Hi all

Just installed a viking eclipse spa and the heater seems to be tripping my GFCI.
It kept tripping on me so I called an electrician to make sure I had wired everything alright. Each time we powered the tub with the heater wires connected it tripped the breaker. When we pulled the (red and black) for the heater the breaker didn't trip and the jets fired up fine. I guess I need some guidence here. Are there any checks I should/can do or you can recomend what my next step should be. BTW I purchased this tub used (heater was working fine) I believe it was manufactured in 2003 and has a 50067 Balboa heater. Thanks in advance for any help or suggestions.

replace the heater - your electrician should have been able to test insulation resistance to proove this

Are you saying replace the entire heater or just the element? Also can you tell me how you can determine if a coil is bad? Do you just do a resistance test? Thanks

replace element if possible.
requires a resistance check for continuity and an insulation resistance check at 500v from live pins to element sheath (this is the test to determine if an element is shorting to earth tripping a gfci)
an electrician will have a 'megger' to test this with, however, from your symptoms i have little doubt your insulation resistance will be low - therefore a new element.

Thanks for the help. Seems everyone I've asked thinks it's the element. Just ordered one I'll let you know how it works out.

I have a leisure bay hot tub, made in the early 90's. This tub had been given to me with no contactor or thermostat. I resently bought a GE CR453CA1AAA 20 AMP Single Pole contactor. I installed the contactor and thermostat and ran 6/3 220V to the contactor. I went to hook up the wires to a 50 AMP double pole breaker in my panel box, flipped the breaker on, and tripped my 200 AMP main! What is going on!

Sincerely,

Jeremy L.

if your main is tripping, you must have a dead short at the breaker, or in a rare case, even a bad breaker