Heater trips the electrical breaker when it attempts to start.
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.
Possible Causes
How to Fix / Troubleshooting
Safety first: Leave the breaker off until the fault is identified. Do not repeatedly reset a tripping breaker.
Step-by-step checks:
- Visual inspection: With power off, open the control and blower compartments. Look for burnt wires, melted insulation, or signs of arcing.
- Isolate components: Disconnect the blower motor, gas valve, and other major loads one at a time, then briefly power the unit to see if the breaker still trips. This should be done by someone comfortable with electrical testing.
- Test motor and coils: Use a multimeter to check resistance to ground from the blower motor windings and gas valve coils. A low resistance to ground indicates a short.
When to stop: Electrical shorts and breaker sizing should be evaluated by a qualified electrician or pool heater technician.
Repair Difficulty
Required Part
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