ATTENTION ELECTRICIANS! ground fault circuit breaker problem; help!!?

hot tub 50 amp gfci breaker image

Patrick

Hello. Why would a GFCI circuit breaker trip when the neutral is in its proper place? I put in a hot tub and wired it in via a sub-panel spa panel. It's a Brett Aqualine hot tub with one of those weird 110/240 switches built in via a control panel with A LOT of relays and capacitors involved. The main panel is a big GE 200 amp job; the spa panel is a Murray 125 amp with a 50 amp GFCI included. The GE panel has a standard 40 amp breaker feeding the spa panel and its GFCI. With a regular breaker is placed in the Murray panel the hot tub runs like a skunked monkey. If the 50 amp GFCI breaker is put in WITHOUT putting the neutral in place, it runs the same way, BUT when the neutral is tied in it trips instantly. I tried every thing I could think of without luck. I'm beginning to think the hot tub control panel is bad; maybe I should replace it with a regular 220 volt hot tub control panel; the kind without 3-4 relays and 100s of capacitors tied in on goofy switch. Any ideas? Patrick
I thought the GFCI was bad too...so I exchanged it; the same thing is happening with the replacement----???

Is there an add-in part like an isolator I can put between the GFCI and the hot tub/load????

Patrick

Answer
First make sure you that the neutral from the tub is tied to the GFCI breaker not the neutral bar.The neutral from the breaker to the neutral bar.

The wires from the tub go on the breaker.The disconnect panel is a Main Lug Only panel (MLO),that's where the Line goes in.You load comes from the breaker to the tub

If that's not it there may be a ground between the ground & neutral going to or at the tub.

Good luck & hope this helps

Hot tub GFCI problem?

SEEMEN

I have a 50 amp 220 breaker in the house, I have a 30 amp and a 20 amp gfci breaker outside for my hot tub. Its been working fine but now the 30 amp gcfi trips when ever both are turned on. I tried replacing the breaker but that did not fix the problem. As soon as both are turned on its always the 30 amp gfci that trips. But if you just turn 1 of the breakers on that breaker will run fine. The 30 amp does the heat and the 20 amp does the jets. Any ideas on what to do?
i have tried a regualr breaker and it id not trip, so whats the fix for a ground fault?
im sorry i missread, so i guess i have a problem with the wiring, because it does not trip when a regualr breaker is used so is there a way to find out if its in the wire from the disconect to the hot tub or if its the line from the main panel to the disconnect?
again i red again i you state that i have a problem with a ground fault how do i fix that

Answer
It is possible that the wire that feeds the disconnect has a ground fault in it causing both GFCI's to trip out at the same time. Both legs so to speak to the unit even though it should trip at the 30 amp breaker if it is a double pole breaker. If they are both 120 volt then this could be your problem.
I would suggest that you make sure everything is dry and tight. Check it all out to make sure there is no moisture any where in the disconnect and the hot tub any where that may cause them to trip out. GFCI's are very sensitive to moisture.
The next thing to do would be to try them on regular breakers to see if they trip out (not to be used permanently mind you) If they do trip then you know you have a problem with the wiring if they do not you have a ground fault (not a short) that has to be checked and repaired.

Good Luck :)

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Title Post: ATTENTION ELECTRICIANS! ground fault circuit breaker problem; help!!?
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