Electrical Q

DiverDude · #1 03-20-2010, 05:42 AM

GFCI's work like this: Normally, current flows between HOT (black/larger blade of the plug) and NEUTRAL (white/smaller blade). Under normal circumstances, there is no current flow in the ground wire (green wire).

When someone somehow makes contact with either HOT or NEUTRAL, they can potential conduct (via their body) to ground. This poses a safety risk -particularly if one hand is in contact with the live wire and the other is at ground potential since the path is across the chest and there is a chance of fibrilation (this is BAD, very bad).

Enter the GFCI. It senses if there is current flow in ground. If there is, it surmises that something is not koscher and cuts power to protect the human it supposes is doing this. It's worth pointing out that GFCI's are to protect people, not the equipment. Equipment is protected by the breaker.

So.....this would imply that your pump is leaking to ground somehow -or the GFCI is faulty. I'd try plugging the pump into another GFCI and see if it pops.

Does the Mag7 have a 2-prong plug or a 3-pin (grounded) plug ? If it has a grounded plug and pops another GFCI, I'd replace the pump.

Gary · #2 03-20-2010, 10:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DiverDude

GFCI's work like this: Normally, current flows between HOT (black/larger blade of the plug) and NEUTRAL (white/smaller blade). Under normal circumstances, there is no current flow in the ground wire (green wire).

When someone somehow makes contact with either HOT or NEUTRAL, they can potential conduct (via their body) to ground. This poses a safety risk -particularly if one hand is in contact with the live wire and the other is at ground potential since the path is across the chest and there is a chance of fibrilation (this is BAD, very bad).

Enter the GFCI. It senses if there is current flow in ground. If there is, it surmises that something is not koscher and cuts power to protect the human it supposes is doing this. It's worth pointing out that GFCI's are to protect people, not the equipment. Equipment is protected by the breaker.

So.....this would imply that your pump is leaking to ground somehow -or the GFCI is faulty. I'd try plugging the pump into another GFCI and see if it pops.

Does the Mag7 have a 2-prong plug or a 3-pin (grounded) plug ? If it has a grounded plug and pops another GFCI, I'd replace the pump.

Not sure if you have a typo, but the neutral (white) should be the larger blade of the plug not the hot (black).