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GFI hot tub issues

All,

I just ran 6/3 wire (red/black/white/bare copper) from main panel off a 50A double pole to a outside subpanel that houses a 60A GFI SPA breaker.

I had the 60A spa unit for another hot tub and since my new hot tub is 50A, I just changed the breaker to a smaller one in the main box--is that OK?

My problem is when I turn on the tub, it trips the GFI plug at the subpanel. The hot tub and subpanel was labeled with color codes so it was easy to wire--so it appeared.

My main panel, I wired the red/black to the breaker and the nuetral and bare wire ground to the bus bar.

Any ideas why its tripping?

Tim

I would disconnect Pump motor, see if it trips, then all extras, one by one, then reconnect and determine defective part or wiring. Motors seem to leak to ground more than anything. 60 Amp GFI OK, It is protected by 50 AMP breaker.

What about the load neutral from the spa? Should connect to the neutral lug on the breaker, below or near the pigtail.

Thanks for the quick replies. The white neutral wire is hooked to the load neutral bar on the sub panel and on the ground bar on the main.

I disconnected each pump motor (there are two) and turned on GFI. They started and ran for 5 seconds then tripped the GFI.

The spa sub panel I got from Home Depot was labeled pretty well. I'm thinking the problem is either at the main where I tied down the neutral on the ground bar or maybe it the bare copper causing havoc?

On the hot tub side, it call for a green insulted wire for ground. I'm using bare copper.

Again, thanks for brainstorming with me. I just spoke to the previous hot tub owner and he said the tub was working on his house wiring.

Tim

The Neutral line and load need to be connected correctly, as mentioned above.
Coming from GFI, you need, red and black(2 hots/black/black), a ground, bare is OK.
But neutral needs to connect to equipment neutral, and at no point connect to ground.
4 conductors.

Ok, now it makes sense. I currently have the neutral wired to the ground bar in the main box. But on a two-pole breaker without GFI in the main box, where to a tie in the neutral if its not supposed to connect to ground bar?

Thanks.

Tim

Your red,black,white, bare need to go from 50 amp breaker, along with neutral and ground, there should be separate bars. The bare goes with the greens.
Then to 60 amp GFI Green to enclossure White to GFI IN Maybe a coiled wire. And red/black in.
Then red/black out of gfi, green to ground(enclosure) and white(neutral)out of GFI connects to spa equipment neutral. Only. Not to ground.

Quote:

Originally Posted by hdcrazyhombre

All,

I just ran 6/3 wire (red/black/white/bare copper) from main panel off a 50A double pole to a outside subpanel that houses a 60A GFI SPA breaker.

Sub panel? Or GFCI disconnect? What does the box say that this panel came in?

Quote:

My main panel, I wired the red/black to the breaker and the nuetral and bare wire ground to the bus bar.

The one that everything in your house is running off correct? If so then you had that one wired correct.

Double pole 50amp breaker in the house right? Is not the GFCI?
Connect it like any other breaker, 2 hots,Neutral and ground

How many bus bars are in the boxby the spa?

GFCI disconnect box
Wire nut N from house run to curly pig already on breaker. (If there are 2 bars in this box connect them both to one of the bars only) your done there.
Connect Ground from house run to ground bar (this woud be the other bar if you have 2 separated bars in that box)
2 hots to breaker feed lugs in box

GFCI disconnect box to hot tub
Breaker:
Neutral spot on breaker with a white dot to hot tub Neutral connectiopn
2 hot wires out of breaker to hot tub connection
Ground from bar to hot tub connection

Just have to ask, the hot tub does have a connection spot for each wire individually right? Is it adigital with a circuit board? Some do not have 4 connections on hot tub.

Tim[/QUOTE]

Does the tub have water in it? Do not dry fire the tub you could wreck the heating element.
What is the name on the control pak, just curious.
Does the tub have a blower motor for air bubbles? If it does try disconnecting it first. Some times water gets in these. Causes of tripping.

Repair hot tubs for a living.

ALZ1

Thanks for the response.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ALZ1

Sub panel? or GFCI disconnect? What does the box say that this panel came in?

>>The outside box next to the spa is a GFCI disconnect. Its a Home Depot special ready pack for SPAs.

How many bus bars are in the box by the spa?

>>There are two bus bars in the disconnect GFCI. One for the grounds and one for the neutral wire tied the GFCI breaker.

GFCI disconnect box
wire nut N from house run to curly pig already on breaker. (If there are 2 bars in this box connect them both to one of the bars only) your done there.
connect Ground from house run to ground bar (this woud be the other bar if you have 2 seperated bars in that box)
2 hots to breaker feed lugs in box

>>This is the way its wired.

Just have to ask, the hot tub does have a connection spot for each wire individually right? Is it adigital with a circuit board? some do not have 4 connections on hot tub.

My spa is a digital one with the 4 separate wire connectors coming off the circuit board.

Tim

Does the tub have water in it? Do not dry fire the tub you could wreck the heating element.
What is the name on the control pak, just curious.

Yes, I filled the hot tub before starting it.

Does the tub have a blower motor for air bubbles? If it does try disconnecting it first. Some times water gets in these. Causes of tripping.

Yes, its does. I'll try disconnecting it tonight to see if that helps.

Thanks for the advice.

Tim

All,

Thanks for all the excellent recommendations! It turned out my wiring was fine, it was the blower motor. I disconnected it from the circuit board, everything ran fine. I let it ran over night and the tub did not trip the breaker and the heater is heating up the water like it supposed to..

Now, from everyone's experience, can I take out the blower and blow it out with an air hose to remove an water from the motor, or is this unit needs to be replaced?

Tim

Quote:

Originally Posted by hdcrazyhombre

ALZ1,

Excellent recommendation! I finally realized that yes, I did wire the hot tub up correctly.

As soon as I disconnected the blower motor from the circuit board, everything ran fine. I let it run over night and tub did not trip the breaker and the heater is heating up the water.

Now, from your experience, can I take out the blower and blow it out with an air hose to remove an water from the motor or is this unit needs to be replaced?

Tim

It is worth a try, but usually once water has gotten to them it has done some damage depending on the time frame it has seen water. If after a week of sitting and air drying it, still trips, chances are good it is toast.

Better to get a dried out faulted one wet again than a brand new one. Follow the air lines and see if you can see where water might be flowing back into the air line and down in motor. Some you can some you can not see anything.

What brand is it?
Is it fully foamed?

ALZ1