Hot tub troubleshooting.

[Thomas R]

Figured I'd get your opinions before I tell my customer to call the hot tub company. I despise hot tub service calls...but anyway;

GFCI disconnect trips almost immediately. It holds with L1 and L2 removed at the tub, it holds with only L1 or only L2 connected to either terminal. However once 240V is applied the tripping occurs. I pulled the plugs on the pumps and ozone generator, and it still trips. I'm 99% sure it's the tub and I suspect the heater, but I wanted some opinions before having the customer call the pool co.

Note: power is on long enough for a relay to engage on the tub's control board, maybe one second, and that's it.

Thanks!

 

[Buck Parrish]

Did you try removing the equipment ground from the tub? Then see if the breaker holds.

 

[texie]

Failed heat element is often the culprit. Not difficult to check.

 

[synchro]

Does the relay that's tripping disconnect both phases to the heater and the coil on the relay require 240V? If so then the heater would not be connected unless both L1 and L2 are powered up.

 

[Little Bill]

Figured I'd get your opinions before I tell my customer to call the hot tub company. I despise hot tub service calls...but anyway;

GFCI disconnect trips almost immediately. It holds with L1 and L2 removed at the tub, it holds with only L1 or only L2 connected to either terminal. However once 240V is applied the tripping occurs. I pulled the plugs on the pumps and ozone generator, and it still trips. I'm 99% sure it's the tub and I suspect the heater, but I wanted some opinions before having the customer call the pool co.

Note: power is on long enough for a relay to engage on the tub's control board, maybe one second, and that's it.

Thanks!

If this is an existing tub, and it has been working, now it isn't, then you have answered your own question. You say the GFCI holds with the wires disconnected, it's something in the tub and most likely is the heater.

 

[petersonra]

If this is an existing tub, and it has been working, now it isn't, then you have answered your own question. You say the GFCI holds with the wires disconnected, it's something in the tub and most likely is the heater.

that would be my first guess. Second guess would be the pump.

 

[ptonsparky]

I've seen condensation dripping onto circuit boards etc cause grief but that usually takes some time for things to warm up.

 

[Jraef]

The heaters have a ceramic coating protected by metal tubing around the element and the chemicals in the water eat away at that tubing until it leaks, which the GFCI picks up on. Look on the board for the terminals going to the heater, lift those wires and I'll bet the GFCI will hold in.

Replacing those heater elements can be a real PITA. They are typically integrated into a SS tube in the piping so you have to disassemble the plumbing to get to it, then they are hard to get out of that tube, then you have to get it all put back together correctly or it leaks. I will not do it again, I will pay a spa flunky to do it for me...

 

[Dennis Alwon]

I agree with many above the heater is almost always the issue. I think you can disconnect the heater and I bet the breaker will hold

 

[Dennis Alwon]

I would let the hot tub company deal with it since electricians don't have easy access to those parts. We check the breaker and then it is their problem