Catalina Spas
Ground Fault or Short Circuit
Spa trips the GFCI breaker immediately or within seconds of turning on.
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Safety Warning
This repair may involve working with high voltage components or water connections. Always unplug the appliance before removing any panels.
If you are not confident in your ability to perform this repair safely, we strongly recommend contacting a professional technician.
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Possible Causes
Water intrusion into pump motor, Shorted heater element to ground, Damaged wiring harness in equipment bay, Incorrectly wired GFCI or neutral-ground fault
How to Fix / Troubleshooting
Safety: Repeated breaker tripping indicates a potentially dangerous fault. Do not bypass the GFCI.
- Step 1 – Visual inspection: With power off, open the equipment bay and look for obvious leaks, wet components, or burned wiring.
- Step 2 – Isolate components (for technicians): Disconnect one load at a time (heater, pumps, blower, ozonator) from the control pack and try resetting the breaker. When the breaker stops tripping, the last reconnected component is likely the culprit.
- Step 3 – Check heater: The heater is a common cause of GFCI trips. If disconnecting the heater stops the trip, replace the heater assembly.
- Step 4 – Verify wiring: Have an electrician confirm that the GFCI is wired according to Catalina's diagram, with no shared neutrals or incorrect bonding.
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Repair Difficulty
Professional Required
5/5
Required Part
Heater Assembly
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