Sauna GFCI?

[infinity]

Someone on another electrician website said that since the heater doesn't use a neutral that the GFCI neutral shouldn't be connected to the neutral bar in the disconnect panel because it could be picking up voltage from the other circuit connected to the neutral bar and somehow cause it to trip.

Disconnect the breaker neutral and it will probably never trip again. It also won't be providing the required GFCI protection either. So whoever said that is propagating dangerous nonsense that could get someone killed.

 

[trojans4]

That "someone" doesn't know what he's talking about. The GFCI needs the neutral to function. It doesn't need a load neutral hooked to it to function, but needs the line side neutral connected to the neutral bar.

Would you please update your profile to include your occupation.

Well, I have a degree in physics, and have a master electrician license. If you are implying I shouldn't be doing electrical work because I didn't know about how the electronics work inside of a 2 pole gfci you are going to have to get rid of a majority of licensed electricians.

 

[trojans4]

Disconnect the breaker neutral and it will probably never trip again. It also won't be providing the required GFCI protection either. So whoever said that is propagating dangerous nonsense that could get someone killed.

I got that from your buddy, Little Bill. So, another question, most other countries don't have 240/120 power and just have 220V, 2 hots and a ground. I assume they have different 2 pole GFCI breakers since they have no neutral bar to connect to?

 

[Jaybone812]

I have a customer that has a hot tub similar to yours that requires a 30A and 20A GFCI breaker. The 20A breaker goes with the heating element and works for a while and then trips after a couple of hours or sometimes the next day. No ground fault in the wire to the tub. Service tech over the phone said it was probably a bad heating element. Owner replaced the heating element. The breaker still trips after a few hours. Someone on another electrician website said that since the heater doesn't use a neutral that the GFCI neutral shouldn't be connected to the neutral bar in the disconnect panel because it could be picking up voltage from the other circuit connected to the neutral bar and somehow cause it to trip. According to this thread the GFCI needs to neutral to function? Is that correct?
PS - There is no apparent leak anywhere.

The gfci needs a line side neutral to operate correctly doesn’t need a load side neutral to function. Doesn’t matter if the heater is straight 240, if it requires gfci protection you need to provide it . That breaker will not function properly without the line side neutral. Pig tail needs to stay connected


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[Little Bill]

Well, I have a degree in physics, and have a master electrician license. If you are implying I shouldn't be doing electrical work because I didn't know about how the electronics work inside of a 2 pole gfci you are going to have to get rid of a majority of licensed electricians.

I don't know where you got that! The "someone" is the guy on the other website you mentioned. He didn't know what he was talking about!
Nothing was implied to you!
I quoted the section about that, it should have been obvious as to what I was referring to!

 

[LarryFine]

So, another question, most other countries don't have 240/120 power and just have 220V, 2 hots and a ground. I assume they have different 2 pole GFCI breakers since they have no neutral bar to connect to?

No, they have one 240v hot and a grounded conductor, taken from a 3ph wye supply.

It still doesn't matter. A GFCI device depends on us having a grounded source to work.

 

[trojans4]

No, they have one 240v hot and a grounded conductor, taken from a 3ph wye supply.

It still doesn't matter. A GFCI device depends on us having a grounded source to work.

So it isn't a 2 pole breaker? It's just like our single pole breaker only made for 220V hot to ground. BTW most other countries are 220 not 240.

I don't know where you got that! The "someone" is the guy on the other website you mentioned. He didn't know what he was talking about!
Nothing was implied to you!
I quoted the section about that, it should have been obvious as to what I was referring to!

Ok, sorry. I took your comment that I need to update my occupation as a put down. My mistake.

 

[LarryFine]

BTW most other countries are 220 not 240.

 

[Jaybone812]

So it isn't a 2 pole breaker? It's just like our single pole breaker only made for 220V hot to ground. BTW most other countries are 220 not 240.


Ok, sorry. I took your comment that I need to update my occupation as a put down. My mistake.

120 volt single volt single pole breakers are not the only common single pole breakers in the US 277 volt single pole breakers are very common in commercial applications for lighting circuits in the US


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[Little Bill]

Ok, sorry. I took your comment that I need to update my occupation as a put down. My mistake.

No problem.
I asked for the update since that info was lost during one of the Forum change-overs a few years back.
We try to get everyone that doesn't show their occupation to update.

 

[JEDDY]

I have a customer that has a hot tub similar to yours that requires a 30A and 20A GFCI breaker. The 20A breaker goes with the heating element and works for a while and then trips after a couple of hours or sometimes the next day. No ground fault in the wire to the tub. Service tech over the phone said it was probably a bad heating element. Owner replaced the heating element. The breaker still trips after a few hours. Someone on another electrician website said that since the heater doesn't use a neutral that the GFCI neutral shouldn't be connected to the neutral bar in the disconnect panel because it could be picking up voltage from the other circuit connected to the neutral bar and somehow cause it to trip. According to this thread the GFCI needs to neutral to function? Is that correct?
PS - There is no apparent leak anywhere.

Double check the heater element wattage. We have had customers put in a 6KW heater on the 20 amp breaker instead of the 4KW. At about 24 amp the breaker would take awhile to over heat and open.