Although it’s rare for your hot tub to trip the circuit breaker, it’s still important to know what to do in case it ever does happen. Once you identify the specific issue, you’ll be able to apply an easy fix. Here are some troubleshooting tips you can follow to get your hot tub up and running in no time.
1. Check For Moisture in the Breaker Box
A little bit of moisture in your circuit breaker’s control box is enough to turn off its switch. This is actually an incredibly important function to protect the breaker and the hot tub from the damage that water can cause.
All you need to do is conduct a thorough sweep in the breaker box to find out if moisture is present. Remember to turn off the main electrical supply before you do your inspection. If you find any moisture, use a towel or any absorbent cloth. To make sure it’s really dry, you can run a fan or dehumidifier near the outlet as well. Then you can proceed to reset the breaker.
It’s a good idea to keep your breaker from getting wet in the first place to avoid having to deal with this issue again. To prevent moisture from getting into the panel, make sure that the cables are sealed tight and the rubber seal is intact. If everything’s dry and the breaker still flips, it might be necessary to replace the receptacle.
2. Make Sure Your GFCI Breaker is in Good Condition
Ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) breakers are designed to withstand continued use, but they still age and wear out over time. If your breaker has gone through wear and tear and is no longer in good condition, tripping might be expected.
You can try a simple test to find out if you have a bad breaker. First, switch on the hot tub circuit breaker. If it immediately trips again, disconnect everything else from that breaker. Then, flip the GFCI breaker back on. If it doesn’t trip, another component might be the problem. If it does trip again, the breaker itself is the issue, and you might need to get a new one.
3. Find Out if There’s Loose Wiring
Loose wiring can lead to circuit interruptions, which, in turn, can cause the GFCI breaker to trip. Our recommendation would be to hire a licensed electrician to conduct an inspection in this instance. If your hot tub has plastic plug-in connectors, you can check them yourself. These types of connectors tend to slide out of place easily. Just push them securely back into place for a simple fix.
4. Check For Corrosion or Damage in the Heater
Is your hot tub’s heater in good shape? If not, it can also result in circuit breaker tripping. The area around your spa is obviously a moist environment, which means some of the components in your hot tub could be subject to rust or corrosion over time.
Inspect the heater and check if there could be rust, white powder, or any other tell-tale signs of corrosion. If you don’t find any, you can still double-check if the heater is the culprit. Just disconnect it from the control box and switch on the breaker. If it stays on, you can confirm that the heater was the problem, and your best bet would be to change it out.
5. Confirm if a Short Circuit is the Issue
A short circuit will inevitably cause tripping. This is because breakers are actually designed to trip for safety reasons.
To troubleshoot, check if all the connections in your hot tub are properly secured. You can do this by unplugging all the connectors then plugging them back in one by one to find out if there’s a possible issue. Furthermore, you need to ensure that every electrical component in your hot tub is dry. As mentioned, the slightest moisture can cause a short circuit.
At this point, you should have a good idea of why your hot tub is tripping the breaker and what you can do about it. If not, you can ask for the help of a licensed professional or reach out to a hot tub dealer near you for concerns related to your home spa. To get help in choosing the best hot tub for your home, download our free buyer’s guide.