Spa Panel "test" result?

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lukez

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Hi I just wired up my 50a home depot spa panel. Measured my voltage at the plug I installed and had 115v at each hot leg, good. But when I hit the "test" on the gfci I heard a pop and saw sparks fly inside the panel. The breaker remained on. The sparks spooked me so I shut everything off to see if this is a normal reaction or is something not right? It became a bit smelly too.
 
Smell as in burnt plastic? You did the right thing by turning off the breaker you shouldn't get any sparks or smells when you hit the test button on the gfci. Can you take a pic of the inside of the spa panel it would be easier to see if its wired up correct. If your not confident that your wiring is correct you may want to hire an electrician to double check your work.
 
Actually the smell is probably from the wires that I cut from the cord wire I'm going to use. Here is a pic.
 
The incoming wires are in the center, 2 hots go beside the gfci and you can see the rest.

IMG_20130210_182901.jpg
 
Went and tested it again and nothing happens now, looks like the gfci burnt out! Did I wire it wrong? It looks fine to me :(
I'm going to have to try and get this replaced somehow at home depot even though I drilled holes in it already. Anyone can confirm the wiring was right before I try to fight this battle?
 
Well the pic looks like the breaker is triped the on position is the farthest position from the test button. To reset it you need to push the breaker all the way off then back on. Other then that it looks like its wired correct to me.
 
ya I have a 10/3 dryer wire (which is actually 10/4, 3 wires + ground) coming in the center of the panel and then 4 wires going out to the plug which will then be going to the control panel.
 
ya I have a 10/3 dryer wire (which is actually 10/4, 3 wires + ground) coming in the center of the panel and then 4 wires going out to the plug which will then be going to the control panel.

Huh? is the plug you are pluging into the wall 4 or 3 pronged?
 
4 wires(4 prong dryer recepticle) coming into the spa panel(2 hot -red and black, neutral white, and bare copper ground) and 4 going out(red and back, neutral white and green ground), why am I not allowed to do that? i just followed this:

SPA.jpg
 
There is no neutral, its 220. You need 2 hots and a ground from the breaker to the receptacle. If you need a neutral for a 110 circuit for something other than the heating element, you need to run another circuit. You should have a 3 prong plug and receptacle.
 
ok I don't want to burn another gfci breaker when it comes in :(
 
That's confusing, then why would a 10/3 dryer wire from home depot have 4 wires? And voltin's wiring diagram in the build I linked shows the same, 4 wires coming out of the spa panel?
 
There is no neutral, its 220. You need 2 hots and a ground from the breaker to the receptacle. If you need a neutral for a 110 circuit for something other than the heating element, you need to run another circuit. You should have a 3 prong plug and receptacle.

What does a dryer do with a four wire receptical then?
This is just flat out wrong.
 
What does a dryer do with a four wire receptical then?
This is just flat out wrong.

Run the 110/120v parts like the light bulb inside the drum. Potentially other items if it's electronically controlled.
 
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