Skimmer pump causing breaker to trip

Nevil · Sep 14, 2014

So I woke up this morning and got ready for work, I go downstairs to check on my tanks like always to realize nothing is running on either of them. Turns out my breaker had tripped. I reset it and it immediately tripped again.

So I unplug everything and start plugging stuff back in. I came to find my skimmer pump is what is tripping the breaker. I had to leave for work so I wasn't able to take a good look at it just left it unplugged so everything else is up and runninng.

Does anyone know what is going on? Is my pump shorted out? Think it is fixable or do I need to order a new pump? Thanks in advance for any help or advice you can offer.

RedReefer · Sep 14, 2014

Nevil said:
So I woke up this morning and got ready for work, I go downstairs to check on my tanks like always to realize nothing is running on either of them. Turns out my breaker had tripped. I reset it and it immediately tripped again.

So I unplug everything and start plugging stuff back in. I came to find my skimmer pump is what is tripping the breaker. I had to leave for work so I wasn't able to take a good look at it just left it unplugged so everything else is up and runninng.

Does anyone know what is going on? Is my pump shorted out? Think it is fixable or do I need to order a new pump? Thanks in advance for any help or advice you can offer.

Depending on the price I'd go ahead and get a new one in transit. In the past when I had equipment trip GFI or breakers I would salvage parts and trash the equipment. Try plugging the pump into another outlet and see if it trips a different breaker. If it does its most likely trash.

Adam Baggett · Sep 14, 2014

Sounds like water has gotten into it or the pump has gone bad.

TheClark · Sep 14, 2014

Nevil said:
So I woke up this morning and got ready for work, I go downstairs to check on my tanks like always to realize nothing is running on either of them. Turns out my breaker had tripped. I reset it and it immediately tripped again.

So I unplug everything and start plugging stuff back in. I came to find my skimmer pump is what is tripping the breaker. I had to leave for work so I wasn't able to take a good look at it just left it unplugged so everything else is up and runninng.

Does anyone know what is going on? Is my pump shorted out? Think it is fixable or do I need to order a new pump? Thanks in advance for any help or advice you can offer.

Definitely order a new pump if the cord looks intact. If it is tripping the breaker (not GFCI), wow that is a good short. What kind of pump?

Nevil · Sep 14, 2014

Thanks everyone. The skimmer is a n old Reef Octopus 150nwb I think it is the stock sicce pump that came with it, or an OTP2000. I've been looking online at pumps think I should just replace with stock or go with a Bubble Blaster 2000 or a Aquatrance 2000.