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    Honk hunt's Avatar
    Honk hunt Posts: 4, Reputation: 1
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    #1

    Jul 21, 2013, 07:12 PM
    Hot tub subpanel
    50 amp gfi keeps tripping 50 amp breaker at panel is good to go. 20 amp Separate breaker in sub panel works fine. Remove both hots from hot tub left Neutral and it doesn't pop hot tub is use but a 2008 and was working when I disconnected
    donf's Avatar
    donf Posts: 5,679, Reputation: 582
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    #2

    Jul 22, 2013, 09:45 AM
    Can you clean up your question, please?

    A 50 amp GFCI (what - receptacle or breaker)? Trips what?

    If you are talking about a 50 amp GFCI receptacle tripping off, then you more than likely have a short. GFCI breakers or receptacles are used to protect people from getting killed. They operate by monitoring the current on the Hot and Neutral wires. If the difference between the current on each wire is greater than 0.6 amps, the receptacle or breaker shuts down.

    I would check for insulation failure on the wires from the tub to the receptacle. Look under the tub for any chewed, charred or damaged conductors. Also, using an Ohm meter (with the tub disconnected from the receptacle check for continuity between each conductor and ground, particularly the Neutral.

    Just a personal comment, I strongly suggest you have a licensed professional electrician do the work. Mistakes in this area can quickly kill anyone.
    Honk hunt's Avatar
    Honk hunt Posts: 4, Reputation: 1
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    #3

    Jul 22, 2013, 12:13 PM
    Wring a hot tub. I have 50 amp double pole breaker main to a sub pannel .sub has 50 gfi and pigtail and 20 amp gfi circuit. 20 amp works fine. Sound like a relay at hot tub clicks when breaker is moved into on position breaker doesn't completely release. It's a 2008 it was working when I bought it using same equipment. I have removed power leaving only netural at hot tub and it doesn't pop the circuit breaker. I have double checked wiring at sub . Good ground at sub pannel its 5 ft away from hot tub. Netural and ground are sparated at sub pannel and are together at main. I did nick one of the hots coming in from hot tub to panel. I am wondering if that were my problem is? I cut and spliced it I think it may have been aluminum connector then heat shink around it. I know all wriing needs to be copper 6 gauge. Yes I will have a Electrician check it out before we get in it. Just trying to rule everything out frist thanks for any help you can proved
    donf's Avatar
    donf Posts: 5,679, Reputation: 582
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    #4

    Jul 22, 2013, 01:19 PM
    Okay, you still are not making sense to me.

    If the hot tub requires a 240 Vac circuit of 50 amps, then I would expect that you have a main panelboard feed (4 wire cable) to a secondary panelboard) At that secondary panelboard you should have a 50 amp breaker installed which feeds an emergency cut off switch. Which, in turn feeds the motors and heaters necessary for the hot tub. You are required by code to have a 125 V GFCI receptacle (within 10' of the inside edge of the hot tub) nearby.

    If you currently are not using a secondary panelboard, you cannot take a tap from one of the hot legs feeding the hot tub motors and heaters of the pump to feed this GFCI receptacle!

    For one thing, you create an immediate load imbalance (which will trip a GFCI in a heartbeat) if both the hot tub and the receptacle are in use at the same time.

    Not to mention you will be putting a 50 amp feed onto a device that is listed for 20 amps. The GFCI receptacle near the hot tub must come from a general purpose branch circuit, not the hot tub feed.

    If you were to set up a 70 amp (just using these values a reference points) secondary panelboard and protect that with a 70 amp breaker at the main panelboard, then install a 0 amp 240 V breaker and a 20 amp breaker feeding a 20 amp GFCI receptacle that would be one way, but it would still not meet the requirement of a "General Purpose GFCI receptacle"
    Honk hunt's Avatar
    Honk hunt Posts: 4, Reputation: 1
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    #5

    Jul 22, 2013, 04:46 PM
    Sorry I am not make myself clear let me try this again. Main panel double pole 50 amp breaker. 4 wires out to sub panel. Sub pannel has 20 amp breaker powering a gfi reptical which works with out a problem. 50 amp gfi in sub is tripping as soon as power is put to it
    Quote Originally Posted by donf View Post
    Okay, you still are not making sense to me.

    If the hot tub requires a 240 Vac circuit of 50 amps, then I would expect that you have a main panelboard feed (4 wire cable) to a secondary panelboard) At that secondary panelboard you should have a 50 amp breaker installed which feeds an emergency cut off switch. Which, in turn feeds the motors and heaters necessary for the hot tub. You are required by code to have a 125 V GFCI receptacle (within 10' of the inside edge of the hot tub) nearby.

    If you currently are not using a secondary panelboard, you cannot take a tap from one of the hot legs feeding the hot tub motors and heaters of the pump to feed this GFCI receptacle!

    For one thing, you create an immediate load imbalance (which will trip a GFCI in a heartbeat) if both the hot tub and the receptacle are in use at the same time.

    Not to mention you will be putting a 50 amp feed onto a device that is listed for 20 amps. The GFCI receptacle near the hot tub must come from a general purpose branch circuit, not the hot tub feed.

    If you were to set up a 70 amp (just using these values a reference points) secondary panelboard and protect that with a 70 amp breaker at the main panelboard, then install a 0 amp 240 V breaker and a 20 amp breaker feeding a 20 amp GFCI receptacle that would be one way, but it would still not meet the requirement of a "General Purpose GFCI receptacle"
    jerro's Avatar
    jerro Posts: 172, Reputation: 5
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    #6

    Jul 23, 2013, 02:45 PM
    Did you run the neutral from the hot tub to the neutral connection screw on the 240 volt breaker? Any neutral feeding from a gfi breaker to what ever your feeding has to be connected to the breaker not the neutral bar. A separate white wire already connected to the breaker from the manufacturer is connected the neutral bar.
    Honk hunt's Avatar
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    #7

    Jul 23, 2013, 04:02 PM
    [Yes Neutral from hot tub is connected to breaker pigtail is connected to neutral bar ground is connected to ground When leaving just neutral connected the hot tub it doesn't pop when applying both hots breaker pops QUOTE=jerro;3513355]Did you run the neutral from the hot tub to the neutral connection screw on the 240 volt breaker? Any neutral feeding from a gfi breaker to what ever your feeding has to be connected to the breaker not the neutral bar. A separate white wire already connected to the breaker from the manufacturer is connected the neutral bar.[/QUOTE]

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