My hot tub shuts off (trips the GFI breaker) if I hit the "jets" button two times too quickly. Any idea why?

Question

We recently bought a used Cal Spas hot tub with limited documentation, none of which addresses this possible scenario.

By default, the spa runs the pump for four hours after I first turn it on. Two times now I have gotten too anxious and have played with the jets or light during that four hour period.

Usually that doesn't create a problem but both times I accidentally turned the jets one when I meant to hit lights. I rapidly hit the jets button a second time to shut off the jets.

Both times that has caused the GFI breaker to trip.

In each case, it takes about 12 hours before I can turn the breaker back on and restart the hot tub.

Any thoughts?

Answer 1

Now hold on pardner! Don't run out and pour more power in, or buy a new breaker! Sounds to me like the breaker is doing it's job. What is confusing is you think you are working with the gfi, when what you are experiencing is an overload. Starting and stopping any big motor is going to cause excessively high current and high current will cause an overload. You don't have a real problem, just let the pump run for a minuet or so after turning it on and then shut it off, your problem will go away or my name isn't Sparky.

Answer 2

That it takes 12 hours before you can turn the unit back on makes me think that what you did somehow made a small amount of water get in the wiring, creating a ground fault that goes away when the water has evaporated. My only other thought about it is that the GFI breaker may need replacing.

Answer 3

You need more power. Remember the Seinfeld episode where Kremer blows the powere in the whole building with his hot tub? More power !

Answer 4

check motor amps and then think about how on a quick start or "startup" a motor can draw up to 6 (YES SIX) times its nameplate rating or MORE! thus for example a 10 amp motor can draw 50-60 amps for a millisecond..and to do it twice..well your asking for this to happen..