Pool light trips breaker. Then after a few days it starts working again.

[rxman]

My main pool light will trip the breaker in the panel when turning on. I reset the breaker and it will do it again.
The baffling part is after a few days it will start to work again. It will work for a few days up to a few weeks then it happens again.
I assumed I had a leak at the fixture itself but would this problem correct itself??
I have also checked the junction box near the pool and it appears to be fine.

Any thoughts on how to troubleshoot this problem?

 

[ajw22]

What model light do you have?

It is hard to find intermittent GFCI trips. Some moisture is getting it just over the threshold for a trip.

You just need to keep looking around. It will not get better, only worse and trip more often. Eventually it will show the problem.

 

[rxman]

Thank you for the reply. I am not sure the model. It's a standard pool light. Is it possible for water to leak into the fixture and trip the breaker and then dissipate allowing it to work again?
If so, I will pull the fixture up again and examine it again. At the very least I can replace the gasket etc.

 

[ajw22]

There is no such thing as a “standard pool light” anymore.

Problem could be anyplace in the light circuit. Light fixture, broken insulation anywhere along the wire, gasket where wire enters housing, moisture in junction box, wire from junction box to CB, etc.

 

[rxman]

Thanks. I am not sure of the exact model but it's a Pentair light. It's a non-LED light. Its about 12 years old.
It's only about 15 feet from the pool light to the junction box. Maybe it would be best to replace the entire fixture?
This would rule out everything except problem in the wire from the junction box back to the main breaker.

 

[ajw22]

Once a light starts leaking it can rarely be repaired. Replacement is the easy thing to do.