grounding a SWG

[Poolsean]

Dorie,

As long as your pool equipment and Salt Chlorine Generator are bonded, you shouldn't see any problems with damage to your handrail. Again, make sure there is a bonding wire on the pump motor (this is usually a solid copper wire, or green ground wire) to a grounding rod into the dirt. Connect a bonding wire from the grounding rod (or motor) to the bonding lug of the salt system.
This should help keep stray voltage from the pool.

The design of a salt system is such that there shouldn't be any stray voltage radiating from the cell and into the pool. UL1081 guidelines limits this from happening. However, any electrical device can radiate stray voltage if not installed properly. Unfortunately, the bonding wire attachment is one easily overlooked by the installer.

Hope this helps.

Sean

[gwrace1]

According to the NEC electrical code the bonding wire loop is not a grounding wire. It simply keeps all electrical and metal components at the same electrical potential to avoid a "difference of potential" that could cause a shock.

The only connection to ground would be threw the circuitry where the bonding screw attaches to the pump motor.

The ground rod and connection to the sub-panel is a separate connection required for a sub-panel wired from a main feeder panel.

Just remember that proper bonding and grounding are two separate requirements for pools.

[doriec]

Thanks for your information. I have more questions though. We talked to the electrician, and he said that our panel, pool equipment and pump is grounded with a rod to the ground. He suggested that we hook a ground rod and wire to the ladder and run it into the ground. He says this will take care of the ladder since it was installed after the pool was built. Do you agree? Thanks, Dorie

[JohnT]

Thanks for your information. I have more questions though. We talked to the electrician, and he said that our panel, pool equipment and pump is grounded with a rod to the ground. He suggested that we hook a ground rod and wire to the ladder and run it into the ground. He says this will take care of the ladder since it was installed after the pool was built. Do you agree? Thanks, Dorie

Your electrician is misinformed. He's not alone though, as most electricians don't understand code when it comes to pools. The wire from the ladder needs to go to the bonding circuit for the pool. This is a wire that connects to all of the metal objects that are close to the pool or that contact the water. Things like the pump motor, ladders, hand rails, slide bases, light housings, diving board stands, SWGs, heaters, fences, deck rebar, steel pool walls, metal coping, and I'm sure there are others I've neglected to mention. These things are all to be wired together, but there is no requirement for grounding. Have your electrician refer to the 2005 NEC, Article 680 where it says:

"equipotential stray voltage bonding conductors aren't required to extend to any panelboard, service equipment, or an electrode."

What this means is no ground rod is required. The reason for the bonding wire is to keep everything that could come in cantact with a swimmer at the same voltage. Grounding this bonding wire usually occurs by way of the bonding lug on the pump motor, but is just coincidental. Additional grounding electrodes serve no benefit, and may make your pool subject to stray voltage problems.

Grounding your ladder seperately from the rest of the bonding system isn't the thing to do. You need a wire to the bonding system. Sometimes the wire can be epoxied into a nearby control joint in a concrete deck without looking too bad.

[doriec]

John, What is the worst that can happen if the pool ladder is not bonded? Thanks, Dorie

[JohnT]

John, What is the worst that can happen if the pool ladder is not bonded? Thanks, Dorie

Assuming everything else is bonded properly, the big concern would be if something like an extension cord was drug up against it and had bad insulation. The ladder alone, IMO isn't a very big risk IF everything else is good.

[Mike_in_NJ]

Worst that can happen? Someone can die. I'm being serious here, that is the worst that can happen.

Also what can happen when the different metal parts are not bonded together is an increased risk of metal corrosion.

"there is no way to dig up the sidewalk ..." There is -always- a way to do something, some ways are better than others. There ought to be the original bonding wire underneath the sidewalk connecting all the metal parts of the pool together. All you have to do is connect a new bonding wire from the ladder/sockets into the existing bonding wire(s). Use a diamond masonry blade and cut out the section of sidewalk with the ladder, remove the concrete, connect the bonding wires the way they should have been done in the FIRST place, repour the small section of concrete. Done. Other choices might be to use the diamond blade and run cut line(s) out to the edge of the sidewalk from the ladder and sink the bonding wire down in the groove. Connect the ladder to one end of the wire and then dig up dirt to connect the other end of the bonding wire into the existing bonding wire. Make the groove(s) look like control joints and it shouldn't be too noticable.

The install was never done right or completed if the ladder wasn't bonded into the bonding circuit. I strongly suggest you fix it. You might play hardball with the installer and insist he fix the problem.

Rgarding the risk, you know it isn't right. Fix it. IMHO.