SWCG Tripping Breaker?

[akropp]

I have recently started having an issue where the breaker that feeds my main pump and my SWGC (through a relay on my AquaLink automation) keeps getting tripped at random times. I haven’t been able to identify a particular event that triggers it.

I did just recently replace my single sleep pump with a century v-green 270 VSP, which could possibly be related. However that pump has a max draw of 11 amps. From what I understand, my t-cell-15 should have a max draw of 10 amps. Somehow, the combination is triggering a 40 amp breaker.

Anyone have any ideas how to go about identifying the cause, or at least have an idea how these two could trip it? Is it possible the SWG cell could temporarily draw too much current? Or that the vsp is somehow drawing way more than the stated max draw?

 

[Jimrahbe]

A,

In my mind it is highly unlikely to be the SWCG..

Is the breaker a GFCI breaker?? If so, random trips on VS pumps is not unknown..

If this were my system, I would move the SWCG to another circuit or better yet to its own breaker.. Then if it trips you will know for sure if it is being caused by the pump or by the SWCG.

I am not a fan of having a bunch of stuff being run from one breaker for just that reason..

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[JamesW]

From what I understand, my t-cell-15 should have a max draw of 10 amps. Somehow, the combination is triggering a 40 amp breaker.

The cell will draw less than 2 amps.

Why is the breaker 40 amps?

Is the breaker gfci?

Do you have a picture of everything?

 

[akropp]

The breaker is GFCI. I was mistaken though — it’s 20 amps. (Two 20 amps together — forgot about it being 220v).

Is there a good way to stop the vsp from tripping the GFCI? Or do I just replace it with a non GFCI?

 

[laprjns]

By code you need a GFCI. My pump uses a Century Vgreen motor and once I installed a GE GFCI breaker it would trip immediately when power was applied to the motor. I solved this problem by switching to a Siemens QPF2 GFCI breaker. However there are considerations that need to be assessed regarding mixing breaker brands and load center panel brands. You should read through this thread.

After running VS pump last season without a GFCI breaker I finally got around to installing one this season. Given that I have a GE load center panel I installed a GE THQL2120GF double pole ground fault breaker ($93) which is listed on the panels label. It didn't work, GFI trips immediately when breaker is switched on. In researching this I found the following, in no particular order.
1) This is apparently a common problem with the noise from the high frequency inverter and or rectifier of the VFD causing the GFCI protection to trip. In some cases it may just be intermittent but my case it was immediately. Never was able to run the motor.
2) Siemens QPF2 GFCI are designed to be immune to this noise.
3) Pentair has their own GFCI breaker which they have listed for their load center panels. This breaker is just a re-branded Siemens QPF2 GFCI.
4) Listed breakers - All loaded center panels have listed on their labels breakers that are approved for use in the panel. In order to be listed, they must be approved by UL. To get UL approval, the manufacture of the panel needs to pay UL for design assessment and/or test of the breaker for use in the panel. No manufacture is going to pay for the approval of another manufactures breaker in their panel.
5) Classified breakers. Some manufactures (Eaton) have replacement breakers that have been tested and approved in other manufactures panels. Eaton has a cross reference of their Classified replacement breakers to other manufactures breakers.
6) It's my understanding that the use of classified breakers (note that the classified breaker list the various panels that it is approved for in the supplied documentation) does meet the code requirements, although some building inspectors may balk at it. Some manufactures (Square D) are resisting the use of Classified breaker in their panels for obvious reasons.
For my GE panel, there appears to be no classified double pole GFCI breaker available. The Siemens QPF breakers do fit in my panel and from what I found on the internet and told by an electrician, will work without problems. However it neither listed nor classified for use in my panel. So my choice is to be non code compliant by either using normal breaker (non GFCI protected) or use the Siemens QFP breaker. I'm going with the Siemens breaker.

 

[akropp]

Thanks for the replies about the Siemens breaker. Swapped out what i had for one of those and haven’t seen a trip since.