My submersible pump for pond keeps triggering the GFCI..Why?
October 25th, 2009 | 
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I suspect the pump is allowing water into an electrical area of the pump causing the GFCI unit to cut the power. Can someone tell me what i can do to fix my pump to stop this…for example, can i use some kind of sealant on certain areas of the pump that MIGHT be able to seal it from water or is there nothing i can do?
I would suspect first the electrical cord that enters the casting as having in that area developed some sort of a low resistance in the insulation.
And secondly, i would suspect that switching mechanism in the pump, ie the microswitch that is activated by the float to have gone bad.
And thirdly, that rubber seal on the float mechanism might have developed a leak and needs a new seal there.
These components are easily repaired by removal of the top casting on the pump and an examination of the switch and cord.
I recently replaced a microswitch in a Zoller pump for about $15 and a seal on the float mechanism for about $3.
The cord at the entry can be cut off if it appears bad and reinserted thru that knob seal again with an application of a bit of RTV rubber to that seal gromet.
I would not suspect that water has entered the pump. These things are oil filled and pretty well balanced pressure wise so water under pressure would have to displace the oil so most of the time on these pumps its the microswitch area to look at and repair.
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Posted in Submersible Water Pump
You are pretty smart! That is exactly what is happening. You can pull the pump apart, dry out the electrical compartment, and fill it full of Vaseline.
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well if it is submersible it should be sealed but somewhere there is a short triggering the GFCI. Price wise you might be just a well off to replace it
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water is shorting the pump causing it to cut the breaker. you likely need a new pump or try and locate any cracks in the elctrical cord.Those pumps are hermetically sealed per se and once they are no good they are no good.
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Some of the best pumps on the market will run you under $100 bucks. It might be better to replace the pump rather than mess with an unsafe short.
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I would suspect first the electrical cord that enters the casting as having in that area developed some sort of a low resistance in the insulation.
And secondly, i would suspect that switching mechanism in the pump, ie the microswitch that is activated by the float to have gone bad.
And thirdly, that rubber seal on the float mechanism might have developed a leak and needs a new seal there.
These components are easily repaired by removal of the top casting on the pump and an examination of the switch and cord.
I recently replaced a microswitch in a Zoller pump for about $15 and a seal on the float mechanism for about $3.
The cord at the entry can be cut off if it appears bad and reinserted thru that knob seal again with an application of a bit of RTV rubber to that seal gromet.
I would not suspect that water has entered the pump. These things are oil filled and pretty well balanced pressure wise so water under pressure would have to displace the oil so most of the time on these pumps its the microswitch area to look at and repair.
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Motors are notorious for tripping GFCI’s.Sometimes a very small amount of electricity will leak to ground through the windings.not enough to be a hazard but enough to be a real problem for a GFCI.This is the reason that refrigerators and freezers are not put on GFCIs.I would however check to make sure that all the seals are intact and they are not the source of the problem.
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