Spa panel with Breaker

[Homer]

I was wondering if this was a 50A spa panel is also a 50 breaker? The guy at Home Depot said it was, but on here a lot of people say it is only GFI protection.

Here is the link:

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Midwest-...el-Disconnect-with-GFI-UG412RMW250P/100686230

Thanks

 

[njenabnit]

What are you asking? Does that contain a 50amp breaker? The answer to that one is YES. Are you asking if you exceed the load of 50 amps, will it throw the breaker? It is an actual breaker inside, so the answer should be yes there as well.

 

[jeffmeh]

A lot of people use that 50a spa panel on a 30a circuit fed from the main panel, so in that case the 50a breaker in the spa panel is only providing GFCI protection, as the main panel breaker is providing overcurrent protection. That may be where the confusion comes in. But it is indeed a 50a GFCI breaker, and if it fit in your main panel, then you could move it there, and run a 50a circuit.

 

[Homer]

Yes, that is what I was asking, I just hear people say on here to be sure it is also a breaker and not just GFI.

Thanks

 

[njenabnit]

If you run a 30 amp breaker to the 50 amp spa panel, wouldn't the spa panel do the gfi and the breaker panel protect against overcurrent? Is that up to code?

 

[jeffmeh]

If you run a 30 amp breaker to the 50 amp spa panel, wouldn't the spa panel do the gfi and the breaker panel protect against overcurrent? Is that up to code?

I suspect it is not up to code, but if you wire the spa panel so that you can plug it into a 30a outlet, then you are not changing your house wiring, so code does not apply. And it is safe, when wired properly. If you wire it with wire only rated for 30a, the only real risk it at some point someone tries to run it off of a 50a breaker, and you no longer have the 30a overcurrent protection. I would probably take a permanent marker and write "WIRED FOR 30A ONLY" inside the spa panel.

 

[Brad2287]

I suspect it is not up to code, but if you wire the spa panel so that you can plug it into a 30a outlet, then you are not changing your house wiring, so code does not apply. And it is safe, when wired properly. If you wire it with wire only rated for 30a, the only real risk it at some point someone tries to run it off of a 50a breaker, and you no longer have the 30a overcurrent protection. I would probably take a permanent marker and write "WIRED FOR 30A ONLY" inside the spa panel.

I wired mine with a nema 14-30 plug. In theory it should never be able to be plugged into a 50 amp outlet unless the plug was changed. If it can be that would indicate some botched house electrical has happened as someone has wired a thirty amp receptacle to a 50 amp circuit.

 

[jeffmeh]

I wired mine with a nema 14-30 plug. In theory it should never be able to be plugged into a 50 amp outlet unless the plug was changed. If it can be that would indicate some botched house electrical has happened as someone has wired a thirty amp receptacle to a 50 amp circuit.

I agree that it would be highly unlikely.