breaker trips off

[Lmart]

We had a new breaker box with new breaker in it installed because it kept tripping off (The outside breaker) we thought that was the problem,however it is still tripping. My husband was going to try replacing the 50 amp breaker in the house breaker box.  Help, any suggestions? We have a three year old Jacuzzi spa.

[tonyp]

Unlikely to be downstream from the breaker that tripping.  I would suspect the spa end.  Maybe wet wires or damaged wires from mice or something.

[Brewman]

Get a service tech out there to properly diagnose and fix your problem.  I doubt very much that the breaker in your main panel is defective, so don't throw away any more money on guessing.
Your outside (GFI) breaker is tripping because there is some electrical fault telling it to.  As you found out, the breaker isn't faulty, it's doing what it's supposed to.
Brewman

[Drewski]

Check to see if you have a water leak in the area of the control panel or control box.  For example, if the tub only trips when people are in it, splashing, etc., water could be getting into or under the control panel, or flowing down to the area of the control box and causing a slight ground.  This would trip the breaker.  Consider waterproofing the seal at the control panel where it is mounted on the tub.

On the other hand, if the breaker trips when you just turn the spa on, with no water splashing or overflowing, I would agree with the other posters and consider it a wiring or electrical component problem.

Good luck...

Drewski

:-/

[Chas]

I agree with Brewman -

Troubleshoot before tossing any more money down the drain. A simple method would be something like this:

1. Turn off the breaker.
2. Dissconnect the wires at the spa end. Tape them off, or position them to not touch anything at all.
3. Turn the breaker back on - wait/watch to see if the breaker trips again.
IF SO - then you have a burned or nicked wire, or water in the conduit or something similar - but it is not the spa.
1. Pull wire out from subpanel to spa and inspect it for burned wire, water, etc.

IF NOT - then you have a problem in the spa.
1. Reconnect wires to spa, leave power off, Unplug blower and ozonator. Try the power again. If the breaker now stays good, then you have found the problem to be one of these - plug them back in one at a time to determine which it is. Not one of those? Next try:
2. Disconnect the heater element and try again. If the breaker now stays good, you have found the problem. Replace it.

3. Send large check to me. Or, it can be a small check with large numbers on it...

[stuart]

If you have an Ozone system try turning off the breaker and unplugging the ozonator. Quite often what happens is the check valve fails and lets water bypass into the unit causing a ground fault. Should be a simple check, just look in the cabinet and follow the cords from each of the components (i.e. pumps, blowers, ext.) until you find the one going to the ozone. Unplug it and turn the breaker back on to see if it holds. You should be able to do this with each component until you find the problem.

I have also seen loose wire connections cause this (especially with aluminum wiring) so while you have the breaker off tighten everything down.

It would be good to check these things before the dealer comes out because if it is the wiring it won’t be covered under warranty and your warranty period on the ozone is most like over.

[rocket]

Possibly an ozonator or heater.

Are you still under warranty?

Call the dealer and get the tech out there to help.