Tripping GFCI

[fastmerc]

Hey there folks,

Had a GFCI breaker go bad, so I installed a new one. This breaker is for the pool light only. The new breaker kept going into fault. I pulled the light out of the niche, opened it and replaced the seal and put in a new bulb. Tested out of water fine. As soon as any part of the metal can touches the pool water it trips the breaker. Any ideas to check for? Thank you in advance.

 

[Jimrahbe]

fm,

Welcome to TFP.. A great place to find all the answers to your pool equipment questions, no matter what your Fort is called..

In most case the pool light cable runs through an above ground junction box... the first thing I would do is make sure there is no moisture, or bugs, in the box..

If the connections in the box look good, then I would disconnect the power leads from the light and see if the GFCI still pops... If it does, then the problem is between the GFCI and the junction box.. If not, the problem should be between the junction box and the light housing itself..

Just redoing the junction box connections might just fix it.

I lived on Eglin AFB, from 74 to 77.. Can't remember the name, but a hurricane came through and took the roof off of my neighbor's house... and my pregnant wife had to spend a couple of days the hospital, just in case the baby came.. We had a 16 foot ski boat that was kept in a three story boat house... they would pick it out with a giant forklift when I wanted to use it.. The forks on the forklift were about twice as long as my boat... We all had a great time there...

Thanks for posting,

Jim R.

 

[JamesW]

Probably a bad light. Turn off power to the light at the breaker. Test wires for power before touching.

Open the junction box and separate the light from the line. Try an alternate load on the line to see if it works with no trip.

Check the light wires for ground problems. Check black to green and white to green.

Check with an electrician if you have any doubt about the safety of the light.

 

[fastmerc]

fm,

Welcome to TFP.. A great place to find all the answers to your pool equipment questions, no matter what your Fort is called..

In most case the pool light cable runs through an above ground junction box... the first thing I would do is make sure there is no moisture, or bugs, in the box..

If the connections in the box look good, then I would disconnect the power leads from the light and see if the GFCI still pops... If it does, then the problem is between the GFCI and the junction box.. If not, the problem should be between the junction box and the light housing itself..

Just redoing the junction box connections might just fix it.

I lived on Eglin AFB, from 74 to 77.. Can't remember the name, but a hurricane came through and took the roof off of my neighbor's house... and my pregnant wife had to spend a couple of days the hospital, just in case the baby came.. We had a 16 foot ski boat that was kept in a three story boat house... they would pick it out with a giant forklift when I wanted to use it.. The forks on the forklift were about twice as long as my boat... We all had a great time there...

Thanks for posting,

Jim R.

You wouldn't believe the changes here. I got here in 84 so I can only imagine what it would look like to you....lol. Still beautiful just crowded and overbuilt.

- - - Updated - - -

Probably a bad light. Turn off power to the light at the breaker. Test wires for power before touching.

Open the junction box and separate the light from the line. Try an alternate load on the line to see if it works with no trip.

Check the light wires for ground problems. Check black to green and white to green.

Check with an electrician if you have any doubt about the safety of the light.[/QUOTE

Ive been in the junction box and everything looked good, but I will open again tomorrow. It is just strange that the light works when its on the deck, but the second any part of the case touches the water it trips the breaker, even if the light itself is not powered up.

 

[Jimrahbe]

It is just strange that the light works when its on the deck, but the second any part of the case touches the water it trips the breaker, even if the light itself is not powered up.

fm,


I can understand it not popping when on the deck, but I can't understand how it would be possible for it to pop when the light is not powered up...

Where is the GFCI located and what all does it power up? What do you do to turn the light on?

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[BMK]

My light was never tested out of the water, but a bad ground in the junction box kept tripping the GFI.

 

[JamesW]

You should get an electrician to check this out. People should not swim while you have this type of problem.

 

[fastmerc]

fm,


I can understand it not popping when on the deck, but I can't understand how it would be possible for it to pop when the light is not powered up...

Where is the GFCI located and what all does it power up? What do you do to turn the light on?

Thanks,

Jim R.

This is the only thing connected to this gfci. The circuit goes from the breaker, to a rheostat, to the junction box, to the light. Edit: Turn on with rheostat, breaker box is located in a pool shed with all the other pool equipment.


- - - Updated - - -

My light was never tested out of the water, but a bad ground in the junction box kept tripping the GFI.

I will pull the box open again and double check the grounding.

 

[JamesW]

Do you have a picture of the wiring at the breaker?

I suspect that the powered black wire is connecting to ground or the neutral is wired incorrectly.

The problem might be the dimmer switch.

 

[fastmerc]

Do you have a picture of the wiring at the breaker?

I suspect that the powered black wire is connecting to ground or the neutral is wired incorrectly.

The problem might be the dimmer switch.

I will take a pic when I get out to the property.

 

[JoeGolan]

My light was never tested out of the water, but a bad ground in the junction box kept tripping the GFI.

@BMK... this may be misleading as typically GFCI do not measure the ground conductor. What they do is compare the current on the two wires that feed the light, hot & neutral. If it sees a different current between them (about 5ma.) it trips the circuit. The theory is if the current is not equal it must be leaking somewhere else. GFCIs will protect you this way without any ground connection at all.

here is a an article that explains it better then I can

How does a GFCI outlet work? | HowStuffWorks

and one that gets a little more technical from an electrical trade publication

How GFCIs Work | Electrical Construction & Maintenance (EC&M) Magazine

One last not, they do not last forever and should be tested regularly (press the test button to trip and then the Reset button to restore power), many manufacturers recommend monthly testing.

 

[JoeGolan]

Hey there folks,

Had a GFCI breaker go bad, so I installed a new one. This breaker is for the pool light only. The new breaker kept going into fault. I pulled the light out of the niche, opened it and replaced the seal and put in a new bulb. Tested out of water fine. As soon as any part of the metal can touches the pool water it trips the breaker. Any ideas to check for? Thank you in advance.

Your light itself may be faulty and allowing current to leak from either the hot or neutral side of the line into the water, which is why it is not failing when you tested it out of the water.

This is not something the average homeowner/poolowner would be able to diagnose without the proper test equipment.

See this fact sheet for more information

https://www.cpsc.gov/PageFiles/118853/099.pdf

 

[fastmerc]

Your light itself may be faulty and allowing current to leak from either the hot or neutral side of the line into the water, which is why it is not failing when you tested it out of the water.

This is not something the average homeowner/poolowner would be able to diagnose without the proper test equipment.

See this fact sheet for more information

https://www.cpsc.gov/PageFiles/118853/099.pdf

Im going out to the property tomorrow. I have a nice DMM if that could test for it. If it is leaking current to the case, is it something that might be able to be repaired or does it have to be replaced completely?