Faulty GFCI breaker?

[alien]

I got a Midwest spa panel from eBay & was slightly suspicious of the breaker which looked used, even though the panel was advertised as new.

I wired it up this weekend, as per P-J's diagram, from the subpanel in the garage. The breaker trips as soon as I power it on, even with no load. In fact I can remove all 3 load wires and it still trips with just the line wires in place and the pigtail connected to the neutral bar.

I'm thinking this is a faulty breaker - any further tests I need to do, or should I head straight down to Home Depot for a replacement?

 

[BadNewsBrewery]

Can you post a photo or two of the breaker and it's connections? Should help us to see if you have anything wired up wrong, or if it's just a bad breaker.

 

[fl93]

I also purchased a midwest 50A spa panel from ebay and am having the same exact problem.As soon as I throw the breaker in my main panel the gfi in my spa panel trips. I called Midwest and was told that if the gfi does not see a load it will keep tripping. The amperage on the line and load side of the neutrals most match.

 

[Walker]

I called Midwest and was told that if the gfi does not see a load it will keep tripping.

That sounds like garbage to me. A GFCI shouldn't trip just because there is no load.

If that were true, every time you unplugged something from a GFCI outlet, it would trip.

 

[AllanMar]

Yea, that seems very odd....

My bathroom currently doesn't have anything plugged in and yet that GFI doesnt trip....

My 50A Cutler-Hammer GFCI has been on with no load for awhile without problems.

 

[P-J]

Can you post a photo or two of the breaker and it's connections? Should help us to see if you have anything wired up wrong, or if it's just a bad breaker.

At this point, a picture of the inside of the Spa Panel is critical so that the problem can be identified.

 

[mattd2]

The only point on GFCI tripping with "no load" is my GFCI extension cord will trip when unplugged (switch turned off first though). As I understand this is done intentionally on extension cords so that you have to reset them everytime you plug them back in.
I would call BS on Midwests response.

 

[fl93]

Here is a picture of my panel with the same problem as alien.

 

[alien]

Thanks guys. I couldn't get around to taking a picture tonight. But I've got the hot wires going from the subpanel breaker going in the line terminals where the thick red and black wires are on the picture above. Fat white neutral wire from the subpanel to the neutral bus. Curly white pigtail from the breaker to the neutral bus. Ground wires to the ground bus. Everything else disconnected, no load wires connected to the back of the GFCI breaker. The GFCI breaker trips as soon as I turn on the breaker at the subpanel.

I've measured the line voltages and they are OK, 240V between the hot wires and 120V between either hot wire and neutral. Infinite resistance between hot lines and from hot lines to ground/neutral.

 

[BadNewsBrewery]

For the sake of clearing up any doubt, can you indicate which side of the above diagram is your supply side from the main panel, and which side is headed out to your outlet / control panel? IE, are you supplying from the left and serving to the right, or vice versa?

My only guess, from initial look - is that you are supplying line voltage from the left, to the neutral bus bar and the two screw terminals, and your load side is the top of the breaker and headed out to the right. What I notice, and I don't have a wiring diagram for your specific breaker - is that you have your BLACK wire terminate on the right post of the line side, and originate from the left post of the load side. I honestly don't see how or why that'd matter, but if somehow you've got the two crossed it could be doing something screwy.

If that's not it, then I'm out of guesses other than a bad breaker.

 

[fl93]

Left side is from main panel. Right side is feeding outlet.

 

[alien]

Here's my spa panel with the breaker in it. No load wires. Trips as soon as I power up.

 

[P-J]

Here's my spa panel with the breaker in it. No load wires. Trips as soon as I power up.

The GFCI breaker is bad. Return/exchange the panel.

 

[highland_brewer]

I had the same issue with a spa panel I purchased. I bought a breaker to go in the main panel and never had a problem. Kal from the electricbrewery.com says that many electric brewers have used the spa disconnects and have had good results. I tried 2 different panels and had no luck with either. Only thing i can suggest is make sure your neutral wire that powers your panel is in the neutral lug on the breaker.

 

[alien]

Thanks for the advice guys. Looks like I will be headed out to HD. I will visually check the wiring between the spa panel and the garage sub panel just to be absolutely sure. The voltages and resistances between the line wires are what they should be.

 

[fl93]

Alien Did you buy that panel from a seller on ebay by the name of thebingesavings ?

 

[alien]

I have no idea, I got it months ago. I just had a look at the listings on ebay and none of them looked familiar.

 

[fl93]

I just replaced the breaker with one from HD and it now works fine.

 

[BadNewsBrewery]

In the words of our favorite Kazahk: "Great Success!"

 

[alien]

Replaced the breaker. All OK now.

 

[Jps101]

Just to add to the thread...I too purchased one online from eBay. Wired everything up all is hot ( I am getting 240 at the plug). Push the test and...nothing! Lesson learned I guess.

A little explanation on the picture. Wires coming in at bottom of panel in front are wires coming in from main. Wires at back are going out to 30amp receptacle.

 

[alien]

I wonder if some of these so-called new spa panels from ebay are actually shop returns, or something.

The replacement I got from Home Depot was packaged up differently. The panel front was screwed shut with the breaker in place. The ebay one did not have the front of the panel screwed down, and the breaker looked slightly scuffed.