GFI tripping

[GerryB]

This is an existing in ground pool with an existing 240 volt filter, new last year, supposedly energy efficient with a digital timer, etc. I say supposedly because according to the HO it's supposed to run 23 hrs a day. A gas heater was just added that I was called to wire. It comes factory for 240v, can be wired 120v. The pool guy said I could tap off the 240 line for the filter, which I did. The problem is everything runs for a few days and at some point trips. He wanted me to change the breaker, I did, same thing. Every time I've been there everything was running, filter on, water toasty. The pool guy said the same thing, actually the HO is the only one who saw the breaker tripped and reset it. I don't question her though. My question is today the pool guy called me and said I didn't bond it with a #8 from the filter to the heater, so I'll be doing that tomorrow. My #12 ground is on the lug in the heater and spliced to the ground in the switch for the filter where I also picked up my feed. Do you think not having the 4 feet of #8 bond wire from the filter to the heater is causing the breaker to trip only every 3 or 4 days.
The pool guy definitely wants to put it on me, which is fine, the customer is very cool. But my experience with GFI's is they trip immediately or on some particular cycle like with a hot tub.

 

[augie47]

Bond should have no effect,
What are the specs on the loads and the breaker ?

 

[GerryB]

Bond should have no effect,
What are the specs on the loads and the breaker ?

I will look at the filter tomorrow. The breaker is 20a,240v GE(which shouldn't trip at all, right) and the heater didn't list any amps that I saw. It's an igniter and a display board. The line goes through a time clock that is no longer being used because the filter has controls to do that. I don't remember if they spliced the wires or just took off the trippers, I think just the trippers, but again it ran for days. The pool guy is hesitant to call the factory rep. I don't think it's the bonding but I'll do it and check the old time clock and go from there.

 

[GoldDigger]

I will look at the filter tomorrow. The breaker is 20a,240v GE(which shouldn't trip at all, right) and the heater didn't list any amps that I saw. It's an igniter and a display board. The line goes through a time clock that is no longer being used because the filter has controls to do that. I don't remember if they spliced the wires or just took off the trippers, I think just the trippers, but again it ran for days. The pool guy is hesitant to call the factory rep. I don't think it's the bonding but I'll do it and check the old time clock and go from there.

Sometimes the flame sensor in a spark igniter will pass current through the flame to grounded metal. This current, if large enough and sourced from the line voltage hot without SDS isolation, will trip the GFCI

 

[Little Bill]

My question is today the pool guy called me and said I didn't bond it with a #8 from the filter to the heater, so I'll be doing that tomorrow. My #12 ground is on the lug in the heater and spliced to the ground in the switch for the filter where I also picked up my feed. Do you think not having the 4 feet of #8 bond wire from the filter to the heater is causing the breaker to trip only every 3 or 4 days.

Not sure what lug you are talking about (in red above) a lug on the heater. If you're just talking about in the wiring compartment that's fine. But if you're talking about a lug on the outside of the heater, that is a bonding lug and no EGC should be connected to that.

But to answer your question, having the heater bonded to the pump or rest of the equipment would have no bearing on the GFCI. As was said, that's just part of the bonding and wouldn't effect whether a GFCI held or tripped.

What I would do is since the heater was just added, I would disconnect it for a couple of days. That would tell you whether the heater was the cause or not. Then you could troubleshoot the heater if it's the cause. Or if you can't find a problem, then call the mfg's tech support.

 

[GerryB]

Not sure what lug you are talking about (in red above) a lug on the heater. If you're just talking about in the wiring compartment that's fine. But if you're talking about a lug on the outside of the heater, that is a bonding lug and no EGC should be connected to that.

But to answer your question, having the heater bonded to the pump or rest of the equipment would have no bearing on the GFCI. As was said, that's just part of the bonding and wouldn't effect whether a GFCI held or tripped.

What I would do is since the heater was just added, I would disconnect it for a couple of days. That would tell you whether the heater was the cause or not. Then you could troubleshoot the heater if it's the cause. Or if you can't find a problem, then call the mfg's tech support.

The lug is in the wiring compartment. The heater has been disconnected since Monday and the filter has been running all that time. I am reconnecting today. It ran that long before with the heater working. I'll call a mfg tech today since the pool guy is not that helpful. Says this never happened before and keeps questioning me, I said call a tech and he said he is a tech, although not the mfg tech. If it trips again he will probably want me to run a separate circuit, although he hasn't said that and before I even did the job I called him and asked if I could tap off the existing filter circuit. He said absolutely. I'll post what info I get from the mfg tech.