Too many GFCI's on my pump

[donovan.lambright]

I have always plugged my Intex pump (see signature for model) into a Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI)- equipped outlet with outdoor extension cords. My current pump came with a GFCI built right into the plug. I have two concerns:
1) I have read on these forums that having multiple GFCIs is not optimal

2) The pump plug often seems to fill with condensation, which trips the plug's GFCI and makes it impossible to run my pump.

Since I already have a GFCI outlet on the house, is there any reason not to cut off the pump plug and replace it with a standard three-prong plug? Electricity makes me nervous and I'm not going to do anything unless I'm really sure about it.

[eblade21]

Yes they are right, the intex GFI fill with water and moisture .
I have cut off mine and added a ground plug from homedepot
Another reason if you use the stock Intex GFI you find it will reset using an external timer.

[donovan.lambright]

Just to follow up, I removed the GFCI from the pump cable and replaced it with a standard plug. It's plugged into an outdoor extension cord; where they connect is in one of those plastic enclosures that's supposed to protect it from weather. And now the GFCI outlet at the house is going off after about 15 minutes of use. *sigh*

Off to do more troubleshooting.

[eblade21]

Donavan

Couple of things to check
1. Make sure the voltage wires from your house connected to the GFCI are tight and none are loose,
2. Also make sure when you installed the plug end the wires are tight.
3. Where you connect to the outlet must be getting wet for some reason, even with the protector.
4. Please understand GFCI do go bad you just might have a weak GFCI

How long have you had the Intex motor.

Can you run the extension to another outlet to see if the motor or circuit breaker trips after 15 minutes

[donovan.lambright]

Thanks, Eddie.

I swapped out the extension cords that the pump was plugged into with some others and plugged them in to the GFCI outlet and it tripped. I misspoke in my previous post; rather than 15 minutes, it's more like 2. I hadn't paid close enough attention to the times. I then ran those extension cords into the house and plugged them in another CFGI outlet (bathroom). Same as before; ran about 2 minutes before tripping.

Based on this, I don't think it's the extension cords or the outlet failing.

This is the third summer with the pump. The pump had stopped working before I cut the CFGI box off the cord and replaced it with a standard plug. I had been assuming that I botched installing the new plug but I suppose it could be the pump itself. The connections in the new plug seem pretty tight and I was pretty careful not to have a loose wires sticking out to create a short circuit.

Donovan