Groundless GFCI?

I have a number of submersible pumps that I use in my hydroponic greenhouse. Most have grounding pins (green conductor) on the plugs. This means that there is likely to be some salt solution on the floor. There is some leakage from the hot to the ground internal to the pump. Sometimes, this is enough to trip the GFCI, especially with an inductive kick. This leakage ordinarily does not give a problem except for the tripping.

GFIC protection would still be present if the ground wire were clipped off. That is, if there was leakage to ground, there still would be an imbalance between neutral and hot currents that would cause tripping. With the ground open, there would be no where for the leakage current to flow.

It looks like, with the leakage present, one can have either the protection of a ground or that of GFIC but not both.

What does the Electrical Code have to say about that kind of a situation?

Bill

-- Fermez le Bush--about two years to go.

Reply to
Salmon Egg
Loading thread data ...

Bill, it is a given that GFI tripping can be very annoying but consider in the event of single or multiple failures which are more likely.

in my mind the risk of a hard ground wire going bad is less then the possibility of a surge taking out the GFI protection.

if you added an isolation transformer it would still be pretty safe yet avoid the trip problem. you could still work in the 'ponics with the pumps running with an easy mind.

Reply to
TimPerry

Quote from 2005 NEC:

620.85 Ground-Fault Circuit-Interrupter Protection for Personnel. ... A single receptacle supplying a permanently installed sump pump shall not require ground-fault circuit-interrupter protection. End quote

Cutting the ground pin off the plug is obviously a "no-no".

Ed

Reply to
ehsjr

Is your GFCI 5 mA? Can you get 30 mA? That may allow the pumps to function while still providing some protection against smallish ground current.

Reply to
operator jay

It's worth a shot. I didn't know such were available.

Bill

-- Fermez le Bush--about two years to go.

Reply to
Salmon Egg

I don't know if you have a GFCI breaker or receptacle(s). I'm not sure what is and is not available in receptacles. For breakers I'm pretty sure you can get 5 mA (called 'Class A' or 'people protection') or 30 mA ('equipment protection'). Equipment such as heat trace that requires GFCI but which commonly has some leakage is often installed with a 30 mA GFCI breaker.

Reply to
operator jay

PolyTech Forum website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.