Associated pool wiring underground wiring - Electrician Talk - Professional Electrical Contractors Forum

Magnettica · 08-22-2009, 11:36 PM

I'm trying to figure out what happened on a service call I went on about 2 weeks ago. I get a call that the guys circuit breaker is tripping and it operates his pool pump. Sure enough, that's exactly what the GFCI circuit breaker was protecting, that, and a few other minor things on the same circuit.

I disconnected the load from the circuit breaker and tried to reset the circuit breaker. It failed so I replaced the circuit breaker. Obviously it was tripping for a reason so I do some investigating and find that the pool pump motor had shorted to ground. The HO even told me he was trying to reset it even with the ground fault having not been cleared. I disconnect the wiring to the pump, check the conductors going underground from the house to the pump, button it all back up and re-energize the circuit. The rest of the circuit is working and I tell the guy to have a pool specialist come out and replace the pool pump motor.

I get a call the other night saying that the circuit is out again and that it's "not big deal you don't have to come out tonight but just call when you can."

Ok.

So I call and schedule to come over late this afternoon. He calls me about an hour before I'm scheduled to be there and says the circuit breaker is holding and there's no need to come over. I tell him that he likely has an issue with the underground EMT raceway that's rotting out and that is should A) be replaced soon, and B) have that pool circuit on by itself. Of course he has old Edison type fuses and no room for any new circuits even though a 2-circuit sub has been rigged up.

Anyway, my question is this. Is it possible that the pool motor was shorted from the HO repeatedly trying to reset the circuit breaker? I suspect a ground fault in the old underground conduit that doesn't show up until it rains. The guy even told me the breaker tripped after he was out there watering the lawn for awhile. I just need to convince him that the shorted motor was because of what he did by forcing the breaker during a GF and the 2nd trip was because of the GF in the conduit.

This make any sense to you?

thekoolcody · 09-06-2009, 08:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Magnettica

I'm trying to figure out what happened on a service call I went on about 2 weeks ago. I get a call that the guys circuit breaker is tripping and it operates his pool pump. Sure enough, that's exactly what the GFCI circuit breaker was protecting, that, and a few other minor things on the same circuit.

I disconnected the load from the circuit breaker and tried to reset the circuit breaker. It failed so I replaced the circuit breaker. Obviously it was tripping for a reason so I do some investigating and find that the pool pump motor had shorted to ground. The HO even told me he was trying to reset it even with the ground fault having not been cleared. I disconnect the wiring to the pump, check the conductors going underground from the house to the pump, button it all back up and re-energize the circuit. The rest of the circuit is working and I tell the guy to have a pool specialist come out and replace the pool pump motor.

I get a call the other night saying that the circuit is out again and that it's "not big deal you don't have to come out tonight but just call when you can."

Ok.

So I call and schedule to come over late this afternoon. He calls me about an hour before I'm scheduled to be there and says the circuit breaker is holding and there's no need to come over. I tell him that he likely has an issue with the underground EMT raceway that's rotting out and that is should A) be replaced soon, and B) have that pool circuit on by itself. Of course he has old Edison type fuses and no room for any new circuits even though a 2-circuit sub has been rigged up.

Anyway, my question is this. Is it possible that the pool motor was shorted from the HO repeatedly trying to reset the circuit breaker? I suspect a ground fault in the old underground conduit that doesn't show up until it rains. The guy even told me the breaker tripped after he was out there watering the lawn for awhile. I just need to convince him that the shorted motor was because of what he did by forcing the breaker during a GF and the 2nd trip was because of the GF in the conduit.

This make any sense to you?

I get what you are saying, after I read it outloud to myself a couple of times. I agree, that the repeated reseting of the circuit breaker did it. But thats me, according to a territorial electrican that came on a job and almost stabbed me with a Awl, I am not "qualified".

MDShunk · 09-06-2009, 09:37 PM

I thought you owned a megger? I'm going to take your membership card back.

macmikeman · 09-07-2009, 04:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MDShunk

I thought you owned a megger? I'm going to take your membership card back.

Maybe he only has one that shows numbers on it instead of kiddie lights.