Pond pump tripping GFCI

[IslandGuy]

I have a 300 gallon pond that has been up and running for about 10 months. I have a skimmer that runs to a waterfall that contains bio balls and a filter element. Just recently the GFCI has been tripping. I put my VOM across the leads and see a 3 ohm short so I am wondering if there is a problem with the pump? Now if I plug the pump into a non GFCI it runs ok. I ran it like that for about 15 minutes and did not trip any circuit breakers.
Please let me know your thoughts.
Kind regards,
Jim

 

[DrCase]

I am not a electrician but
1 your pump is going bad
2 you could have a weak GF breaker

try to run some thing else on your GF breaker and see what happens , if it stays on its your pump

 

[IslandGuy]

I plugged the pump into another GFCI circuit I have and it tripped it as well....I think the pump is toast....hope it is still under warranty.
Thanks,
Jim

 

[DrDave]

I have had the same thing happen. Your pump is drawing too much current and the GFCI is reacting as it should, thinking you have a short.

Take your VOM to where a replacement can be purchased and record the reading.

Please come back and report your findings so we can add that data to my database of problems. We need the readings from both identical pumps and the make nad model of each.

 

[oldmarine]

This last summer, while I was sitting having a cup of coffee watching the fish as the sun came up, the water pump in the water fall and the 700 gph pump in the reservor stopped pumping. Everything just stopped. I started to check the15 amp breaker in the garage and it was fine, it dawned on me what it was, The GFCI tripped. To this day, I can't figure out why. It hasn't done it since. Go figure?

 

[DrDave]

If your pump became momentarily clogged, the amperage required to run it would soar. This could be mistaken for a short by the GFCI.

 

[oldmarine]

Good point, never thought of that.