breaker.

Is the breaker from Pentair or Siemens??? If not, I would replace the breaker with one from Pentair or Siemens..

Thanks,

Jim R.

Thanks! I can’t remember the brand of the GFCI breaker, but it’s not Pentair or Siemens. I just had it installed last summer for a cost of around $200.00 installed. Previously, my pool only had a regular breaker installed. My solution has been to run the pump no less then 1400RPM. At this speed the pump is only pulling 190 Watts. I would replace it, but it would take quite a while to make up a cost difference of $400.00 in energy savings between running it 1200RPM minimum speed and 1400RPM minimum speed! I do appreciate the reply as it lets me know it’s just some weird electrical fluke, probably caused by electrical noise from the pump at low RPMs that the breaker doesn’t like. I was wondering if it could have been caused by a strain or something on the pump from low flow. If my breaker breaks in the near future I’ll get a Siemens GFCI breaker. Thanks again!

 

[Jimrahbe]

7319,

I really doubt that the slow speed itself has anything to do with the problem. My guess is that it just makes more electrical noise at certain speeds..

Thanks,

Jim R.