[mountainurse]

Hi, I've read the other posts on this topic but wanted to ask for my specific situation. I wired this spa myself and it has worked well for over a year with only a few incidences of tripping here and there. Now I can't get the breaker to stay on without tripping for more than a day at most. When I wired it, for the shut off box (near the tub) I used one of the air conditioner type shut offs with the pull out key per the advice of an electrician who uses them often for spas, so my 50 amp GFCI is in the main panel ith my shut off key pulled out my main breaker is still tripping. So I can't imagine it has anything to do with the elements in the spa like the heater etc. Already replaced the GFCI. Still tripping. And as far as the wiring, I have my black, red and neutral wires in the actual breaker and the pigtail going to the neutral bus bar. This is how I've always had it and it worked fine until now. The ground also goes to the ground bus bar. In my shut of each wire is in it's rightful spot with my ground wires connected and capped. Then my 3 main wires go out and to the circuit panel. Any suggestions or ideas would be much appreciated.
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[jcaron2]

Out of curiosity, have you tried disconnecting the wires from the breaker and putting an ohm-meter across them? Assuming the key is out at the other end, it should be an open circuit between any two of the four wires (including ground). That might at least give you a clue if there's a short somewhere.

If that doesn't tell you anything, my only other thought is that maybe it's some sort of neutral-to-ground short in the shut-off box caused by heavy condensation from the steamy hot tub (especially this time of year). For example, maybe your neutral wire comes really close (but doesn't physically touch) the grounded metal case of the box? Or maybe the neutral has a nick in the insulation when it's still running right next to the bare ground wire, so that condensation causes it to short? Also, maybe there's been some corrosion growing wherever the problem is, which could actually cause the problem to get worse and worse over time.

Anyway, good luck!

[guinnell]

My hot tub kicks gfci breaker every morning. No moisture in box. Any suggestions?

[DevWaterloo]

Funny, I'm just having the same problem with an indoor swimspa, made by a hot tub company. The local rep seemed to be saying that this is not uncommon. I've traced a small continuity between one of my two hots and ground. I separated each module in turn from the control box and I still had the problem.

So then I took the drastic step of disconnecting the 6 gauge hot from the control pack (it's jammed into a small space like a pretzel and it'll be he'll getting it back in, but I digress).I still had the continuity,so this was suggesting the control pack, but not one of the components, is at fault.

I went to the report at that point and he reminded me that the one component that's not modular in my control box is the heat. He suggested there might be a small and intermittent short where the leads attach to the stainless pipe which houses the heat element. This made sense because I reasoned that maybe some galvanic action is taking place where the electrodes pass through the stainless shell.

Been too busy the past two days to go inspection to but I thought I'd share this idea. If this helps you, please post again. I hope to check mine out January 9.

By the way... Here is a list of so-called disposable technology currently on the fritz at my house. Universal Remote, rf variety... Buttons have no effect, not even the one that lights up the panel. Cell phone with Wind Mobile. Phone keeps going into emergency only mode even when in town. Sonos wireless sound system. Systems can never er reach Sonos to update itself, then blames me for being a delinquent owner. Two colour-changing led floating pool lights. Never worked, bought them at a home show against my better judgment. Only colour is beet red. Yamaha top of the line AV Receiver from way back 1992. The led screen stopped working altogether after 18 months. My Dad's analog receiver from 1969 still works like it's new.enough said. Check 'yer electrodes.

Dev