GFCI motor issue

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zog

Senior Member
Location
Charlotte, NC
We are having a problem in our shop with GFCI's tripping that supply power to our parts tumbler. They are the type that are full of ceramic beads and have a submersible pump in a bucket of water that circulates water through the machine. We have replaced motors and the GFCI outlet many times and still keep having issues. Any suggestions? Is the pump and tumbler both required to have GFCI protection per the NEC?
 

jumper

Senior Member
GFCI protection is probably not required unless manufacture specs it.

Unless your machine is splashing a ton of water around it is unlikely you have an indoor wet location in your shop.

NEC references would be 110.3(B) and 210.8(B)(6).

The fact the GFCI continues to trip is a bit worrisome as many types of motors generally do fine on GFCIs.

What type of GFCI?

Who is wiring it?

Does GFCI trip with no load? Test okay with no load?

Tumbler, pump, and any other associated parts test clear for ground fault connections?

Gremlins?:)
 

zog

Senior Member
Location
Charlotte, NC
GFCI protection is probably not required unless manufacture specs it.

Unless your machine is splashing a ton of water around it is unlikely you have an indoor wet location in your shop.

NEC references would be 110.3(B) and 210.8(B)(6).

The fact the GFCI continues to trip is a bit worrisome as many types of motors generally do fine on GFCIs.

What type of GFCI?

Who is wiring it?

Does GFCI trip with no load? Test okay with no load?

Tumbler, pump, and any other associated parts test clear for ground fault connections?

Gremlins?:)

Dosen't splash water, tumblers are in sound proof room with no water source (Besides the bucket the pumps sit in)Does not trip unless there is a load, I think the fact we have 2 motors and 2 tumblers on same circuit is the problem, they will run for a while but will trip the GFCI on occasion.
 

jumper

Senior Member
Dosen't splash water, tumblers are in sound proof room with no water source (Besides the bucket the pumps sit in)Does not trip unless there is a load, I think the fact we have 2 motors and 2 tumblers on same circuit is the problem, they will run for a while but will trip the GFCI on occasion.

4 machines on 1 circuit.

1 breaker and regular receptacles?

4 GFCI receptacles on 1 circuit?
 

tom baker

First Chief Moderator
Staff member
New GFCIs do not nuisance trip like the ones 20 years ago, so if its tripping you most likely have some leakage to ground and the GFCI is doing its job.
Have you tried megging the motors and ciruits?
 
Location
NE (9.06 miles @5.9 Degrees from Winged Horses)
Occupation
EC - retired
Try Hubble GFCI rec's. Aquarium equipment manufactures have tested them all and these have solved problems for me.
Changing brands have helped on occasion for us as well. Guessing it's something other than a GF causing the grief when we have had success.

I have inserted my VOM in the EG to catch those peak ma when we've had to prove equipment problems.
 

ELA

Senior Member
Occupation
Electrical Test Engineer
Good excuse to get the company to invest in a differential leakage current meter designed to measure very low currents.
That way you can prove or disprove the idea that each machine may be leaking some and that it adds up.
Do the machines have a Electronic controlled motor drive of some type?
 
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