Spa panel internal gfci setup

[mark32]

I was looking over a Connecticut Electric spa panel and noticed not a gfci breaker but instead just a blank faced gfci, the pull out and 15a breaker. I opened it up and saw that the line comes in and is routed through a ct which is mounted/integral to the gfci, then into a four pole contactor. One of the feeders has a jumper that goes to it's own pole of the contactor which then feeds the 15a breaker. My question is, if the spa is running and there is a load on the 15a breaker the gfci should trip but I must be mistaken otherwise the setup wouldn't work under such a condition which it was manufactured for.

 

[Buck Parrish]

I'm not sure I am understanding the set up. But what makes you think the gfci should trip with a load on the 15 amp breaker?

 

[barbeer]

But what makes you think the gfci should trip with a load on the 15 amp breaker?

I had the same question. All the CT is doing is measuring for imbalances in the load.? I have no spa box other than the control box integral to the spa itself and it operates the same way.

 

[mark32]

I figured I was looking at this wrong. The line ungrounded conductors along with it's neutral pass through the ct. My thinking is if there was a load on the 15a breaker, which is being fed from one of the line conductors, the ct would see this as an inbalance and trip. Let me see if I can find a link to the item.

 

[mark32]

I can't find a link to this particular item, it's model # is spa-260. I found a Connecticut Electric model with the same number but it has a gfci breaker and not the faceless one I'm speaking of. Bottom line is, if the spa is pulling 30a on each leg and then a load of 10a is introduced onto one of the legs then I can't see why the gfci wouldn't trip, that's what it's looking for, an inbalance right? My theory is appartently flawed but I don't know why, please explain what is wrong with my thinking.

 

[mark32]

Ok, here's a link to the panel I'm talking about.

http://www.spadepot.com/spacyclopedia/wiring-hot-tub-spa.htm

You'll find a schematic a little less than halfway down the page.

 

[ronaldrc]

I hooked one like that up don't remember the name off hand it had a 15 amp. breaker for the blank face 15 amp. GFI and CT. circuit and a 2 pole 60 for the OCP for the tub.

 

[hillbilly1]

I can't find a link to this particular item, it's model # is spa-260. I found a Connecticut Electric model with the same number but it has a gfci breaker and not the faceless one I'm speaking of. Bottom line is, if the spa is pulling 30a on each leg and then a load of 10a is introduced onto one of the legs then I can't see why the gfci wouldn't trip, that's what it's looking for, an inbalance right? My theory is appartently flawed but I don't know why, please explain what is wrong with my thinking.

If I'm reading the post correctly, are you talking about if 10 amps is added to just one leg, in addition to the existing 30 amps on each leg, that it would trip because there is 40 on one leg and 30 on the other? If so no, it would not trip, as it is looking for current not returning through the CT, such as X milli-amps or greater fault to ground which would unbalance the current through the CT. If all current going out, returns through the CT,then all is fine.

 

[mark32]

Thank you Hillbilly for the explanation, it is appreciated.

 

[hillbilly1]

I looked at the diagram that you linked to, and you are talking about what I thought you was. It will work fine that way, as all of the current past the contactor is protected, The CT is not looking for that kind of imbalance. It is looking for imbalance of current returning to the CT.