Ask Experts Questions for FREE Help !
Ask
    gmehring's Avatar
    gmehring Posts: 3, Reputation: 1
    New Member
    		  
    #1

    Jan 22, 2011, 04:17 PM
    Is my circuit breaker properly wired?
    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. .
    donf's Avatar
    donf Posts: 5,679, Reputation: 582
    Printers & Electronics Expert
    		  
    #2

    Jan 22, 2011, 04:37 PM

    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.
    parttime's Avatar
    parttime Posts: 1,440, Reputation: 113
    Ultra Member
    		  
    #3

    Jan 22, 2011, 04:59 PM

    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.
    hkstroud's Avatar
    hkstroud Posts: 11,929, Reputation: 899
    Home Improvement & Construction Expert
    		  
    #4

    Jan 22, 2011, 05:27 PM

    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).
    tkrussell's Avatar
    tkrussell Posts: 9,659, Reputation: 725
    Uber Member
    		  
    #5

    Jan 23, 2011, 06:37 AM
    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.



    Quote Originally Posted by gmehring View Post

    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.
    gmehring's Avatar
    gmehring Posts: 3, Reputation: 1
    New Member
    		  
    #6

    Jan 23, 2011, 10:22 PM
    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.
    tkrussell's Avatar
    tkrussell Posts: 9,659, Reputation: 725
    Uber Member
    		  
    #7

    Jan 24, 2011, 03:32 AM
    Describe this wire:

    The ground wire goes to the load neutral connection on the breaker.
    gmehring's Avatar
    gmehring Posts: 3, Reputation: 1
    New Member
    		  
    #8

    Jan 25, 2011, 08:53 PM
    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.
    tkrussell's Avatar
    tkrussell Posts: 9,659, Reputation: 725
    Uber Member
    		  
    #9

    Jan 26, 2011, 02:59 PM
    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.
Not your question? Ask your question View similar questions
 

Question Tools Search this Question
Search this Question:

Advanced Search

Add your answer here.


Check out some similar questions!

Theory of vacuum Circuit Breaker & sf6 circuit breaker [ 15 Answers ]

I want to know about the basic Theory of vacuum Circuit Breaker & sf6 circuit breaker

Circuit breaker box not working properly. [ 2 Answers ]

I was recently replacing the outlets in my bedroom from almond to white. I also replaced the outlet in my guest bathroom. In order ot do that I flipped the circuit breakers for those areas. When I turned them back on, the circuit in the bathroom came back on but the circuit breaker for the...

Breaker wired wrong? [ 1 Answers ]

I work on spas for a living but not an electrician an electrician installed a 50 amp ground fault breaker at the spa it trips as soon as cut on we checked all electronics on spa no problem I think breaker is wired wrong also box inside is a 30 amp breaker electrician tied to.

Can receptacles and lights be wired on the same circuit? [ 1 Answers ]

Hi, I a do it yourselfer who wanted to do some wiring in an addition. I was wondering if receptacles and lights can be wired together on the same circuit? Also, is it better to use 14 wire and then less wattage or 12 wire and then more loads? And what about bathrooms do they need to be on...

What's the phone jack module supposed to look like when wired properly? [ 2 Answers ]

A couple years ago our phone jacks in the 2nd story quit working. We didn't fix them, just bought a multiple phone system. Suddenly our main phone jack in the kitchen has failed to work. The rest of the phones and phone jacks in the house are still working properly. How can I tell which wires...

View more questions Search