Breaker Tripping

[JeredB]

I own a 2005 Hot Springs Grandee, original owner.  The only sevice it has had is the heater was replaced about 5 years ago.  It is wired from a 50 amp breaker in the house to panel outside with a 30 amp breaker and 20 amp breaker.  The heater runs off the 30 and the pumps and panel off the 20.  About a week ago the 20 amp breaker tripped.  I reset it and everything seemed fine.  Couple days later I went to treat the tub and when used the jets the 20 amp breaker instantly popped.  This was repeated a couple times.  I called Hot Springs and they sent a guy out.  He replaced the recirc pump, heat sensors, and left.  Next day I go out to treat tub and turn on jets, treat tub, turn off jets and push the clean button for timed run, 20 amp breaker instantly trips.  Attempt to reset breaker but it instantly trips.  After hours so no repair person to call.  Did note breaker felt spongy.  Opened panel all looked good nothing felt hot or odd odor.  Board and all pumps are off no reading on multimeter.  Cleaned grounds with wire brush and pulled board pins and re sat them.  Breaker then was able to be reset.  Hot Springs back next day and replaced 20 amp breaker.  Tub seemed good for a day but then 20 amp breaker started to trip again randomly and noted temp was high, set at 100 but ready light only illuminated at 103 to 104.  Jets could be run off and on without breaker trip.  Few hours later temp returned to 100 and ready light lit.  Next day 20 amp breaker trips again.  Hot Springs back replaces 20 amp breaker for 2nd time saying manufacturer recommended.  Runs jets for hour plus temp returns both power and ready lights on all seems good.  Hot Springs leaves and shortly later 20 amp breaker trips.  Reset jets run all good.  20 min later breaker trips again.  Now breaker will not reset.  Open panel and disconnect 3 heater relays from board and breaker resets.  Recirc pump now running to keep tub from freezing waiting for service again tomorrow.  Note 50 amp house breaker and 30 amp panel breaker have never tripped.  No flashing indicator lights on panel or board except now the power light is flashing since heater is discon from board.  Any help?  Thank You.  Jered

[Foxy]

if you disconnected your heater relays and spa does no longer trip breaker then you have identified component causing the issue and you need to have the heater replaced again

 

[JeredB]

The heater runs off the 30 amp breaker though.  Only the 20 is triping. I didnt disconnect the heater from the panel only the relays from the heater to the control board.  The hot springs techs were back and said they found a loose wire and took care of it.  I got home and the 20 amp was tripped again.  Reset it and it stayed good for almost 2 days, tub temp light stayed on like all was good.   Now today I get home and the 20 amp is tripped again and continues to randomly trip. Jets on and off don't seem to affect it and the ready light just lit but then it tripped again.  No idea whats going on and Hot Springs just wants me to monitor it.   Ugh

[Hot Spring Official]

You may want to double check your serial number. A 2005 Grandee with serial numbers that begin with "G" have the heater on the 30A circuit, those beginning with "GG" should have the heater on the 20A circuit.

[JeredB]

Thank You I will check this when I get home and post.  Question, if the heater is also running off the 20A in this case what is running off the 30A?  

[Hot Spring Official]

 The heater is on it's own circuit always, everything that is not a heater runs off the second circuit. Whether that other circuit is the 20A or 30A will depend on your serial number "G" or "GG"

[JeredB]

Model G. 

 

Got home and 20A is tripped.  Reset and tripped as I was removing front panel.  Reset and took the pic attached and it tripped again when I bumped what looks like a phone cord and then wouldnt reset just instantly tripped.  Followed cord to panel and unplugged the aux board.  Breaker now resets.  Waiting to see what happens.  Could the Aux Board be doing it?

[JeredB]

20A just tripped about 3 hours later.  Back to the drawing board.  

[Jersey Hot Tub Repair]

Since the tub is 13 years old, I think it's safe to assume the 20A and 30A wiring are correct.

If you assume that, the only major load on that 20A circuit is from the jets pump.  VIsually inspect the pump.  Are their any signs of leakage around the seal between the wet end and the motor shaft?  You might see salt buildup, white residue or water.  I see at least a dozen spas a month where that seal fails and water gets sucked into the motor housing.  When enough water gets in, some of it wets an electrical connection and you get intermittent breaker tripping.  And that type of failure almost always occurs after the jet pump has been running for several minutes, if not several cycles.

If the seal is good, you're still dealing with a 13 year old motor.  The shaft could be binding and causing a circuit breaker trip.  I've also seen pump electronics fail.  It seems like you've eliminated almost everything else.

I would disconnect the jet pump and run the spa a few days and see if it continues to trip.

[JeredB]

Thank You for your response. I will look at the jet pumps when I get home.  The odd thing is after Friday night the breaker has not tripped all weekend.  I treated the tub on Saturday and we used it on Sunday.  This morning it still had not tripped from Friday night.  

[JeredB]

The pumps both look good no salt build up or sign of leakage by the dust under them.  Breaker still has not tripped since Friday.  If it trips I will disconnect both pumps, wait, recconnect one etc see what happens.  Will note now that the ready light is off and temp must be set up to 104 to get it to illuminate.  Normally keep temp at 100.  This has been going on since I got home 4 hours ago.  Ready light was lit all weekend.  Outside temp has been between 30 and 50.  I have left the aux board disconnected since Friday.

[Jersey Hot Tub Repair]

Has the tub been used since Friday?  If you're not running the jets, your jet pumps aren't turning and no water will get sucked into them to cause them to short out. 

[JeredB]

Both jets ran Sat about 20 min.  They both ran Sun for about an hour when we were in the tub.  Last night I ran them 5 to 10 minutes.  As of tue morning the breaker still as not tripped since Friday.  Ready light is back on this morning.

[ChrisWC]

JeredB, we have a HS Vanguard that exhibits the same exact symptoms of 20A breaker tripping.  What exactly was determined to be the cause for your hot tub?  Was it the aux board or something else?  Any help is appreciated.  We've been dealing with this too long and I want to get it fixed.  Thanks!

[DavidC]

JeredB or ChrisWC, any resolution on what was going on?

We also have a HS Vanguard that is intermediately tripping the 20A breaker. I replaced the breaker, but that seemed to make it worse. Previous, it would only trip intermediately when the jets were pushed, but with a new breaker, it tripped for no reason at all.

Sure would appreciate it if either of you could report back any solution.

Thanks.

[Spa Board Doctor]

Does the spa have an Ozonator?  If so, disconnect from circuit board and see if the problem persists.

Brandon@spokanespas.com

[ChrisWC]

On 1/11/2020 at 4:50 PM, spokanespas said:

Does the spa have an Ozonator?  If so, disconnect from circuit board and see if the problem persists.

Brandon@spokanespas.com

Solution found!  Thank you Brandon for pointing me in the right direction!  It was the Ozonator but not the unit itself, it was the power cord that runs from the Ozonator over to the Control Panel (where it plugs in).  Upon further inspection, I found the cord had been chewed on by mice or other rodent.  With bare wires exposed in a couple spots, I completely covered the cord in electrical tape but that didn’t resolve the issue so I removed and replaced the power cord.  Problem solved!  No more issues with The 20A breaker tripping now.  See pic for evidence of cord chewing and wire damage.  Thanks again Brandon!