AG Pool wiring and other headaches

I really appreciate your input, JohnT. Between you and 680, I think I mostly have everything figured out.

Yesterday I dug up the old UF-B and started digging my trench to the pump. Today, I completely ripped out the old wiring with the exception of the auxiliary outlet and the area lighting circuit (which turned out to be on the same circuit after all). I also started fabricating the conduit in large pieces, and tomorrow I'll complete the wiring and conduit, with the exception of the bonding which I'll finish up during the week, weather permitting.

What I have done is put in 3/4" conduit from the breaker box to a T-junction under the deck. The conduit is buried about 14" or so, which is deeper than the 12" required by 680. Since I have GFI outlets at the breaker I didn't have to go 18". Out of each end of the T-junction I have reduced down to 1/2" conduit.

Out of one end of the T-junction will be the Aqualuminator branch circuit, wired with 12AWG THHN to a simplex outlet. It's a straight run without any breaks. The outlet is about 12' away from the edge of the pool, about 4' off the ground.

Out of the other end of the T-junction are both the pump circuit and the auxiliary outlet/area lighting circuit. The axillary outlet is also 12AWG THHN, and the pump I went with 10AWG THHN. The 10AWG is probably overkill, but it wasn't much more expensive than 12AWG, so I figured I'd step it up a bit.

Both circuits terminate at the pump outlet box, which is 8' from the edge of the pool and about 24" off the ground. Technically, this outlet should be a twist-lock but my timer is not twist lock and I'm not buying a new one at this point. If/when the timer goes out, I'll replace the simplex with a twist-lock simplex outlet later. I also have a switch for the pump run out of this box to a closer location on the deck for easy access to shut down the pump circuit.

In the same junction box as the pump simplex (but not connected to the pump circuit) is the axillary outlet circuit, which I am changing over to the existing UF-B that is already run to the axillary outlet and the area lights. The axillary outlet itself is just over 10' from the edge of the pool and the lights are all much further than that, so UF-B is legal to use for it according to 680.

I am not installing an earth ground at the pump simplex outlet as shown in my schematic. I am instead bonding about a dozen points on the pool itself to the pump housing. I'll stop by a pool supply store this week to ask about the best places for this, hopefully using some of the pools they have on site as an example.

If anyone is interested, I'll draw up another schematic later to show the final product and post it here. I'll also post some pics of various parts when my wife brings our digital camera back from her business trip in a couple weeks.

Again, thanks to everyone for their input on this thread. It was greatly appreciated.

Wow, after reading all that, it gives even more reason to buying resin pools - I only had to bond my wall!
Sounds like you're on track with everything, Hope you're swimming soon after all that work!

Can someone explain "bonding" and some of the wiring requirements, why that is all needed? We are getting an AG pool and have a GFI panel close by (20') so expect to plug in right to that. Are these pump/filter set ups supposed to be hard wired? We don't plan on pool lights - our merc vapor yard light is right next to the pool area.

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Originally Posted by NWMNMom

Can someone explain "bonding" and some of the wiring requirements, why that is all needed? We are getting an AG pool and have a GFI panel close by (20') so expect to plug in right to that. Are these pump/filter set ups supposed to be hard wired? We don't plan on pool lights - our merc vapor yard light is right next to the pool area.

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Bonding is a wiring scheme that connects everything conductive associated with and near the pool so that it all remains at the same voltage if some electrical mishap occurs. You can only be shocked if you touch two things that are at different voltages, like the ground and a power line. Even if an electrical appliance fell into a properly bonded pool and the GFCI didn't trip, you wouldn't be shocked because everything you could touch would be the same voltage. (Any volunteers to prove it:p ) Bonding has nothing to do with the power system.

AG pumps are normally required to have twist-lock connectors, and the 20 ft won't meet code in some areas.

As to the light, if you want a pool full of bugs, you've found the answer. 15 years ago when we installed our first AG, it was about 30 ft from an outside light. It was bug city every morning. The best solution to lighting I've found is the citronella torches. Much more pleasant than anything electrical.

NWMNMom,

Have you checked with your local building inspector to see if permits are required? I had to get a permit for the pool itself and I had to have a licensed electrician pull a permit for wiring the electrical connection to the pump.

The pumps typically come with a 3' cord so if your panel is 20', you will need to install an outlet closer to the pump. The electrical code limits a "flexible cord" to 3' so you aren't allowed to use an extension cord.

"Bonding" ties all of the metal parts of the pool structure together so that they are all at the same voltage. If you look up in the National Electrical Code, Article 680 talks about the requirements for a pool and that's what this discussion has been referring to.

Peter

[QUOTE=The Raddish]
What I have done is put in 3/4" conduit from the breaker box to a T-junction under the deck. The conduit is buried about 14" or so, which is deeper than the 12" required by 680.
QUOTE]

Is this an older version of 680? I'm looking at the 2005 version and it states 18" for nonmetallic raceways.

I too only went about 14" down because my ground is loaded with rocks so I don't know if it will fly or not.

Sorry about the duplicate response on bonding - I didn't see John Ts answer while I was writing mine.

Peter

Ok, thanks for the answers. A couple of things:

1) we can't move the pool anywhere else (but didn't have problems with bugs in our 18' round, so fingers crossed, we won't when putting this one in the same spot)
2) we live 10 miles from the nearest town (if you can call it that - 20 miles from one that has anything nearing govening bodies that give permits) so permits are not an issue
3) if a new panel is required closer we will put one in
4) Ok, I'll talk to him about bonding too

Thanks!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by prh129

Is this an older version of 680? I'm looking at the 2005 version and it states 18" for nonmetallic raceways.

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This is true if the breakers are not GFI. That aspect seems to make the difference. If your circuits are all GFI at the breaker box, then 12" is the required depth for nonmetallic raceways. If they are not GFI at the breaker box, then 18" is required.

At least, that is my understanding of the code. http://img.slickdeals.net/images/smi...9;t%20know.gif

Quote:

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Originally Posted by The Raddish

This is true if the breakers are not GFI. That aspect seems to make the difference. If your circuits are all GFI at the breaker box, then 12" is the required depth for nonmetallic raceways. If they are not GFI at the breaker box, then 18" is required.

At least, that is my understanding of the code. http://img.slickdeals.net/images/smi...9;t%20know.gif

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OK - I see where that is defined in section 300.5. I will have a GFI breaker on the circuit so I would be covered in that case with a 12" depth but I'm not sure it meets with part 680.10.

It is not clear to me if the depths listed in 680.10 apply only to non-pool wiring that can't be moved away from the pool area or if it's for all wiring in the pool area. I'd like to know up front in case it becomes an issue at inspection time.

John T - you seem to have experience with this - what do you know about this?

Thanks

Peter

...any tricks?

I'm pulling three 10AWG and six 12AWG wires through about 30 feet of 3/4" nonmetallic conduit with two 90º standard radius turns.

I do have string strung through the conduit, so I can tie it off if needed.