help - septic pump tripping

[Stevenfyeager]

3 years ago, I ran a circuit for an in ground septic pump. Recently this 20 amp, two pole, gfi breaker trips, causing water level to rise and sets off the alarm, etc. The customer has to go outside and reset it and it works ok for a week or month. Then trips again. My breaker is in a waterproof panel on a pole, with no sign of moisture inside. The septic person originally did all the underground wiring from my panel to the pump.
When I push the test button on the breaker, it tests fine. It doesn't matter if it's raining or dry weather. I will be asking the septic man to check his connections underground. That has to be where the problem is, correct ?
I wondered if changing the breaker to a regular non gfi would help. But I asked the local electrical inspector if the breaker needs to be gfi, she said yes, if its outside. Thank you for your thoughts.

 

[ptonsparky]

You need to meg the load from the breaker on out.

 

[GerryB]

3 years ago, I ran a circuit for an in ground septic pump. Recently this 20 amp, two pole, gfi breaker trips, causing water level to rise and sets off the alarm, etc. The customer has to go outside and reset it and it works ok for a week or month. Then trips again. My breaker is in a waterproof panel on a pole, with no sign of moisture inside. The septic person originally did all the underground wiring from my panel to the pump.
When I push the test button on the breaker, it tests fine. It doesn't matter if it's raining or dry weather. I will be asking the septic man to check his connections underground. That has to be where the problem is, correct ?
I wondered if changing the breaker to a regular non gfi would help. But I asked the local electrical inspector if the breaker needs to be gfi, she said yes, if its outside. Thank you for your thoughts.

I would put it on a regular breaker or a new GFI breaker, but I disagree with your inspector. That is a very "generic" answer IMO. I assume this is hard wired. We did a pool a few years ago, had a panel outside, the 240v heater does not require GFI protection. (why, I don't know). This seems much less a possible danger then a pool. Thinking about that pool I did we had a strange tripping problem for a while also. It was actually a sprinkler head pointed toward the panel and because of the angle the water got in.

 

[tom baker]

Not required to be GFCI if there is no receptacle the pump plugs into.

 

[ptonsparky]

Not required to be GFCI if there is no receptacle the pump plugs into.

True, but it worked for several years so a fault has developed, somewhere. The question now is 'Fix it now, or later'. Later could be never, which may be fine.
My point was the OP needs to check the circuit. He is the electrician, not the septic man.

 

[Cow]

We would also meg the circuit.

Fluke 1507 is what most of us use.

 

[GerryB]

We would also meg the circuit.

Fluke 1507 is what most of us use.

So you disconnect the wires at the above ground j-box and megger. If they are good how far do you go from there? Try to get readings on the motor? The OP didn't even pull the wires so he is clear on that.

 

[ptonsparky]

Test the circuit all at one time. If it fails, he will need to decide where to split it and test again. Typically we would isolate the motor from the underground.

eta: Not installing the underground leaves a big question mark as to how it was done. It may be laying right there in the leach field with a couple butt splices and some of that thirty-nine cent tape from $General.

 

[Jraef]

Test the circuit all at one time. If it fails, he will need to decide where to split it and test again. Typically we would isolate the motor from the underground.

eta: Not installing the underground leaves a big question mark as to how it was done. It may be laying right there in the leach field with a couple butt splices and some of that thirty-nine cent tape from $General.

:thumbsup::thumbsup:
Even IF the wiring is good, the pump motor insulation and/or seal (if it's a submersible) may be failing. Megger the entire circuit, IF it fails, then split it at the motor J-Box. Intermittent tripping like this usually means it's in the motor, because sometimes the motor heat from use keeps it dry, but sometimes it can't, i.e. after a prolonged period of non-use.