If you’re ready to take a soak in the hot tub after a long, stressful day the last thing you want is for the equipment to not be running, right? Why is the hot tub breaker tripping? This is a question the swimming pool and hot tub service contractors from SwimRight Pool Service and Repair in Scottsdale, Arizona talk with their customers about regularly.
When you go to the hot tub and see there is no power, no jets running and the water isn’t warm, disappointment certainly sets in, but more importantly you need to know why it’s happening. Having a tripping breaker is a sure sign of electrical issues and something you cannot leave unaddressed.
A tripped breaker is probably not a sign for panic or a fear that your wallet will be drained. In many cases your hot tub and swimming pool contractor can easily pinpoint the issue, address it and get you back in for a soak!
Why is the hot tub breaker tripping?
The hot tub breaker box is usually on the side of the house. It is a switch that will trip — turn off — when there is a surge in electricity. If the flip switches off, the electricity turns off and minimizes the risk of your getting shocked. If you don’t understand electricity, you need to immediately call an electrician or your hot tub contractor — a tripped breaker is a cause for concern.
- The breaker itself could be worn. The age of the breaker or a power surge could lead to the breaker wearing down. It is easy for us to determine if the breaker is worn out. Flip the switch. Does it turn off immediately? If that’s the case, it is likely a worn breaker. To check this, disconnect eerything, turn it back on and if the hot tub breaker turns off — trips — with nothing else running, the breaker needs to be replaced.
- Moisture could have gotten into the breaker box. The box is out of doors and subject to the elements all the time. If you open it and it’s moist, keep the door open and let it try out. You can dry it with a towel or use a fan to dry it out. If the breaker still flips after it’s dry, you may need to replace the breaker but you also need to determine the source of the moisture and address that.
- Moisture and age leads to corrosion and corrosion leads to tripped breakers. If you notice corrosion your pool contractor will clean that out and inspect the rest of the breaker box. If you notice a white powder around the breakers and the breaker box, it’s time to call in a professional.
- Damaged wiring. If your breaker box is outdoors there is a possibility that critters — rodents or even bugs or bees — could have made their home inside the box and that could lead to it tripping. Mice will chew through wires and that causes a short. The fix is to make the breaker box unappealing to critters and have the wires replaced.
- It could be components themselves that are shorting out and causing the breaker to trip. Unplug all of your hot tub equipment — the heater, the towel warmer any other outdoor amenities that are on the same breaker. Plug each one in — one at a time — if the breaker trips, it is the component you’re plugging in. Talk with us to determine whether you need to replace the equipment before you use it again.
Electricity and water never mix. At the first sign of an electrical problem, call us to have it fixed!
