Irrigation Pump GFCI??

T

Travisb6989

Member
Location
FL
Occupation
Electrician
Guessing we need to install a GFCI breaker for the 2-pole 20A irrigation pump. But I just feel it’s going to consistently trip due the nature of pumps.

Looking at Siemens, it looks like they make a 35mA option. Maybe that’s what we need? Also not entirely sure of the AIR rating piece.
 
Dwelling or non-dwelling. Hard wired or receptacle ?

Note the any GF protection above 5ma would not be considered GFCI.
 
Hardwired to outside main panel of a resi project.

Siemens makes a GFCI 30mA (sorry made mistake breaker. So not sure why you say a 35mA would not be GFCI protected.

Specs on last page for the breaker.
30mA Breaker
 
Travisb6989 said:
Hardwired to outside main panel of a resi project.

Siemens makes a GFCI 30mA (sorry made mistake breaker. So not sure why you say a 35mA would not be GFCI protected.

Specs on last page for the breaker.
30mA Breaker
Click to expand...
If class A GFCI protection is required (4-6 ma) you cannot substitute 30 ma GFPE protection which is for the protection of equipment.
 
Travisb6989 said:
Siemens makes a GFCI 30mA (sorry made mistake breaker. So not sure why you say a 35mA would not be GFCI protected.

Specs on last page for the breaker.
30mA Breaker
Click to expand...

Common practice is to use 'GFCI' for a ground fault detector for personnel protection, and GFPE for a ground fault detector used to protect equipment. Both work on the same principal (measuring the current not flowing on the intended circuit conductors in a balanced fashion) but with different detection thresholds.

The Siemens document you linked calls both the 5mA and 30mA versions 'GFCIs', but calls them out as 'Class A 5mA Personnel Protection GFCI' and '30mA Equipment Protection GFCI'.

The code language requires 'shall have ground-fault circuit-interrupter protection for personnel.' So even though Siemens calls the 30mA version a GFCI, it isn't a GFCI for personnel protection and would not be sufficient to meet the code requirement.

Interestingly, in many countries, a 30mA 'RCD' device would be considered suitable for personnel protection. We have a lively debate running right now about which is actually better for protecting people in this thread: https://forums.mikeholt.com/threads/gfci-breaker-on-a-delta-system.2585485/ No need to replicate the debate here.

-Jonathan
 
winnie said:
Next, is a hard wired pump motor in a shed 'outside'?
Click to expand...
In a shed is not outside. The rules in 210.8(A)(2) or 210.8(B)(10) would apply inside a shed, but those only require GFCI protection for receptacles, not for outlets like 210.8(F) does.
Note that when you read 210.8(F) it uses the word "in" suggesting that it would apply inside a shed (accessory building), but it also uses the term "outdoor outlets". This confusion will be corrected in the 2026 code with the word "in" being replaced by the word "at".
 
Travisb6989 said:
Guessing we need to install a GFCI breaker for the 2-pole 20A irrigation pump. But I just feel it’s going to consistently trip due the nature of pumps.

Looking at Siemens, it looks like they make a 35mA option. Maybe that’s what we need? Also not entirely sure of the AIR rating piece.
Click to expand...
If the plan is to plug that pump into a RECEPTACLE, then yes, the receptacle needs GFCI protection. If there is no receptacle, it does not. It's just that simple. If you don't want the hassle of nuisance tripping of a Class A GFCI on an irrigation pump, don't use a receptacle.

And for anyone who was thinking of making an argument based on the NEC definition of "outlet" being any point of connecting to a load, as has happened before, look it up. Article 210.8 does NOT use the word "outlet", it specifically says "receptacle".
 
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