2009 Caldera Niagara - Breaker trips after an hour.

[neacr1]

I have a 2009 Caldera Niagara and the 240v 20 amp breaker keeps tripping. It does not trip immediately but does after about an hour. I have disconnected the heater from the heater control board and turned the breakers back and will wait to see if it trips again. If it does not trip I would assume it is the heater that needs to be replaced. If it does trip again my assumption would be that the heater control board would need to be replaced. Do you think my assumptions are correct? I have already removed the filter and the breaker continues to trip.
Thanks in advance!!

[bud16415]

I have a 2009 Caldera Niagara and the 240v 20 amp breaker keeps tripping. It does not trip immediately but does after about an hour. I have disconnected the heater from the heater control board and turned the breakers back and will wait to see if it trips again. If it does not trip I would assume it is the heater that needs to be replaced. If it does trip again my assumption would be that the heater control board would need to be replaced. Do you think my assumptions are correct? I have already removed the filter and the breaker continues to trip.
Thanks in advance!!

Sounds about right to me. the 20amp side is the heater side. The heater is the likely culprit but it could be in the wires or the GFCI Breaker itself or the control I guess.

The videos I have watched show a weeping of water where the heater terminals are at. That dampness can make a path to ground sufficient to trip the GFCI. Most likely the problem and based on the age of the heater.

How do you like your Niagara? We bought the Geneva about a year and a half ago.   

[neacr1]

we love it! We tried the Geneva and couldn't keep our butts from floating out of the seats.
So if the breaker trips with the heater disconnected, it's not necessarily the heater control board huh?
Do you know if there is a replaceable element for this heater or do you have to replace the whole thing?

[bud16415]

we love it! We tried the Geneva and couldn't keep our butts from floating out of the seats.
So if the breaker trips with the heater disconnected, it's not necessarily the heater control board huh?
Do you know if there is a replaceable element for this heater or do you have to replace the whole thing?

I don’t know the answers to those questions. I only took a peak at ours when I wired it up. I think it is one piece and you change the whole thing is my guess. I’m guessing it won’t trip when you unhook it.

Ya we learned how to stay in our seats but is fun watching someone new take a full blast the first time. 

[neacr1]

That's funny!
It's been running since about 12:15 this afternoon with the heater disconnected and the breaker has not tripped. I found a dealer with one in stock for $235 about 90 minutes away. I have to go 2/3rds of the way there on Sat. for my sons Taekwondo tournament so at least it's not too far out of the way. I could save about 40 dollars online but it's really slow shipping from Cal. and if I upgrade to UPS ground it's the same price as the local pick-up. Whoever heard of UPS ground being and upgrade?? lol

[bud16415]

Keep us posted on how you make out and now if I can remember this for 6 more years it might help me. When you pull yours out take a look around the terminals and see if there is any weeping going on. It sounds like yours is going on the GFCI side not the current side of the breaker.

Have fun with the tournament.

[neacr1]

When you say weeping are you talking about water around the terminals? The breaker still hasn't tripped since a little after noon yesterday. Thanks, tournaments are usually a lot of fun. My son is 5 and the little ones go first so its usually just a couple hours and he loves it!

[bud16415]

Ya where water is causing a slight path to ground from the power connection. If you didn’t have a GFCI you would see a short burnt across. But with a GFCI tripping it out you wouldn’t see much.

So it has been working and heating for a day or you still have the heater disconnected and the tub is running?