Pool Pump Trips Breaker / GFCI

Matthew Simmons

October 23, 2024

3 Minute Read

Electrical problems can be among the most mysterious and frustrating that pool owners experience. They are also dangerous to the untrained DIYer so great caution – or a licensed electrician – is required when attempting to diagnose. Here are the most common reasons we see when it comes to pool pumps tripping.

Moisture

GFCIs are quite sensitive to moisture so if your breaker trips after a storm, you might just need to let the sun do its thing for a day or two. If it’s not summer, you can probably just leave the pump off for a day and try again once everything has had a chance to dry. In the summertime, you can still get by with your pump not running for one or two days but it will require some extra chlorine (shock) and manual circulation with a pole or paddle a couple of times per day.

Keep in mind that rain isn’t the only possible source of water. A misdirected sprinkler, spray from power washing, even high humidity can affect a GFCI.

Bad or Wrong Breaker

Sometimes breakers just fail due to age or inferior quality. If the problem does not appear to be with your pump and/or motor, try replacing the breaker.

You could also have the wrong size breaker if you recently bought a new pump or motor that was not an exact match to the previous model. Confirm you have the correct breaker size by checking how many amps the new motor requires.

Short in Pump

You might be able to spot an obvious pump motor short by disconnecting power and taking off the motor end cap. Make sure all wiring is properly connected and nothing appears obstructed or burnt. Insects who decide your motor makes a really cozy home can create an electrical short by blocking contacts.

Wrong Voltage

Most complete pumps and replacement motors leave the factory set at 230v to prevent installers from accidentally running 230 volts to a motor that is set to 115v. This has saved many motors from premature frying but it also results in many confused homeowners. Typically in this scenario, the pump will initially come on, then shut down, repeat. Check to see which voltage your motor is set to and what voltage you have running to it.

A Quick Fix

One quick thing to check is if the “reset” button on the GFCI simply needs to be pressed back in. If the GFCI trips, then you will need to press the reset button to restore electricity back to your equipment. Watch this helpful GFCI outlet video for more details.

Always remember that addressing electrical issues requires proper knowledge and safety precautions. If you are in any doubt, enlist the help of a qualified pool professional.

Troubleshooting Topics

Controls / Automation

Chlorinators

Skimmers / Drains

Need Replacement Parts?

Swimming Pool Products

163 responses to “Pool Pump Trips Breaker / GFCI”

Lorna Berkshire

July 14, 2015

Hey, thanks for the blog.Really thank you! Cool.

Reply
1. Don
  
  November 29, 2020
  
  I bought a brand new pb4-60 Polaris booster pump to Replace my old Pentair booster pump. Both pumps run 230 or 115 But the new Polaris pump trips the breaker immediately when I turn it on. I have no idea what’s going on?
  
  Reply
  1. Matthew Simmons
    
    December 3, 2020
    
    The PB460 can run on 115 or 230 voltage, but the motor has to be set to the specific voltage you are using. The motor is set to accept 230 voltage during the manufacturing process. If your original pump was running 115, you would need to switch the new pump motor to that setting. We have a guide on how to wire a pool pump; give it a look: How To Wire A Pool Pump
    
    Reply
Too much rain

July 18, 2015

Mine has tripped after every major storm in Louisville this summer(making me think it’s directly caused by the rain). But didn’t trip at all the prior two years, and we had similar big storms. I haven’t changed anything with the system this year… HFCs is only three years old- any ideas? Thanks!

Reply
1. Matthew Simmons
  
  July 20, 2015
  
  The first thing that came to mind was, water getting in somewhere to pop the circuit. When you first open the breaker box after a rain do you see any residual water? Or have you tried checking the wire/conduit going to your pool equipment for open wires or cracked insulation?
  
  Reply
  1. Noah
    
    July 8, 2017
    
    Hello Matthew. I recently installed a intex pool and up graded the pump with sand filter. I also put in a salt water Eco system. I ran 2 12-3 electrical cables in the attic and installed a dual pole 15amp breaker for each unit. The plug s are in the attic and out of the elements so I just used the gfi plugs that came with the units.
    
    I have the units inside a weather proof cabinet away from the pool. The filter pump will run on selected time as required but it trips its protection breaker at the plug. Is the pump getting hot and doing this? or do I have the wrong breaker? I did the math and the pump pulls 4.6amps and a 15amp breaker should provide the power as required? Please help as this is driving me nuts…
    
    Best regards,
    Noah
    
    Reply
  2. Kathy
    
    May 27, 2019
    
    Our pump stopped working..we opened the plug water ran out..so we are waiting for it to dry out. We can’t open the top part of the plug. We need a weird screwdriver.
    
    Reply
    1. Anonymous
      
      June 9, 2019
      
      Use an extractor set. Use smallest bit, a couple hammer taps the remove.
      
      Reply
2. Rosie
  
  May 2, 2017
  
  I am having the same problem in Louisville. It think my breaker box got soaked. Can you shed any light on what you did to fix problem. Last big rain really kill both of my pumps. Good lord it never ends.
  
  Reply
3. Laban
  
  June 13, 2018
  
  I am having the exact same issue. The pump only trips the GFCI when it rains. I’ve check all components of the electrical circuit and the rest of the pool. Issue only occurs with the pump plugged in.
  
  Reply
  1. Matthew Simmons
    
    June 14, 2018
    
    Rain is reaching the circuit somehow. It is not a coincidence the pump is tripping only when it rains. I would call an electrician to find the issue.
    
    Or buy the pump an umbrella. 🙂
    
    Reply
    1. Anonymous
      
      April 15, 2021
      
      I called 2 electricians and they didn’t find anything wrong and all my motors have cases
      
      Reply
      1. Matthew Simmons
        
        April 16, 2021
        
        I’m sorry, but I am not sure what else I could tell you to check if two professional electricians inspected the site and came up with nothing. Working blind to find an electrical fault is not the easiest thing to do.
        
        Short of rewiring the circuits and switching out a breaker I don’t know what you could do besides replacing the motors.
crork fiverr

September 27, 2015

Thank you for your blog.Really thank you! Really Cool.

Reply
Michael

November 24, 2015

I have a Hayward Super Pump and it’s about 4.5 years old. I was away on vacation for 3 weeks and I had the pump turned off during the time. When I got back last week I turned it on but it tried to run a second or two and trips breaker. My breaker box is inside garage so there is no moisture problem. Can anyone help?

Thanks

Reply
1. Matthew Simmons
  
  November 25, 2015
  
  The first thing I would do is put the motor on a different breaker; this will help you isolate the issue, whether it be motor or breaker related. Once you figure out which is bad, then the real troubleshooting begins.
  
  If you put the motor on the new breaker and it doesn’t flip, then you would replace the busted breaker and be done with it. If you switch the motor to a different breaker, and it still flips then you have a motor issue that requires a deeper look.
  
  Is there any humming/buzzing from the motor, before it trips?
  
  Reply
  1. Eduatdo
    
    August 28, 2016
    
    I have a motor that does that buzzing noise and when it does I turn the shafts little and the motor goes on but after an ahore or so it trips off . And l have to wait for buzzing noise to turn shaft again .. what do you think the problem is ?
    
    Reply
    1. Matthew Simmons
      
      August 30, 2016
      
      A few people have had that problem on this article thread. The problem is almost always a bad capacitor, which is a very easy fix. Find the capacitor on your motor, match the rating to a cap on either one of these lists: Start Capacitors or Run Capacitors.
      
      Here is a guide that will walk you through installation: How To Replace a Pool Pump Capacitor
      
      Reply
  2. Vicki
    
    September 5, 2016
    
    Mine has the humming/buzzing before it trips, most of the time.
    
    Reply
  3. Dan
    
    July 11, 2018
    
    I have the same issue. Its dry as a bone here and the pump humms for about 10 secs then trips the breakers. I let it sit a day and same but it did start finally and the pump runs fine once it starts??
    
    Reply
    1. Matthew Simmons
      
      July 19, 2018
      
      Did you do any of the troubleshooting mentioned in the article, first? In situations like these, not everyone’s pool equipment is the same. It always helps to give some insight into what you have already checked for, so time is spent suggesting troubleshoot methods that have already been covered.
      
      Reply
2. Mike in wisconsin
  
  May 29, 2018
  
  I plugged mine into a non gfci outlet in the house Got the heater to work and fire up. Once it bakes out water residue plug it back into the gfci again.
  
  Reply
Nathan Bell

December 1, 2015

Hi, I have an outdoor pool and when I plug it into my garage it trips the breaker. But when I plug it into a GFCI outlet inside my house using an extension cord it works fine.. obviously this isn’t safe so if anyone has any ideas as to what is wrong please reply.

Reply
1. Matthew Simmons
  
  December 8, 2015
  
  Hello, Nathan, with the facts you gave me it sounds like there is an issue with the breaker tied to the plug in your garage. Have you tried changing the breaker? Also, just as a precaution, test your GFCI to make sure it is working properly. It may not be tripping because it is faulty too.
  
  Reply
Schelly

February 25, 2016

I was wondering if you know of any way to better insulate an outdoor breaker. Our electrician installed an emergency breaker (as required by law for an outdoor spa) within the specified distance from the spa. It looks like he did a good job. It is inside a metal box with a hinged cover. The spa works fine and stays on until we have a big temperature shift during the night. (If you have ever lived in Texas, you know this occurs quite frequently during our twice a year shift in seasons from summer to winter and back to summer). I know the breaker is tripping because of the moisture in the air during these shifts (usually around 35 degree shift within a 6-7 hour time frame).
We had the electrician come back out to check it, and he said it was most likely this moisture, or condensation causing the problem and there was really nothing to be done about it.
I would love to hear if you have any insight on possible solutions to this. Thank you

Reply
Anonymous

June 28, 2016

breaker trips when I turn it on and pump hums what’s my problem

Reply
1. Matthew Simmons
  
  June 28, 2016
  
  Test your breaker, and your motor’s capacitor to determine which one is bad.
  
  Reply
Paul

June 30, 2016

Hi, we just purchased a 1.5 HP In-Ground Pool Pump With Strainer Basket Dual Voltage 110V/220V and when we installed it it trips the breakers for the whole house. What are we doing wrong? Please help.

Reply
1. Matthew Simmons
  
  June 30, 2016
  
  Just to get confirmation, is it flipping all the breakers in the breaker box or just the single breaker the pump is connected to?
  
  Reply
Mike

June 30, 2016

I have an aquarite salt chlorine system. The power and generate lights were not coming on and pool was turning green. I purchased the quarter sized resistor thing from digikey and had it saudered on by a computer technician. He noted some burned marks on the board around the resistor and another area. I reinstalled the board and as soon as I turn on the pump it trips the breaker (runs for about a second then trips it). This was not happening before. Do you think this could be the PCB board? It was burnt before but the capacitor thing was broke so it didn’t trip. Now capacitor thing is fixed so burnt marks are causing the breaker to trip?
I would troubleshoot pump and breaker but none of that was the issue before. Fuse is not blown either. Thank you for your time

Reply
1. Mike
  
  July 1, 2016
  
  Never mind. It was the recent rain. Just needed to let the sun do its thing for awhile.
  
  Reply
GREG

July 1, 2016

Thank you in advance of any advice you can give me. I have breaker that operates a single line going to a GFCI attached to my deck, and then continues to run to a pole with another GFCI to operate my pool pump, which also has a GFCI built into the plug itself. When I plug into the GFCI on the pole the pool pump never trips, but when I attach an outdoor timer to have the pump come on at specific times, it ALWAYS trips but ONLY at the pool plug GFCI that is built in. Can you please help me figure why and what I may need to do (if anything can be done)? Also, I considered cutting off pool pump plug end and attaching a normal plug to it. Considering I would still have two GFCI to protect the pump, can this be done? Thanks!

Reply
1. Matthew Simmons
  
  July 4, 2016
  
  Greg, I am just a tinkerer and not an electrician so your problem is a little over my head. But maybe if you pose you question in our Forum, maybe one of our wiring guys can take a look at it.
  
  Reply
2. David
  
  August 8, 2020
  
  Greg, did you ever get this resolved? I’m having that exact issue right now. I have a time plugged into a GFCI at the house, then an extension cord to the pump. The pump has the GFCI built into the cord. Without the timer, no issues. With the timer, pump’s cord GFCI trips with ever on/off cycle.
  
  Reply
Chris

July 4, 2016

Last week I replaced my pump motor. The motor ran great for 4 days then it tripped the breaker. I tried to flip the breaker but nothing happened. I went back through troubleshooting and rechecking everything. After waiting a couple of hours I tried it and it came back on. The next day it tripped the breaker again. This time when I tried to restart it, there was a humming sound. I removed the “cap” to see if anything was arching or burnt looking. When I tried to restart it again it made the humming sound. I took a screw driver and tried to spin the shaft. It was hard to turn. After it moved slightly I tried again and the pump restarted. I don’t know if it is getting too hot, the capacitor is bad, or just a bad pump motor?!?

Reply
1. Matthew Simmons
  
  July 6, 2016
  
  Hello Chris,
  You have quite the problem on your hands. We have guides on how to test your voltage, capacitor and other parts of your motor on this guide, Using the Proper Test Equipment to Troubleshoot Pool Motors
  
  If that one does not do the trick, browse this guide: Pool Pump Motor Answer Guide
  
  Reply
Victor

July 15, 2016

I am recently having problems with my pool breaker circuit tripping. I tried to reset it and as soon as I turn on the pool pump it tripped. I don’t have this problem before. It has not been raining in Houston Texas and it’s hot here for the last few weeks. Also, the bump motor is less than 2 yrs old.

Reply
1. Matthew Simmons
  
  July 17, 2016
  
  Have you tried replacing the breaker to determine if it is just a bad GFCI?
  
  Reply
Kevin

July 24, 2016

i turned off/on the pool power breakers and now the jets/waterfall/and lights are not even recognized, but everything else does (filter pump, spa, heater). Any suggestions on what may have happened?

Reply
1. Kevin
  
  July 24, 2016
  
  nevermind…..i didnt properly turn off/on the breakers. got it fixed now.
  
  Reply
  1. Matthew Simmons
    
    July 25, 2016
    
    Ok, fantastic!
    
    Reply
Kyle

July 24, 2016

Hi, my pump has ran just fine for three years, and this summer by mistake I turned the pump on without opening the inflow and outflow valve…(yeah…oops). It tripped the breaker. The pump I have is a 2-speed. When I reset the breaker, the pump runs on low without any issues, however when it is on high, it trips the breaker within a matter of minutes. Does it sound like there is damage to my motor and is somehow drawing more power than usual or is it more likely that there is damage done to the breaker? Thank you in advance.

Reply
1. Matthew Simmons
  
  July 29, 2016
  
  My apologies for the lag in reply, Kyle.
  
  It’s possible that that the motor is drawing more amps on high speed causing the breaker to trip. I don’t think that because failing to open the valve caused this problem because the motor still works on low speed.
  
  Reply
Jennifer

July 25, 2016

We have a 4 year old hayward pump that keeps tripping the breaker when the pool starts first thing in the day. A couple times we were able to get it to come on after waiting several hours and then resetting the breaker. However, because it kept doing it, we took the pump to the pool place and they put it on their equipment and it worked fine. Fired right up. They didn’t seem to think it was the pump. They said maybe the breaker or plug. So, we changed the breaker. It worked fine for about 4 days and then tripped again upon start up. We got it started again and thought maybe it was the timer panel so we turned off the timer and tried just starting it manually. That didn’t work either. Again, we were able to start it after a few hours. It worked for another day or 2 and did it again, so we change the actual plug. Got it running yesterday and this morning when it tried to turn on, it tripped it again. Any suggestion on what else it could be? I would be surprised if this pump is bad after only 4 years, but we are kind of at a loss on what could be going wrong.

Reply
1. Matthew Simmons
  
  July 25, 2016
  
  We have seen pumps last only a year, or less, so we can’t go purely on the age of the motor. Have you changed the wires that connect the breaker to the pump? Excuse me if that is what you meant by “replacing the plug.”
  
  Outside of having an eletrician come in and inspect everything, I would replace the motor.
  
  Reply
  1. Jennifer
    
    July 25, 2016
    
    We changed the outlet…sorry I wasn’t clear on that. Our next step was to change the actual plug that goes from the motor to the outlet. My husband is leaning toward a new pump too, so maybe we will go that route instead. Thank you.
    
    Reply
    1. Fausto
      
      June 17, 2017
      
      Hi Jennifer, did you get the new pump. Did the issue resolve?
      Thanks
      
      Reply
Butch Wilson

August 6, 2016

Just replaced a 1.5 hp above ground motor. Plugged into garage and it worked. Put on Pool trips breaker. Plugged and extension cord in from garage and trips breaker there too. What else could it be?

Reply
1. Matthew Simmons
  
  August 9, 2016
  
  The extension cord being used may be the incorrect gauge. The longer the cable the thicker the wire gauge needs to be to accommodate the motor’s draw.
  
  Reply
Bryan

August 7, 2016

Brand new pump. Hooked it up. 2hp, 2speed. Runs fine on 110v but when I switch to 220v it trips breaker. Running 100amp power from the house for the salt system. Any chance I have wires wrong?

Reply
1. Matthew Simmons
  
  August 9, 2016
  
  Two-speed motors run on one voltage, either 115 or 230. Do you mean you when you switch it to high speed it flips the breaker?
  
  If we are talking a high-speed issue, it could be a bad switch, relay, shorted windings or run capacitor problem. Read this guide on how to test most of these issues: Using the Proper Test Equipment to Troubleshoot Pool Motors
  
  It its the windings, I would take the motor back and ask for a replacement.
  
  Reply
Henry

August 14, 2016

When I turn on my filter and the central air is running it trips my breaker,, but if I turn off central air and turn on filter it runs ok

Reply
1. Matthew Simmons
  
  August 14, 2016
  
  This sounds like a classic case of a breaker being overloaded or needing a replacement. The two electrical units are pulling more than the breaker can dish out, put a larger breaker on the circuit or put them on separate breakers.
  
  Reply
Henry

August 14, 2016

There both on seperate breakers,, that’s what I found wierd about it

Reply
1. Matthew Simmons
  
  August 18, 2016
  
  There may be a fault in the line somewhere, the best route would be to have an electrician come out and check it out.
  
  Reply
John H

August 16, 2016

This is strange, my intex sand filter pump runs fine but only when I push the reset button. As soon as i turn off the power supply I hear a click on th eplug which is the plug tripping. when I plug it back into the extension cord the motor does not start until I push the reset button then the pump runs fine. I want to set it up a timer and not use the timer on the Intex pump. Could it be moisture that is causing it to trip when I turn the power OFF every time? My concern is that the pump won’t turn on every day because of this. It has rained a lot lately and the kids splash water around the pump area, but I do have the plugs somewhat covered. Any ideas? Thanks.

Reply
1. Matthew Simmons
  
  August 17, 2016
  
  For clarification, is the reset button on the pump/motor or is it on a GFCI receptacle?
  
  Reply
John H

August 17, 2016

On the pump motor cord. The GFCI on the outlet works fine. It’s the fat plug on the end of the pump cord that has the two buttons, one is test the other is reset. I always have to press the reset every time i turn off the power.

it used to work fine, now it doesn’t so I have to manually turn on the pump and keep it on until; I turn it off. I used to run it on teh cheap timer the intex sand filter pump has built in and wanted to have that switch on all teh time and work the pump off a adjustable timer I got. Every time the power goes out the pump doesn’t auto restart when I had it in the timer posirtion, thanks.

Reply
1. Matthew Simmons
  
  August 19, 2016
  
  GFCIs can go bad whether they are wall mounted or in a cord, I would try it with a different cable to see how that works out. you may also want to use a thicker gauge cable to make sure the motor is not pulling too many amps.
  
  Reply
Mike Scott

August 18, 2016

Hey Matthew
I have a Hayward PSC2100. It has run well for as long as I’ve owned the house. A few days ago I couldn’t get the filter pump to run. The water feature pump runs fine. After testing fuses a bond the pump itself, I removed the circuit board and found that the back of the board had a burnt spot on one of the lower fuse connector spot. I cleaned the spot out then resoldered it. Put a new fuse and it ran for around three hours but then it popped the spot again actually blowing my solder joint and burning again. Any idea why this would be happening? I rather fix this than spend 2k on a prologic.
Thanks. Mike

Reply
1. Matthew Simmons
  
  August 19, 2016
  
  Mike,
  That is a tough one, this may be a better question for Inyo’s Forum because we have some electrical savants over there. You may also want to post pictures of the unit and the problem area to help them figure out the issue.
  
  Reply
Bob

August 20, 2016

Hello. I replaced my pool motor and changed the voltage to 110 in error. It turned on for about 10 seconds then tripped the breaker. I changed the pump switch back to 220v, but the breaker won’t reset. Did I fry my motor or do I need to replace the breaker? Thank you in advance.

Reply
1. Bob
  
  August 20, 2016
  
  Update: I replaced the breaker and all is well.
  
  Reply
2. Matthew Simmons
  
  August 22, 2016
  
  When you say, the breaker will not reset, is the switch locked in place does trip immediately? If it is locked, that sounds like a breaker problem, instead of a motor issue. Try changing the breaker.
  
  Reply
Jr

February 2, 2017

A read all the post and did what I read . Pump trips the breaker as soon as I turn it on. Mind pool was working fine for the last couple years. I check the imprellear and its fine the motor spines so it’s not stuck. What can I do? I shocked and cleaned connections tested again and same no results.

Reply
1. Matthew Simmons
  
  February 7, 2017
  
  So you have changed breakers? Checked the wires ends for correct voltage coming from the breaker? Changed the wires?
  
  If you have truly done everything other than change the motor, then you probably just need to change the motor.
  
  Reply
2. Jd
  
  June 20, 2020
  
  My breaker kept tripping and I think that I didn’t have the shaft seal inserted correctly.
  
  Reply
  1. Jd
    
    June 20, 2020
    
    I had taken it apart and put it back together and breaker started tripping. I’m still not sure but that was one possible reason a rep gave me hear. Evidently those shaft seals must be put in 100% correctly or it’s an issue.
    
    Reply
    1. Matthew Simmons
      
      September 1, 2020
      
      If the shaft seal is not inserted correctly, you would see a evidence of a water leak forming under your pump. I haven’t heard of the shaft seal causing this problem unless the water leeches down the shaft and corrupts the motor’s internals.
      
      Reply
Vett y

March 6, 2017

My pool stop working change the breaker I went to turn the timer on the breaker that I change the timer thinking that was the problem and it still makes the breaker trip I change the Outlet GFCI and the breaker still Trip no motor pump does not come on do you think it’s the capacitor or the motor

Reply
1. Matthew Simmons
  
  March 7, 2017
  
  If it was the capacitor the motor would likely not turn on without flipping the breaker, or it would hum when power was applied. You can test the capacitor by following the instructions at the bottom of this article: Using the Proper Test Equipment to Troubleshoot Pool Motors
  
  Reply
John

March 26, 2017

I have and outdoor circuit breaker . had the filter pump and booster pump all night shocking the water. Woke up this morning the booster breaker was off but everything else was not off but not working. I turned the booster back on but there is no current anywhere not even the display. I turned all circuit breakers off then back on still no current anywhere. If I change only the booster breaker, the only one off would it all get back to work?

Reply
1. Matthew Simmons
  
  March 27, 2017
  
  I am having following the issue. Which items were off and breakers were tripped, and which were not tripped?
  
  Reply
Brandon

April 15, 2017

I have an indoor pool and the breaker keeps flipping after replacing the motor multiple times. Any ideas?

Reply
1. Matthew Simmons
  
  April 18, 2017
  
  Have you checked the voltage of the lines coming from the breaker? Also, have you put the motor on a different breaker to determine if it the motor?
  
  Reply
Stephanie

April 24, 2017

My breaker box located at the pump got wet. In reading your comments I see that it can cause it to trip. It’s running fine now on “filter”, but when I switch it to “backwash” it works a sec a trips. The power box for the switch is right beside my pump. It never trips the big breaker on the house, just the one beside it. Why would it only trip on backwash? Do I need to let it dry out some more?

Reply
1. Matthew Simmons
  
  April 26, 2017
  
  Does the waste water from your backwash splash on the pump or electrical components? Is your making any unusual noises during regular filtering or when you backwash?
  
  Also, try putting the pump on a different breaker. If backwashing doesn’t trip the new breaker then the original breaker may have been the issue.
  
  Reply
Jim L

May 10, 2017

I have had a pool for 30years. When I started the pool this year, the two year old pump ran for about 8 hours and then the GFI breaker tripped. I restarted and the pump ran for about two hours and then the breaker tripped. This variable time for the breaker to trip went on for a few days. Impeller seemed to turn easily when I tried to move by hand. I finally changed the breaker and same result. I had decided I needed a new motor. When I finally took the motor and impeller apart I found a small rock that was bouncing around in the impeller compartment. I removed the rock, put everything back together and the pump is now running fine.

Reply
Olga

May 13, 2017

We just moved in to a house with a pool th ighys we’re working properly until the last two days the gfi breaker keeps shutting off???

Reply
1. Matthew Simmons
  
  May 14, 2017
  
  Have you followed any of the tips in the article?
  
  Reply
Rob

May 13, 2017

So it hasn’t rained in over a day; today very sunny so good day to open the pool. Everything went fine until I flipped the switch for the pump. Heard a pop, nothing happened. Found the breaker (a 20) and it was tripped, so I reset it. Tried again and same thing. Worked fine all last year, rarely tripped the breaker if at all, even during heavy rains. Now just nothing. I’ll let it sit in the sun, reset breaker, and try again. Not sure what else to do but call in an electrician….sigh.

Reply
1. Matthew Simmons
  
  May 14, 2017
  
  As I have said in a few other comments, it is all about eliminating suspects. start at the breaker and work your down the circuit to the pool pump.
  
  Switch the pump’s power to another breaker to determine it’s not a faulty breaker. Then use a voltmeter to test the voltage of the wires on the pump end of the circuit, and so on.
  
  Reply
Tyrone

May 23, 2017

Hey there, I just replaced my Hayward super pump 1hp motor. The new motor makes a clicking sound then eventually gets super hot and turns off…any thoughts

Reply
1. Matthew Simmons
  
  May 23, 2017
  
  What voltage do you have wired to the pump? And is the motor set to the cotrrect corresponding voltage?
  
  The clicking sound may be the centrifugal switch that is opening and closing repeatedly because the motor is no getting to the full 3450 RPMS. A major reason for that in new motors is the motor is pre-wired for 230 voltage, but you only have 115 volts wired to it. The motor is not able to get enough juice to fully open the switch. This may also cause overheating because the motor is trying to pull too many amps in the single hotline.
  
  Reply
Kerri

May 30, 2017

Hi, we just had our Hayward pump for unground pool replaced with a Hayward 1.5 hp by our pool guy, since replacing the pump it keeps tripping the fuse and therefore cannot turn pool on. Our pool guy reassured us that the hp and voltage are all the same as our old pump. Do you know what could be causing this?

Reply
1. Matthew Simmons
  
  May 30, 2017
  
  Could be a bad breaker. Could be he is not telling the truth and he overloaded the current breaker. Or the motor could be a dud. The only way to know for sure is to either follows the steps we list or have him troubleshoot it on-site.
  
  Reply
Vince

June 21, 2017

Great thread! Thx for sharing! I think I have moisture issues, but will change the breaker as you duggest. When I use an extension cord to another outlet all is good! Already swapped out new receptacles and both looked fried.

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Al

June 24, 2017

Hello Matthew,
We have one of those economical blue blow-up pools that has a pump with a gfci built in. I have had this and other pumps of the same type on a timer and when the timer turns on the gfci always trips. This has happened on 4 other timers as well. Is there any kind of special prog. timer I can buy to prevent the gfci from tripping?

Reply
1. Matthew Simmons
  
  June 27, 2017
  
  A GFCI is meant to interpret slight changes to the circuit as a sign of possible danger, causing it to flip the circuit. The blow-up pools are not known for the study engineering, so the GFCI may be interpreting the timer’s on/off as something nefarious. This is my guess on the subject, I wouldn’t know how to fix it. You might want to get a handyman to come take a look at the circuit.
  
  Reply
Lottie

June 28, 2017

My pool pump runs on a timer. almost every time it kicks on it triggers the GFI. If I plug directly into outlet it is fine. Whats the problem. Changed timers and same thing happens. tried plugging into diff outlet and it did the same thing

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Ed

July 11, 2017

Hello … recently I went a week without running the pool … when I went to turn the pool on finally breaker tripped. Troubleshot everything had electrician come over switch breaker now the breaker don’t trip with motor not plugged in. Once I plug the motor in and flip the switch it automatically trips no noise or anything. Do I need a new motor or is there something else I can check first?

Reply
1. Matthew Simmons
  
  July 12, 2017
  
  Did the electrician change the breaker-to-motor circuit wires? It could be that circuit wires have a short, causing the GFI to trip.
  
  If the breaker and wires have been changed, you can try taking the motor to a motor shop for an inspection. Before you buy a new motor, I would at least the wires from the breaker have been checked for continuity, and/or changed.
  
  Reply
  1. Ed
    
    July 12, 2017
    
    The wires were check asking as the motor wasn’t plugged in the breaker didn’t trip … so it’s motor to outlet.
    
    Reply
    1. Matthew Simmons
      
      July 13, 2017
      
      I do not completely understand that last reply.But if the motor is still flipping after the breaker and wires were changed and respectively, I would have a motor shop inspect the motor or just have it replaced.
      
      Reply
Robert

July 14, 2017

Hello, Hoping you can help. When We first opened our in ground pool in late May, the pool pump wouldn’t turn on. The circuit breaker switch was bad. I replaced it & the pump turned on immediately. Now all of a sudden , 1.5 months later, when I turn on the breaker switch for the pump, it runs for about 2 seconds then trips. This just started happening recently. The first time it did it, I had to flip the switch about 3 times and it eventually turned on and ran fine but now, about a week later after that first incident, it wont stay running, it keeps tripping the breaker switch. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

Reply
1. Robert
  
  July 14, 2017
  
  Just an update: I unplugged the pump and the circuit breaker switch still trips
  
  Reply
  1. Matthew Simmons
    
    July 20, 2017
    
    There is a likelihood of two things that could be wrong, the wires from the breaker to the motor are shot or are wet. Or the motor has gone kerplunk and you need to replace it.
    
    The wires are the cheapest fix, either test the voltage at the motor leads or just run new wires. If that fixes the problem then, YAAAY. If the problem persists, the motor may be the issue. How old is the motor?
    
    Reply
Fernando

August 25, 2017

This is the 3rd pool pump that I have had my warranty replace. I was told that it is because the motor is flat on the ground and water is causing it to short circuit. I was told I need to raise my pool pump but it doesn’t seem like an easy task. The whole unit seems to be attached together. Is it possible for me to purchase some pvc pipes and add an upward extension for it, so the motor doesn’t sit directly on the ground.

Reply
1. Matthew Simmons
  
  August 28, 2017
  
  it would take some simple re-plumbing to raise your pump off the ground. It would require basic PVC pipe, glue, and unions.
  
  Reply
Lori

August 30, 2017

We live in Cypress, just outside of Houston. Before Harvey hit, my husband turned of the main breaker to the pool because everytime we have a storm the breaker trips anyway. Now when we turn the main breaker on, then turn the breaker on at the pool pumps, it pops immediately. It almost gave me a heart attack this morning. We did not flood here at our house. Any tips for me that doesn’t require spending money on an electrician?

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ANDY

October 17, 2017

Pool breaker was tripping intermitently, then tripped and would not reset at all. Took pump out of circuit and still tripped, took freeze protection device out and it worked ok. So bought new freeze protection device wired it in runs ok. Tested freeze protection with ice water and as soon as the freeze protection switch closed it tripped breaker. What ideas come to mind that might be the root problem?

Reply
1. Matthew Simmons
  
  October 19, 2017
  
  The first thing, have you switched the circuit to a different breaker? Or have you replaced the breaker? Also, did you replace the wires from the breaker to the new freeze protect?
  
  Reply
Philip

November 10, 2017

I am having a problem with pool pump coming on. New pump and relay in June. Now the relay does not trip. I can push down the contactor and pump come on. My freeze guard thermostat is 25 years old and is wired into relay. I unplugged it and the pool still does not come on.

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Dirk

January 31, 2018

My pool started tripping the breaker (Just it’s fuse, not the entire house) last October after rain. The pool runs for about 5-10 minutes, and then trips the breaker again. After the first rainfall, it was still over 75 degrees outside, and the pool filter began running all day a few days later. After the next rainfall and the temperature dropped, the pool trips it’s breaker again every 5-10 minutes. Logic makes me think water is in the system causing the short, and the problem may resolve itself once Spring hits. The motor does not feel particularly warm when it trips. Any ideas?

Reply
1. Matthew Simmons
  
  February 1, 2018
  
  Unless it doesn’t rain in springtime where you live, you’re going to have the same issue. It also doesn’t matter the temperature outside or the temperature of the water; if there is water introduced to an electrical circuit it is going to be a problem.
  
  I suggest hiring an electrician to either find the leak in your electrical conduit and/or rerun wire to your pump.
  
  Reply
  1. Dirk
    
    February 5, 2018
    
    Thank you for responding Matthew.
    
    I’m trying to understand the logic of why it fails when it fails, so the details provided were for evidence.
    
    We’ve had abnormally high temperatures for the past week – around the 70s without rain. The pool filter will run almost exactly 4 mins before it fails every time.
    
    I may try to just replace the breaker the pool runs off.
    
    Reply
  2. Anonymous
    
    February 16, 2018
    
    FYI I replaced the breaker – and the pool started running normally again.
    
    Inside the old breaker were char marks on the wire and inside the breaker.
    
    $20 to replace it – much cheaper that the alternative!
    
    Reply
David

February 24, 2018

Hi, I’ve seen quite a few posts about tripping breakers that are associated directly with the pool pump. In my case, I have a new house + new pool with, varying by day, 1 or 2 so-called “3-way” (Schneider Electric Square-D brand overload/arc/ground fault detect) breakers that are tripping. After some detective work and data collection, we see a very high correlation between the time of the pool pump turns on and begins priming and when the other house breakers trip. We have a Hayward SP3400VSP EcoStar Variable Speed Pump. It was set by the pool company Aquatech to prime for 2 minutes at the maximum speed of 3450 rpm, which appears to cause the trips in other part of the house panel. We altered the turn-on time of the pool pump, and indeed the time of the trips are following this time exactly, so we have high confidence at this point in the cause-and-effect of the correlation seen. After some time invested with the nice support engineering staff at Schneider Electric in North Carolina, have learned further that these trips are uniformly due to ground fault interrupts (vs. overload or arc conditions – these breakers have a way to discover type of last trip). We have as of today started an experiment to reduce the maximum prime/turn-on speed from 3450 rpm to 3000 rpm in an effort to reduce the inrush current demand/surge to see if this reduction helps in the ground fault, will update later on if this helps. I should add that the run from the main house panel to the pool pump junction box is about 60′ but may have up to 80′ of wire, and runs through an under-slab conduit put in prior to house foundation (wire pulled later of course and was sized to 60A / 220v – not sure as to exact gauge; pool pump is about 11A supposedly). The pool pump is grounded along with the control electronics on the side of the house. In my pre-retired life in engineering of micro-circuits, ground shifts in PCBs were a constant challenge requiring extensive capacitive filtering, so I am wondering if anyone has heard of whether this kind of problem could require some added high-voltage capacitor / filter at the pool pump itself; Schneider Electric thought this might interfere with the correct performance of the circuit breakers. After I’ve collected some more data I will go back to my builder or another independent electrician but wondering if anyone else has seen this? My pool company/electrician has not seen it before and I’m not finding this case on the web as yet… Appreciate any thoughts or insights! Thanks

Reply
Krissy

April 9, 2018

Good morning everyone!

I have an inground pool, and every time I turn the pool light on, it’s trips the GFCI. It doesn’t ever trip the breaker though. Any thought?

Reply
1. Matthew Simmons
  
  April 9, 2018
  
  It could be a faulty GFCI, they do go bad. I would try to get that replaced to see if it fixes the issue.
  
  Reply
leo missler

April 10, 2018

I just got thru checking why my GFCI kept tripping . hot tub that is.
first checked the GFCI first, it was okay.
Than checked all wiring connections, Found a couple of loose ones, tighten them .
Next unhooked the pumps and the heater. Turned the GFCI to on.
Computer came on and went thru its program. Connected the heater first , no problem.
Connected pump 2, no problem. Connected pump 1, started the pump and tripped.
Thus pump one had a problem. checked the wiring on the pump all was good. Unhooked the capacitor and since I had a same capacitor on a spare pump installed it and switched the GFCI breaker to on and everything is working normal again.
So if you have tripping problems follow and do the above and you most likely find the culprit.
Also check your fuses there are 4 in my panel.

Reply
Cleo B. Autry

May 23, 2018

Pump keeps popping the breaker outside, switched to a different breaker, it popped that one. Moved pump to inside and it pops the gfi in the garage. Took the pump to the pool store and it works fine. Any suggestions?

Reply
1. Cleo B. Autry
  
  May 23, 2018
  
  Also let me add that all outlets have been checked. 124 volts and the pump itself is set on the inside at the factory preset of 115 volts.
  
  Reply
  1. Matthew Simmons
    
    May 24, 2018
    
    These breakers you are testing the pump on at your house, what is their amp load rating? Look on your motor label to find the amp draw of the motor. The go check to see how many other devices were on and operating on the breakers when you added the pump to them.
    
    It could be you were overloading the breakers that were not able to handle the extra draw.
    
    Reply
Anthony

June 6, 2018

Hi I have a Aqualink rs one touch outdoor panel and a jandy one touch indoor panel, yesterday my pool filter was on and then I shut off the pool side from my main house breaker(due to an outdoor light being installed), and when I turned the breaker back on, my pool filter is not turning on, No power to either outdoor or indoor panel (no lights are lighting up in either one so I’m assuming no power) . The only power I see available is to the gfci on the side of the outdoor panel but It doesn’t do anything when I push reset. What could be the problem? I know I should’ve turned off the pool first but it slipped my mind and now this mess is happening. Any help would be appreciated.

Reply
Beth

June 23, 2018

Last week my above ground pool pump began tripping the breaker. I have a dedicated breaker with an underground line to a dedicated outlet. Pump is 2hp 2 speed 115v Waterway. I had an electrician come out, changed breaker and outlet box. Checked wires no short. Also bought new pump. Old pump was 5 yrs old. Pump is still tripping the breaker. I did a bypass test and connected pump to extension cord and plugged into an outdoor outlet. Pump runs fine and doesn’t trip breaker. Any suggestions?? I’m at a loss.

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Beth

June 23, 2018

Correction to my post above. What I meant to say is that the extension cord is plugged into a GFCI outlet and doesn’t trip the outlet. It’s not running from the breaker so of course the breaker wouldn’t trip. Sorry

Reply
Jesse

June 23, 2018

Hi. I have a Hayward 1hp powerflo matrix pump, the cord was plugged in but the pump wouldn’t turn on, I thought maybe the connection was loose so I pushed it in, there was a spark and some smoke. Now one of the prongs on the pool pump power cord is burnt. Should I just replace the cord?

Reply
1. Matthew Simmons
  
  June 27, 2018
  
  Did it flip the breaker? You can try plugging it into a different outlet to determine if it is a pump issue or if your original outlet is faulty.
  
  Reply
GO

August 7, 2018

I have a Hayward heater and system…when I switch the heater on from the remote or the prologic main board or remote, the 3A fuse pops and the heater won’t work. Replaced the fuse and I can manually work the heater from the heater itself. Any idea why the remote/board causes the fuse to blow and the heater not to work?

Reply
Shannon

August 9, 2018

Hi Matthew,
Ok, brace yourself. I was electrocuted in my apartment swimming pool 2 years ago. I am in a lawsuit and it is not my intention to use any of your professional knowledge for legal matters. When inspected, the City department of Housing found Pool pump was leaking and in addition to pool owners not having a working GFI or grounded wiring, they had done a lot of illegal electrical work. The incident severely damaged my spine and nervous system. Anyway, I saw the ground wire and it was completely melted and about a dime size hole in the metal box that housed it. There was no electricity in the water when I was found. My thought is that the surge completely melted the wiring so there was no longer a conduit of electricity into the pool. Can you explain the mechanics of that to me? You can email me too if better: Shannon_colhoun@yahoo.com. Not many Drs have helped understanding my injuries and I’m still researching the internet with key words trying to understand what happened to me. Thank you;)

Reply
Bob

December 14, 2018

Hi,
The 240v breaker for my pool pump trips only in cold (<45degree) weather. Breaker has been replaced and unit will normally start upon weather warming up. Sometimes banging on the pump helps to allow it to start. Never has a problem in warm weather. Protected from rain,etc. Could it be capacitor…..? Or what?

Reply
1. Matthew Simmons
  
  December 19, 2018
  
  I checked with one of our more experienced Century Motor techs and he had not heard of this issue. The only thing I could think of would be there is a problem with a freeze protect circuit. A freeze protects only kicks on when air temp sinks below the temp you set it for. Usually freeze protects are set between 36 to 42 degrees Fahrenheit. Do you have a variable speed with a built-in freeze protect or a separate freeze protect box?
  
  Reply
Zack

May 13, 2019

I have a murray 60amp main outdoor circuit breaker that keeps tripping. The pool power has a 30amp circuit breaker tied into this 60. After the 30amp circuit, there is wire that leads to the outdoor pool control box. This box has 15 and 20 amp circuit breakers for each item, pool pump, hot tub pump, lights, etc. I have turned off all the circuit breakers. When i pull the main 60amp it holds. When I pull the 30amp breaker it immediately pops and trips the 60 amp as well. I just replace the 30amp breaker and have the same problem. The power from the 60 to the 30 trips both? They are literally on opposite sides of my garage wall. The 60amp is next to my outdoor meter. The 30amp is on the opposite interior wall tie to a sub panel with conduit leading to the pool controls. This problem just appeared out of no where? Any suggestions?

Reply
1. Matthew Simmons
  
  May 13, 2019
  
  My apologies, but the explanation is confusing and I can’t follow all the different breakers and their locations. You may need to bring in an electrician, or someone with more experience to be onsite to review the wiring.
  
  Reply
Ramona

June 18, 2019

Hi Mathew,
We just had our liner replaced in our inground pool. They unhooked everything at the equipment when they installed it. Wires to the pump and all. Why would they need to do that? My problem is, now when I try and start the pump, it trips the breaker, immediately. I reset the GFC button but it still trips. They came back out and told us we needed a new breaker…I’m not so sure…Any ideas?

Reply
1. Matthew Simmons
  
  June 18, 2019
  
  A new breaker is a cheap fix. You could also try wiring the pump to a different breaker to verify. Get the breaker, have them install it (hopefully) for free and take it from there. The guide is all about eliminating possibilities as you troubleshoot; this is your first possibility, eliminate it.
  
  Reply
  1. Dave O’C
    
    June 26, 2019
    
    Breaker tripped this am when trying to start pump. first time in 30 years. Had recent rain. Waited till mid afternoon. Success!!! Thanks for all advice. If it keeps happening I’ll call an electrician.
    
    Reply
Frank

July 7, 2019

Hey,
I have a new fiberglass , saltwater system (hayward). The pump is running since end of may and i have noticed 3-4 weeks ago the breaker tripped overnight.. did not care much and turned back on.. 2 says ago i have noticed the pool pump hasnt started in the morning and turned breaker on and this morning ( a day later) did not turn either.. breaker trips overnight. I run the system during the day and doesnt trip when its working.. i sis reset this time the breaker and turned off and on.. we had rain both nights.. i dont find anything suspicious . No noise , everything looks good otherwise… any ideas!!?

Reply
1. Matthew Simmons
  
  July 8, 2019
  
  My best guess, the breaker is faulty or water is getting into the circuit overnight. You can try switching the circuit to a different breaker to determine if the problem repeats itself.
  
  Reply
Martin Rodriguez

July 14, 2019

Earlier this week my pump motor stopped working on us. We live in Florida though so I’m used to the storms tripping the breaker however this time when I reset it–the breaker tripped immediately and then again and again and again. I actually asked a local pool service to come out and take a look at the situation and he told me to replace the unit. The next day before he arrived to change it out I reset the breaker the with the old motor attached and IT WORKED so I called off the new motor. Well it rained again quite heavy and guess what…the motor trips the breaker immediately again. I took the motor cover off and there does not look like there is anything wrong with the connections. I also disconnected the connections completely and tried to reset the breaker and it reset without any problem. So to me that says that the motor is no good anymore right or am I missing something that I need to try? Thanks!

Reply
1. Martin Rodriguez
  
  July 14, 2019
  
  FYI my pump is a century c48l2n134c1
  
  Reply
2. Matthew Simmons
  
  July 15, 2019
  
  There is likely an issue with the phase windings which would be best fixed by replacing the motor. if the motor is under warranty, you can get it replaced via warranty. The replacement for your c48l2n134c1 motor is the UST1152 – 1.5 HP Round Flange 56J Up Rate.
  
  Reply
Jamie

July 16, 2019

Bought a brand new Waterway pump (old one had shot bearings, etc) which is exactly like the old pump. Hooked everything up and it trips the breaker immediately. No moisture as breaker is inside the house and GFI works as there is power to the hot tub when the pump is not plugged in. Old pump and new pump has same voltage and amp. No clue where to go from here….pls help

Reply
Russ

August 5, 2019

I have a three year old Hayward Tristar 1.5 HP two speed pump which is run by a Intermatic P1353ME digital controller. We have had A LOT of rain here in S Florida. It has rained every day for the past two weeks. However, Sunday when I went outside the pump was off. I opened the box and the breaker for the pump was tripped. I tried to reset the breaker, however it just keeps tripping. The digital controller is not getting power as the screen is blank and nothing changes when I reset the breaker. The other two breakers in the box (LED lights and pool heater) are not tripped, and my heater is getting power.
Is it a bad breaker, a short, or bad motor?

Thank you for any thoughts you may have!

Reply
1. Matthew Simmons
  
  August 14, 2019
  
  It could be all of the above. I cover all this in the article but I will give another quick rundown of things to check.
  
  1) Swich circuit to a different breaker or change breaker. This will determine if the breaker is the issue
  2) If timer is still out after switching breaker, try bypassing the timer to determine if the motor still works.
  3) Find the user manual for timer for troubleshooting steps. If unavailable, contact manufacturer for best troubleshooting path.
  
  Reply
2. Daniel Godfrey
  
  September 3, 2021
  
  what was the problem? Mine is the same I think
  
  Reply
  1. Matthew Simmons
    
    September 8, 2021
    
    This original comment is rather old, you’re likely not going to get a response. But I’d focus on troubleshooting your specific issue. There are going to be different variables for each pool, so what works for them may not apply to your application.
    
    Reply
Jorge Triana

August 19, 2019

Good afternoon.. Pool pump/motor was running perfectly on a timer. Had a pool place come and redo the stairs and the handle going into the pool. As part of that they needed to make sure all these were grounded correctly. After that, the pool pump fails to start consistently and sometimes the breaker is tripped. When i reset it, i hear a hum/buzzing at the breaker and then it goes away. Sometimes pump starts and works without any issues. Yesterday it worked perfectly.

Reply
1. Matthew Simmons
  
  August 26, 2019
  
  If the issue is directly caused by their mishandling of the pump then you can have them take a look at it and correct it. It could be as simple as a loose connection or a bad capacitor as the humming is a common symptom of. You can also try testing the circuit for proper voltage (if you are feel comfortable with electricity) Using the Proper Test Equipment to Troubleshoot Pool Motors
  
  Reply
Wendy C

September 24, 2019

In the past two days, our GFCI on the Hayward Pro Logic panel has started tripping. It hasn’t rained here in weeks so I know it isn’t a moisture issue. When I press the reset button I am able to power up but it trips again. The pump ran for a good 7-8 hours before it tripped this evening. The control box itself seems hotter than usual, any ideas?

Reply
Wendy Carlile

June 10, 2020

We have a saltwater pool and the pump works fine until we turn the pool light on then the breaker trips. As long as the pump is off the light performs fine, only when the pump is running and we try to turn the light on does the breaker trip. Any suggestions? I initially thought there might be a leak into the light housing but I’m not for sure. We have not used the pool while the light is on just in case of electrocution…mom fear!
Thanks!

Reply
1. Matthew Simmons
  
  September 10, 2020
  
  Because you can use one or the other but not both at the same time I believe you have a bad GFCI breaker. GFCI breakers can bbecome more sensitive when they start to breakdown, causing false trips.
  
  Reply
Allen

June 15, 2020

I have a very unique and odd issue. The GFCI breaker has been tripping for my spa light. The breaker provides power to the pool and spa lights but only trips when I try to turn on the spa light. I removed the spa light and there is no signs of leakage. It’s been sitting on my deck and here is the odd thing. The breaker does not trip at night time (between 9pm and 9am). It only trips during the day!! I have replicated this for 3 straight days. I replaced the breaker and the same thing happens. I tried not running the pump during the day but that didn’t work either. The light works at night but not during the day time. I don’t know what to do to fix this.

Reply
1. Matthew Simmons
  
  September 3, 2020
  
  The breaker only tripping at night is an odd one. Are the lights the only thing on that particular breaker? Is there an appliance that is usually only used during the day on that circuit?
  
  Is the circuit breaker in an exposed area? i.e., does the box get direct sunlight to where it can get overheated? The heat can cause a breaker to trip. If I had to bet, heat would be the culprit, that theory is based mainly on it only happening during the day.
  
  If there is a bright side, at least this is only affecting your light during the times you are least likely to need it.
  
  Reply
JERE

August 12, 2020

The Intermatic Model T104R Timer that turns on and off the motor on my pool recently, about two or three times week, trips my GFCI requiring me to reset it which has been increasing very hard to to reset. I have removed the ON TRIPPER and turn the motor on at the pump and it never trips the GFCI. Have you any suggestions at to why I am experiencing this problem?

Reply
1. Matthew Simmons
  
  August 24, 2020
  
  Have you checked the circuit continuity yet? If not, I would start there. Does the issue flare-up after rain or is there no particular rhyme or reason to it?
  
  I would also try switching to a different breaker to rule out a breaker being the issue.
  
  Reply
Chrystine

September 1, 2020

Hi I have a polaris pool cleaner which is operated by a 1.5 hp booster pump. I removed the polaris to clean ther pool. When I reconnected the polaris and turned on the pump the pump sounds like it’s working but there is no water pressure. I took the Polaris to be tested and it’s not the polaris.

I just dont know what happened so suddenly for thre pump to stop pushing water? Help! Please!

Reply
1. Matthew Simmons
  
  September 2, 2020
  
  Going by your description it doesn’t seem like the pump is tripping the breaker, it is just humming. The hum could be a sign of the motor’s capacitor failing If you have a Polaris Booster Pump PB-460, the rep[lacement motor is the B625. if you want to attempt replacing just the capacitor, the part is 25MFD 370V – 628318-307. How to Test a Pool Pump Capacitor
  
  Reply
Don

November 29, 2020

I bought a brand new pb4-60 Polaris booster pump to Replace my old Pentair booster pump. Both pumps run 230 or 115 But the new Polaris pump trips the breaker immediately when I turn it on. I have no idea what’s going on?

Reply
rob simmons

April 7, 2021

My pool pump will randomly trip the breaker as well. Sometimes it goes for a month or 2 without tripping and sometimes only a day or two. Had local pool guy out and he said pump looks brand new, I have no idea how old since only owned the home for 2 years. The electric box and breakers are also brand new. Rain seems to have no impact. I am considering replacing the breaker with old style vs what I think is arc fault since box is only 2 years old. It is 110 on 20 amp breaker. Any ideas? Thanks!!

Reply
1. Matthew Simmons
  
  April 7, 2021
  
  First, I would start with any other troubleshooting options mentioned in the article. Test the voltage reaching the pump., put the pump on a different breaker. If you have to start somewhere, those are those places I suggest.
  
  Reply
Masoud

May 7, 2021

Hi
My Hayward pool pump tripps the breaker after 5-10 seconds . I changed the Capacitor but still the same issue . Any advise ???

Reply
1. Matthew Simmons
  
  May 14, 2021
  
  Yes, please refer to the article above and do any troubleshooting besides the capacitor part.
  
  Reply
Steve stevedccc@comcast.net

May 15, 2021

Hi, Last year I had a pool installed and electric was done professionally and passed inspection. Recently, I needed an electrician in the garage for work done and he mentioned that my control panel original to my 1986 house is by FPE (federal pacific) and not reliable tripping breakers. Well this now actually concerns me. Now I’m wondering if my pool is safe in the event of a faulty motor one day? The pool is bonded but even though I have two GFCI’s next to the pool pump electric, the designated pool pump outlet itself does not seem to have GFCI itself has more of a thick bulky plug in (odd looking three prong). Am I solely depending on my home’s FPE electric box’s safety during a possible pool motor failure?

Reply
1. Andrew S
  
  July 6, 2021
  
  A single GFCI duplex receptacle is capable of protecting all other receptacles on the same circuit. I am not familiar with The wiring in your particular situation but this might be useful information.
  
  Additionally, traditional circuit breakers are only designed to protect the wires in your home. Anything attached to your home electrical system that draws too much current over less than adequate gauge wiring will not be protected.
  
  Cheap extension cords are a perfect example of this.
  
  Reply
Jason

April 26, 2023

Hello. I had a new GFCI breaker installed, and the pool pump trips it when connected to the bonding wire. The pump does nothing for about 5 seconds and then trips the breaker. When the bonding wire is disconnected, the pump works fine. Is the pump motor bad? Or is there a less expensive fix?

Reply
1. Matthew Simmons
  
  April 28, 2023
  
  Something is not where it belongs/is connected where it should not be/is touching something it shouldn’t. I’m assuming the motor was fine when the breaker was installed? Otherwise the windings could be shorted. Trace the wires from the breakers/source to be sure the correct colors were used.
  
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Gary Fuller

May 25, 2023

Motor trips breaker, 2 pole. 240vac line in to pressure regulator. 240vac potential on line (contacts open), but also 115vac potential between one line and the motor load on that set of contacts. I cannot find a wiring diagram to “backtrack” the 115vac. I am assuming a short in the motor to ground or a wire shorted to ground. I will disconnect the two motor leads from the contacts and measure resistance to ground. Any other thoughts?

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Santos Colon

June 2, 2023

I am considering adding a Raypak 8450 pool heater and was wondering if a 240 volt unit requires a gfci. I have read many articles where adding a gfci would trip randomly so homeowners had to remove it. Is it a requirement for 240 heat pump?

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1. Matthew Simmons
  
  July 28, 2023
  
  Yes, it should be installed on a GFCI.
  
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Ted

July 31, 2023

I have an older waterfall pump that tripped the CB. I reset and threw the switch. CB popped immediately. I suspect shorted motor. Without pulling it apart (it’s in an awkward installation), can I see if the shaft rotates to rule out the pump? Is that a reasonable troubleshooting technique?

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1. Matthew Simmons
  
  August 1, 2023
  
  Trying to rotate the motor shaft by hand is a good place to start. You may be able to spin the shaft without removing the motor from the housing, but it depends on how much room you have to work with. Testing this first can tell you immediately if this problem is mechanical or circuitry related.
  
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