Thanks, Ron. Finding an electrician here who knows and understands the NEC Article 680 may be tough. I won't bore you with tales of lic'd electricians who didn't know how to install an occupancy sensor switch or that different types of dimmers are required for LEDs, but we've been though half a dozen in the last decade.

I could answer your questions better if I truly understood them, but will say that the spapack you mentioned sounds like what was used. The individual circuits for the jets, lights and pumps are not on GFCI breakers. There's one 60 amp GFCI breaker on a second panel that's between the main panel at the house and the subpanel on the equipment pad.

Both the original electrician and #2 were hired by the pool builder, which builds pools for both residential and commercial use all over the southeast. I verified with the county building dept. that the pool eventually passed all inspections.

The guy who installed the new 60 amp GFCI breaker to replace the old 50 amp GFCI breaker did so at our request. Once that was proven to not be the solution, he admitted being baffled but did get in touch with a friend who does electrical work for pool builders. I heard from him after posting my question and he said that the original wiring was done incorrectly and that a GFCI breaker should be on the circuit for the pool lights and the existing one that everything in the subpanel connects to should be removed. Just to be sure I understood, I asked about the other circuits and he said they don't require GFCI breakers.

As for the panel on the equipment pad, it appears no different than the panel in our garage. I see nothing that would make it weather proof. If you can point the way to a supply house for weather proof panels, I will order one and ask our electrician to install it.

Thanks for your help.

Yeah, this appears to be a bogus installation. Any chance there was a hot tub or something there from before that they just glommed onto the wiring for?

Just jacking up the breaker size is usually not a legal or appropriate thing to do.

Wet location panels is basic stuff, (not even pool related). You can find them at the home centers just by searching for the words "OUTDOORS". The official designation is NEMA 3 (3R if rain is the only problem, 3S if you get freezing precip).

The pool pump requires GFCI.
Any receptacles near the pool need GFCI.
Any circuits feeding lights or fans within 5' of the pool (with some exception) must have GFCI.
GFCI is required for underwater lighting exceeding 15 volts.
GFCI is required for any equipment that the manufacturer says requires it. Many water quality units (heaters, UV filters, etc...) specify GFCI.

No prior hot tub. This was a new build. I'll check to see if the panel is rated for outdoor use but will be surprised if that's the case given the other problems we've found.

Our state has not adopted NEC 2017, so most electricians will argue about the necessity for following it. I've been told the only thing that requires GFCI is the breaker for the lights.

None of this has changed in over a decade of NEC (actually, the advent of low voltage LED pool lights actually has relaxed requirements in the later code that were n't there several versions back).

You were told wrong. The PUMPS have required a GFCI for as long as I've been doing pools (2004). An equipment installation manual that states a requirement is OBLIGED TO BE FOLLOWED. That's been the rule for as long as I've been around (early 80's).

Sigh. Thanks again for the information. It's very frustrating as a homeowner to lack confidence in the local people who are supposed to be experts. I wonder how they get licensed.

I'll see about getting a print out of Article 680 and make some calls to try to find an electrician here who's familiar with it. Likely I'll get the usual, "Don't worry your little head about it, I know what I'm doing" response.

Start at the main power supply in the house. Verify the breaker feeding the pool sub is correct. Also, the size of the wire running to the sub panel is sized properly to prevent voltage drop.

NEC 680 requires ALL pool equipment to be GCFI protected since 2008. Previously, only pool lights and at least 1 receptacle within 20' of the pool required GCFI protection. 110 lights only need it. Not low voltage (12V)

You can, and we have, used a single 60 amp GFCI panel to protect all of the pool equipment. It goes between the power supply to the house and the pool sub.

We when we first started this method, a seasoned inspector thought it was a great idea. On one occasion an inspector felt it was not allowed and wanted individual GFCI breakers. Being fair, he suggested I call the state (NJ), for proof, and find out if it was ok. I did and a code official said it was ok. I passed and still continue to use this set up.

You can use individual GFCI breakers for each piece of equipment in place of the single GFCI panel. You cannot use both GFCI breakers individually and a GFCI main. Your choice.

We have found on occasion using the main GFCI, the receptacle we installed at the pool pad would cause a nuisance trip. A homeowner would plug a cord in and forget to take it out prior to a rain storm. The cord would get wet and trip the main GFCI killing power to everything.

The GFCI box we use is made by GE. They call it a spa panel-comes 40 amp and 60 amp.

There are spots in that box for slim breakers before GFCI protection. We install a 20 amp breaker and provide power to a separate GFCI receptacle. This prevents any nuisance tripping and keeps the equipment running.

You may want to check the connections to each device and be sure moisture is getting in. Verify proper power supply to each device.

Aside from the code requirements for pools, any seasoned electrician should be able to figure out the problem.

If you still have doubts about any of the final inspections on the pool, you should consider having a certified company come in and perform a bond test on the pool. Aside from these other electrical issues, proper bonding is PARAMOUNT on a swimming pool.

I contend the "single GFCI" is not allowed by the code (at least the later ones). The feeder GFCI in lieu of branch circuit protection says it only applies to 210.8 (your normal domestic GFCI receptacle protection) and 590.6 (Temporary wiring installations). The non-normative text in the handbook amplifies that the intent is that allowing the GFCI protection on all feeders is specifically NOT provided for.

But Mystic is correct, bonding is a killer. We lose one or two people a year on pool lighting misinstallations alone.

Reviving this old thread to update: About a month after my last post, I found an electrician who thought he knew how to resolve our problem. I was eager to try anything at that point but wasn't optimistic about the chances. He installed a heavy duty motor rated GFCI breaker at the equipment pad panel. I don't recall the exact cost, but they run about $250 - $400 or so, compared to 1/10 that for the standard GFCI breaker. He said the pool builders here avoid using them due to the cost. Perhaps so, but it's just as likely to be ignorance.

Since the new breaker was installed we have not had a single problem. We had a late freeze and have been through some heavy storms including a tornado that touched down about one block from us. Previously, such weather would have resulted in losing power and likely more damage to pipes and pumps. My husband is very happy that he has not had to traipse out in the dark at 3 a.m. to reset the breaker. I've referred the electrician to several neighbors already.