Questions for electrical experts about whirlpool bath

You have a shorted whirlpool motor (neutral shorted to the case). Looks like it was shorted from day one as they could never connect the grounds. It may not have bothered a non-GFCI breaker but should be corrected.

While that's possible, it can only be determined by finding where the load cable from the switch is attaching to the tub equipment. It may be something as simple as the ground conductor resting against a hot or neutral terminal in the junction box. It certainly can't be determined (at the switch on the wall), that it's a motor problem

If you can't determine what's causing the problem, the GFI breaker will still work without the grounds connected as they only look at the current in the hot and neutral. But it should still be determined whats tripping the breaker.

this COULD be quite dangerous, do not use the whirlpool until you figure out what is going on..

Mark

The grounds need to be connected. There is a problem somewhere that is causing the GFI circuit breaker to trip. Try disconnecting the spa motor and then see if the breaker trips with the grounds connected in the switch box.

I usually install a GFI switch in the bathroom out of sight instead of a GFI breaker in the circuit breaker panel.