98 Grandee Gfci Problem

[westc]

I need help. I had a 98 Hot Springs Grandee that I just sold to someone else. We never had any problems with it except for a heater (that I broke myself). Now that the people have it set up everytime they turn the 20 amp GFCI breaker on in the subpanel it trips after a few seconds. The 30 amp for the heater works fine. They even disconnected everything from the hot tub side of the breaker and it still tripped. I told him to order a new breaker and I paid for it ($100). The problem is still happening even with the new breaker! What can the problem be?? I do know at my house I had a double 50 amp breaker in the box at the house for it; they wired it at their place with a double 30 amp. Please help! Is this an electrical installation error or hot tub problem??

[Stuart A]

It trips if it detects an imbalance between the line and neutral.

If you have disconnected everything from the hot tub and it still trips under no load then you need to get the electrician back who tested the cable and isolator, I would start with an insulation resistance test.

[andob45]

You said they have a double pole 30 amp supplying a 30 amp and 20 amp in the sub- panel. this may not have anything to do with the problem but should be corrected. I would call an electrician. could be a problem with the wire like stuart said, you should have a qualified electrician trouble shoot. sounds like an electrical issue to me as well.

[Peteyboy]

A 30 amp supplying the 20 & 30 in the sub-panel is wrong. You must have a double pole 50 amp.

Make sure the neutral from the spa goes directly into the 20 amp GFI breaker and not to the bus bar first (that will trip every time).

[westc]

OK. I have a little more insight now. I stopped by the guys house and looked at the wiring. I have continually asked from the beginning whether it was wired off the diagram in the setup instructions... and was always assured it was. It is not. They only have on a double 30 amp breaker coming out of the house (instead of the required 50) and only used 10 gauge 2 wire w/ground (instead of 8 gauge 3 wire w/ground) coming out of the house into the subpanel. The guy was actually PO'ed at me because the spa wasn't working! I told him to get a licensed electrician out to wire it correctly, then come back to me if it still wasn't working. I just hope that their wiring didn't fry something in the control panel. The diagram in the setup instructions is easy enough for a child to follow; there is NO WAY anyone ever looked at that diagram when they were wiring; NO WAY. Cost me $103 to supply them with a new GFCI breaker for the sub panel too!!!

[Peteyboy]

Many electricians have some arrogance and think they know everything about any hookup. HotSpring hooks up different then what they have seen before.

The spa is probably fine.

Just let the electrician know they come into that spa with 6 wires and they will figure it's different.