I have a steam shower/jaccuzi tub combo. The steam generator requires 240 volts. It is currently wired with 120 volt wire (12-2 I believe; wired by a licensed electrician.) the circuit breaker is a seimens 240 volt 20 amp double pole gfci breaker. The black wire goes to one of the load power connections on the breaker. The white wire to the other load power connections. The ground wire goes to the load neutral connection on the breaker. There is also a large white coated stranded wire that comes out the bottom of the breaker that connects to the ground bar in the breaker panel. The problem is, is that the breaker immediately trips as though there is a short somewhere. I have replaced the breaker twice now (the 3rd breaker is on its way.) seeing how everything was wired by a licensed electrician (everything looks logical to me---(but I am not an electrician) and the fact that I installed a seimens 240 volt 20 amp double pole non-gfci breaker in the panel myself and it did not trip(and eveything powered up in the shower) I would think that the gfci breakers that I have been getting are defective... or is the gfci breaker wired incorrectly... or is it something else that I'm not aware of? Please help!! My wife and I have been waiting to fully enjoy this unit! Thanks in advance. .

You are fine.

What you are describing is nothing more than a straight 240 feed. The white conductor has been retasked as an ungrounded conductor.

Normally I would expect to see either red or black coloring or electrical tape on the white lead.

Also, your breaker is a GFCI breaker, as required.

P.S. I apologize, I did not read the entire note from you. It appears to me that you have something tripping the breaker.

gmehring, are you saying you've changed breakers three times and they all knock as soon as you set up the breaker?

Hard to read in all caps.

What you describe is a 240V GFI breaker. A GFI is required for a shower/Jaccuzi. Sounds like breaker is tripping because of a ground fault (like it is suppose to).

Please do not use ALL CAPITAL LETTERS WHEN POSTING A QUESTION.

I have separated each line to try to make it easier to read.

My comments are in red.






I HAVE A STEAM SHOWER/JACCUZI TUB COMBO.

THE STEAM GENERATOR REQUIRES 240 VOLTS.

IT IS CURRENTLY WIRED WITH 120 VOLT WIRE (12-2 I BELIEVE; WIRED BY A LICENSED ELECTRICIAN.)

Just because it is #12-2 does not mean it is 120 volt wire.

THE CIRCUIT BREAKER IS A SEIMENS 240 VOLT 20 AMP DOUBLE POLE GFCI BREAKER.

THE BLACK WIRE GOES TO ONE OF THE LOAD POWER CONNECTIONS ON THE BREAKER.

THE WHITE WIRE TO THE OTHER LOAD POWER CONNECTIONS.

THE GROUND WIRE GOES TO THE LOAD NEUTRAL CONNECTION ON THE BREAKER.

Is this the bare ground wire connecting to the neutral lug on the breaker? if so, this is incorrect.

THERE IS ALSO A LARGE WHITE COATED STRANDED WIRE THAT COMES OUT THE BOTTOM OF THE BREAKER THAT CONNECTS TO THE GROUND BAR IN THE BREAKER PANEL.

The short white wire from the breaker needs to connect to the Neutral bar in the panel. Not sure if you mean "ground bar" or Neutral bar", in some panels one bar is both.

THE PROBLEM IS, IS THAT THE BREAKER IMMEDIATELY TRIPS AS THOUGH THERE IS A SHORT SOMEWHERE.

May be a ground fault (fancy word for short) or not wired correctly.


I HAVE REPLACED THE BREAKER TWICE NOW (THE 3RD BREAKER IS ON ITS WAY.) SEEING HOW EVERYTHING WAS WIRED BY A LICENSED ELECTRICIAN (EVERYTHING LOOKS LOGICAL TO ME---(BUT I AM NOT AN ELECTRICIAN) AND THE FACT THAT I INSTALLED A SEIMENS 240 VOLT 20 AMP DOUBLE POLE NON-GFCI BREAKER IN THE PANEL MYSELF AND IT DID NOT TRIP(AND EVEYTHING POWERED UP IN THE SHOWER)

Do not use the shower without properly working GFI protection. OK for testing purposes to use a Non GFI unit.

I WOULD THINK THAT THE GFCI BREAKERS THAT I HAVE BEEN GETTING ARE DEFECTIVE...OR IS THE GFCI BREAKER WIRED INCORRECTLY...OR IS IT SOMETHING ELSE THAT I'M NOT AWARE OF?

Can be something is not wired properly, or there is a ground fault the breaker is detecting.

PLEASE HELP!!! MY WIFE AND I HAVE BEEN WAITING TO FULLY ENJOY THIS UNIT!


Why not call into the installer and have him check his work? You hired him to install the circuit and connect the unit, he is responsible for making it work properly.

Posting some photos of the breaker how it is connected may help us see what you have.

THANKS IN ADVANCE.

If you write back with ALL CAPS, I will delete the tread.

Sorry about the ALL CAPS initial email. In response, yes the gfci breaker has been replaced once (2 different breakers) and the third is on its way. What I didn't say initialy is that the first gfci breaker worked for about 15 minutes. Then the second gfci breaker didn't work at all (tripped right away.) What stumps me is that I bought a circuit breaker that was non-gfci, installed it and behold, everything powers up and does NOT trip. I explained earlier how the gfci breaker is wired. DONF states that it is wired properly. Yes, the white wire is "colored" black aparently with a permanent marker. It would be hard to believe the Seimens breakers are that short lived but possible nonetheless. Hoping the third breaker works when it comes in. I would call the electrician that installed it but he did a few things during our remodel that we didn't care for and my wife got pretty vocal. I don't think it would be the best idea to call him unless absolutely necessary. I DO appreciate everyone's help. Thanks in advance.

Describe this wire:

The ground wire goes to the load neutral connection on the breaker.

This "ground wire" is the bare (non coated) wire on standard 120 volt wire. It connects to the load neutral on the breaker and to the ground connection on the outlet. The black and white wires are "hot"; They connect to the two "load power" connections on the breaker (total of 3 places to connect a wire on the breaker) and to the other only 2 places to connect to on the outlet. Hope this helps... Thanks.

Sorry took so long to get back.

It is wired wrong.


The bare must connect to the equipment ground bar.

It needs to be removed.

Now I question how the remaining circuit is wired.


I highly suggest you hire another, better, electrician to get this inspected and corrected as necessary before using the unit.