So, the ground fault for my pool trips

With all of the rain, I have been having problems with GFI tripping of the pool circuit. It is okay unless we get more than an inch of rain or so in an hour or so. Any particular area of the motor or the circuit that I should think about maybe siliconing or is it likely the saturated soil messing with the ground or something else?? FWIW if we put a fan in the area of the motor and/or the box, it seems to dry out and we can use it within an hour or two whereas if we don't use the fan, it was a day the time before? Any tips on tracking down the culprit?

Reply to
Kurt Ullman
Loading thread data ...

In your previous post about this, I outlined how to track it down. I assume you have a GFCI breaker. When it's tripping, disconnect the load side and see if it still trips. If it does, then it's the breaker. If it doesn't trip, then proceed down the load side circuit. If it only goes to the pump, disconnect it at the pump, leave it connected at the breaker. If it trips, then it's water somewhere in between. If it doesn't trip without the pump, but does when the pump is connected, then it's the pump. If there are other loads on there, deal with them one at a time, per above.

Reply to
trader_4

Yes I did, at least those I saw.

At the area with the pump, there is a box with a switch to turn on and turn off the pump, one for the light and one to run the auto pool cover. When I try to run the pump, it kicks out. Everything else in the box (the light, the auto cover and both of the outlets (where the GFI is located naturally) that I use to plug in things like the Iphone or speakers are working fine), it is only the pump that is causing me problems. The pump appears from a quick inspection to have no water entry problems that I can find. The places where the power goes in is tight at the pump and when I undo it, quick visual inspection doesn't show any kind of discoloration, wetness or a patina which I have been told to expect. The box that has the switches in it seems the same way as far as I can tell. I put some silicon around the box as an additional protection . Anything else you need to know?

Reply to
Kurt Ullman

So, disconnect the wires at the pump and see if the GFCI will stay set. If it does, then sounds like it's time for a new motor.

Reply to
trader_4

Yes. That was the only reply I got last time, at least that I saw (main reason I tried it again).

Further: We took some fans and a hair dryer down to the area and focussed the hair dryer on the pump itself and the fan on the junction box. After about 4-4.5 hours, it dried out to where it started working again.

Reply to
Kurt Ullman

Do those motors typically have weep holes in the bottom side to allow condensation to escape? Condensation is an issue for irrigation system motors and such. Everything has some provision to allow for that. The motors have weep holes. The electrical boxes have the switches mounted off the base, not directly on it. Some may also have the weep holes. I'd probably try drilling weep holes at the low end of the motor depending on how tough the disassembly is.

Reply to
Dean Hoffman

The motor has openings. They look more like cooling than weep holes, but from looking at the motor, I don't see why they wouldn't work for that function. They are on the bottom.

This doesn't happen all the time. Although with the 18 inches plus of rain since May, it has happened twice this year. Last night we got 2.5 inches in about an hour and it went off. We got about that over a 48 hours a couple of days before with no problem. The other time, was after almost 24 hours straight of rain. Some drenching, some not do much. I don't remember the total. Today's it just stopped. Last time we turned it off (unwittingly) to put in some chlorine and it wouldn't start. Again the hairdryer and fans dried it out after 5-6 hours.

Reply to
Kurt Ullman

Then something is wrong with the service you're using for groups, or you have some kind of filters/blocks set where you're missing a lot of posts. There were a whole lot of replies to your previous thread, including mine. And again, you're clearly not seeing my posts in this one either. I suspect you may have anyone who posts from google blocked, but I doubt that's all of the problem, because there were many others posting here besides me.

Reply to
trader_4

Nope. It is on a plastic base that is maybe 1/4 in thick. Same base it has been on for nearly 28 years with no trouble until recently.

Reply to
Kurt Ullman

I don't think Kurt will ever get this solved because he's clearly not seeing replies from a lot of people, including me. He had another thread here on this couple weeks ago and I sensed the same thing was happening. Perhaps someone here who he apparently does see, eg Oren can communicate that to him.

Reply to
trader_4

HMM. Wonder what else I am missing. Thanks for passing this along and thanks to trader. Now that you mention it does seem like awhile since I saw anything from him. I'll look at my filters to see if I added him by mistake. Trying to keep ahead of the Col. has been a problem recently (grin).

I'll try it next time it happens. The electrician was out on another problem (pump switch had deteroriated and he said at the time the pump was the only thing on the that particular circuit. We put a little structure over the top on the pump to see if keeping the rain off it would be enough. We've had a couple driving rains with no problems, but don't know if that helps or it just hasn't been enough to trigger things.

Reply to
Kurt Ullman

I have killfiled all of Google, but that is the only one and that has been for around 6 years now and I know I have seen Trader post in the meantime.

Reply to
Kurt Ullman

Just as well, because this one doesn't work with Yosemite and beyond. Trying to find another one. I'll remove the Google filter and see what happens.

Reply to
Kurt Ullman

HomeOwnersHub website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.