Spa GFCI Panels

[c00ter]

I would like your input on which GFCI is recommended or not.  I found at Home Depot a 50 amp Spa Disconnect Panel, SPA-250, made by Connecticut Electric (says on the box it is a quality product of China? :-/).  To me this appears to be a nice panel, however, an electrician I talked to said do not use this because it is slower to react than a normal GFCI breaker.  

http://www.connecticut-electric.com/spa.asp

I would appreciate it if anyone has any feedback on this....  

Thank you

Karl

[SerjicalStrike]

I don't see anything that would indicate that it would react slower than a normal GFCI breaker.  As soon as it senses a 5 milliamp loss it will trip.  Same as a normal GFCI breaker.

[Brewman]

Don't see why you couldn't use the panel.  
It's UL listed which means it was tested for it's intended use.  As long as the person inspecting your electric approves is, you should be ok.  
Brewman

[CraigW]

I've always read/heard that those type panels are actually better than using a GFCI breaker, in that they tend to not give you as many "nuisance" or false trips. I wanted to use one, but needed a 60 amp and couldn't find one.

[velocity23]

Hey c00ter you are getting the Maxxus right? Cause if you are you would need a 60 amp panel I believe. I got mine at Lowes for 79.00 bucks. I used it for my optima that I just hooked up....works great! I think it was made by Midwest a GE company. Hope this helps.

Howie

[socal]

I work for an electrical contractor, and thats the same model disconnect we use for installs. We even have it hooked up to our wet spa (we recently started a dealership)!!!

[leesweet]

Ditto on the Max issue... you want 60A to run all you can run at the same time (two pumps and the heater).

Now, that web page confuses me.  What does 'eliminates nuisance tripping for spa panel and branch circuit' mean?  Seems to say the GFCI breaker protects both the 15A branch and the 50A (here) spa circuit.  How is that so? Or is it just unclear, and the GFCI is only on the 50A?

[Brewman]

To meet code, you have to have a 120v GFI protected outlet no closer than 10' to the spa water, and no farther than 20'.  But that outlet has to be GFI protected somehow, either by being downstream from another GFI'd outlet, or by having it's own GFI outlet, or by being on a circuit protected by a GFI breaker.  
   Looks like there is a seperate 15 amp breaker in this panel for that outlet circuit, which somehow must be protected by the same GFI that protects the spa?
Brewman

[Brewman]

Hey c00ter you are getting the Maxxus right? Cause if you are you would need a 60 amp panel helps.

Howie

You don't need a 60 amp panel, you can run on 50 amps.  I'd go 60 personally, but you don't have to.
Brewman

[velocity23]

You don't need a 60 amp panel, you can run on 50 amps.  I'd go 60 personally, but you don't have to.
Brewman

You can run 50 but on the maxxus thats only one pump and the heater or two pumps and no heater....the maxxus has 3 pumps and also the maxxus comes from the factory already jumpered fo 60 amps...thats why I said 60 amps

[leesweet]

We've had several threads on this over the past week... the Max will let you run 2 pumps and the heater with 60A, and with 50A, the heater and one pump.

See the SD 2005 Preinstall Guide:

If the household’s electrical service does not have the full 240V/60A power available, the hot tub may be connected to 240V/50A service if a minor circuit board modification is performed by the dealer. In this configuration, the heater will yield the same rapid temperature increase as in 60A operation but will not operate while two jets pumps are running in high speed. Note: jet pumps 1, 2, and 3 run only in high speed.


We also recently had another thread where we chewed to death the merits of getting a 50A or 60A circuit installed, and I believe the consensus was that starting from scratch, the extra cost of 60A was minimal.  Especially in cold areas, I'd want to have all the options I could!

[leesweet]

Looks like there is a seperate 15 amp breaker in this panel for that outlet circuit, which somehow must be protected by the same GFI that protects the spa?
Brewman

That's my problem... how the heck can one GFCI protect both the 240 50A leg and the 120 15A leg?  I don't think this web page is telling the whole story...

(As for the 120 15A circuit, ours is going near a back door, where there is a 120 outlet already, so all we needed was a 60A circuit for the spa.)

[c00ter]

Thank you all for your feedbacks and advice, it helps a lot.....  

I will probally end up going with the 60amp option for the Maxxus.  I live in Central Coast California and our winters are mild, so having the heater on at the same time as 2 jets would most likely not be a major necessity, but since I spent enough $$ on the spa and backyard landscape, whats a few more bucks......  Just means I need to pick more $$ off the tree......

Brewman, the 15amp branch circuit on the SPA-250 panel is GCFI protected.  I wish they offered a pdf on the wiring diagram so you could see it.  Basically the incomming 2 loads and neutral are passed throught the GCFI to a Contactor and then out to the SPA and branch circuit breaker.   So if the GCFI trips the Contactor disconnects the 2 loads and neutral.  It looks like a great panel but not if you need 60amps.

Again thank you all for your help.  I'll probally have a few more questions before my spa arrives....   and then look out, I'll probally have a lot more.....  

Karl

[Brewman]

Thanks c00ter

I kinda figured the whole panel had to be gfi protected, makes sense that it would be as any outdoor outlet must be GFI'd.  

Really, the cost of installing a 60 amp breaker on a spa circuit is so minor, as long as you have the electrical capacity, go for it.

Brewman

[Duffman]

During all of my wet testing I have noted that most dealers have a GFCI panel in their spa packages. I have heard cost ranges for this addition to be between $150 and even a whopping $300 for the GFCI panel they provide.

I didnt buy the higher claims, but I am curious what the recommended panels typically cost?