Home electric problem / question help

[teg]

We have a new house at the farm, with new electrical service, 200 amp. Our problem is we "pop"/trip GFCI breakers like there is no tomorrow (4-5 of them, 2-3 times a weekend). They are not over loaded, in fact rarely is anything actually "On" those circuits when they trip.

We are getting an electrician out there but I want to be somewhat informed as to what might cause this.

Our best guess is that it has to do with the well pump (usually happens when doing laundry or running the dishwasher). I will confirm this next weekend, to see if they trip when the well pump kicks in.


Could the well pump be grounding out somehow? Anything we can do to isolate that circuit?

(we know absolutely nothing about our well pump, it worked fine on the old farm house service, but they didn't have any GFCI circuits)

View attachment 509410

 

[BrokeFarmerJohn]

Where do you pop GFCI's? Your washer and well shouldn't have anything to do with the GFCI circuits, they should be on there own breaker.

GFCI's protect against water mainly, everywhere that water can contact and potentially short out an outlet it's code to have a GFCI, kitchens, bathrooms ext.

A new building code I hear requires a GFCI in every room now which is absolutely ridiculous.

Maybe someone with more knowledge on the matter can chime in but I have never heard of a well or washer being on a GFCI.

Are you resetting the GFCI outlets? Or are you flipping breakers?

 

[kenmac]

If they sense any type of electrical feed back they will trip.
You may have several tied to the same circuit. So, it one trips you have no power to the others.
I had one on a fart fan circuit. When turning the fan off, it would trip. I took the GFCI out of that circuit and I have had no more issues.

 

[teg]

So the breakers are tripping in the electric panel. Never had an outlet trip on it's own, always the breaker in the basement.

Usually 4 breakers will trip at once during a "wash" cycle, including the washing machine. But we have had times where none tripped during a wash cycle. (not sure if the well pump ran during that time).

I know every other circuit breaker is on a different pole. Well pump is at the bottom of the left side, 240. We trip breakers 2,3,4,7,8 all on the left side (Water heater is 5 and 6 and never trips).

2 and 4 are bedrooms with no loads. 3 is the washroom... not even sure what 7 and 8 are connected to, I think outside boxes... which, If I remember correctly, one box will trip real easy. (need to check into that, next time up).

Something is tripping the 4 (or 5) breakers and it's not on the outlet side...

{EDIT} I'm not sure how the panel is actually numbered, I was guessing that the left side is numbered, 1 at the top, 2 below it, then 3, 4, 5, 6, and so forth down the left side... I've seen now that the numbering goes back and forth from left to right side...)

 

[Xfaxman]

The first step is to measure the voltage in the breaker box, to see if the 125 VAC legs are about the same voltage.

You may have a problem with the Neutral connection somewhere.

 

[teg]

I've tested all the outlets with this cheap thing:

Electrical Receptacle Wall Plug AC Outlet Ground Tester - Circuit Testers - Amazon.com

That says ground and neutrals are fine...

We have a pretty good tester... I'll check each leg and see what it says this next weekend, too.

Thanks...

 

[Gary Fowler]

I had a GFCI that kept tripping (bathroom) and finally traced it down that it included an outside receptacle. After removing the cover, I found it full of spider webs. I cleaned all that out and reinstalled the cover and no more problem. It doesn't take much to make them trip.
Personally I would remove all of them except for receptacle around sinks and outside receptacles. You don't need them anywhere else for safety. You shouldn't need one on your well pump circuit either or washing machine since there is really no reason for you to be in contact with water at either location.
Maybe it isn't CODE compliant to do that but it is still safe without GFCI in those circuits.

 

[Oldoak]

..............................A new building code I hear requires a GFCI in every room now which is absolutely ridiculous.......................................

You think that is ridiculous. Our PA state building code, which most counties and local municipalities follow, require Arc-Fault circuit breakers for almost every room but the kitchen and bathroom. They are so sensitive older style vacuum cleaners or anything with worn motor brushes with trip them. And those Arc-Fault breakers are very expensive, $30+ each.

When we built our new house 5 years ago, I asked the electrician what to do about them if they give me trouble. He said do what other people have done, replace them with standard breakers after the building code enforcement inspection has been done. :confused3:

How did we live so long without government intervention?

 

[teejk]

Just a question...does the OP have GFCI breakers installed in the panel and has GFCI outlets on the same circuits? That is redundant and will likely cause false "trips".

 

[BrokeFarmerJohn]

Teg,

If you will snap a pic of the panel.