Bad Circuit Breaker

[east_tn_emc]

So how often do people actually encounter a bad circuit breaker?

The GFCI (50-amp C-H) on my hot-tub looks to be bad. I checked the tub earlier this week to find the display showing an error condition. The pumps would work fine, but the heater was not working. I got out the multi-meter to find only ~120 volts across the heater. I started checking back thru the circuits and found that the input coming into the tub from the GFCI was showing 120v on one hot-leg and ZERO on the other. I hit the test-button on the GFCI and it tripped as expected. I reset it and still only one-leg of power coming out. Two legs of 120 going into it, as expected. I tapped on the side of the breaker with a screw-driver and it started working, providing 2 legs of 120 (240v across them) as expected.

I have found the breaker in the OFF position several times over the last few days...not tripped, but in the OFF position. I picked up a new Square-D enclosure with GFCI breaker included, but have not installed it yet. I am, however, not getting into the tub until the new one is installed...dont want to get into the water with a suspect GFCI

In over 40 years, I have never personally had a circuit breaker go bad, so was just curious what other people have experienced.

 

[Aceman]

Breakers go bad all the time. It's a very common service call.

 

[matt151617]

GFIC and AFIC in particular can and do go bad due to the electronics inside of them.

 

[79firebird]

I had the same prob in my hottub a fue months ago ended up being a bad motherboard triping the gfci 1/2 way

 

[cowboyjosh]

x2 on breakers going bad. Especially with AFCI and GFCI, they can go bad after a close lighting strike or power surge; not to mention they can just wear out.

 

[rburke65]

As stated, a common answer from a service call. Depends on the frequency of use, age of the breaker, quality, did it live it's life in the high side of the maximum rated amperage? As with most equipment, there are numerous variables which will affect a 'life cycle'.

 

[nehog]

...
The GFCI (50-amp C-H) on my hot-tub looks to be bad. I checked the tub earlier this week to find the display showing an error condition. The pumps would work fine, but the heater was not working. I got out the multi-meter to find only ~120 volts across the heater. I started checking back thru the circuits and found that the input coming into the tub from the GFCI was showing 120v on one hot-leg and ZERO on the other. I hit the test-button on the GFCI and it tripped as expected. I reset it and still only one-leg of power coming out. Two legs of 120 going into it, as expected. I tapped on the side of the breaker with a screw-driver and it started working, providing 2 legs of 120 (240v across them) as expected.
...

Many high current GFCI units use a GFCI controller, and a separate contactor to control power. (However that contactor is a special, high break speed contactor...) I'd guess either a bad connection, or bad contactor is the root of your problem. (The GFCI is not a circuit breaker in this application...)