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    dave orso is offline ** No working email address ** dave orso 0
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    Question Electrical Bonding

    I am nearly complete with a DIY waterline tile and coping stone installation in a 25 yo gunite pool. So far so good. When I removed the concrete deck around my pool (I am laying pavers) there was a wire running throughout and which was connected every few feet to the pool beam. I cut the wire and discarded it. Now I am preparing to excavate the dirt surrounding the pool and will be laying crusher run and then sand prior to laying the pavers.

    The question is, what electicral work is required and do I need to attach a wire around the pool and to the ladder, etc?

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    fjava Guest

  3. #3
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    Default Re: Electrical Bonding

    Search this forum for bonding, and you will find good info. With pavers, there really isn't a tried and true solution. Personally, I would bond the metal items and the pump housing, and I would lay a copper grid in the paver base somewhere, and connect that to the bonding system as well. Someone posted here recently with electric shock problems with a paver deck.

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    dave orso is offline ** No working email address ** dave orso 0
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    Default Re: Electrical Bonding

    Thanks to all. As for the copper grid, where would I purchase it and would it be placed under the crusher run, the sand, or directly under the pavers?

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    Default Re: Electrical Bonding

    Quote Originally Posted by dave orso View Post
    Thanks to all. As for the copper grid, where would I purchase it and would it be placed under the crusher run, the sand, or directly under the pavers?

    Dave, I wish I knew what to tell you about where to put it. The idea of the pavers is kind of outside the standard pool construction, and I've not heard of anybody with a good solution. The reason for the bonding in the concrete is that wet concrete conducts electricity, so you want it at the same voltage as the pool shell and anything else a swimmer could contact. Wet pavers are going to conduct electricity too, but they aren't one unit nor do they have rebar to use as a bonding point.

    It would seem like it would be a problem to put it on top of the sand, but if you could lay the pavers that way it would probably be best.

    The copper grid is similar to farm woven-wire fence or remesh that is used in concrete. I don't know of a source right now. The requirement for it in code is not in force yet, but it seems like it would be your best choice. You could probably fabricate it out of #8 wire and clamp the junctions together. I think the standard mesh is 12", but if I was fabricating it, I'd go with a wire down the center of each row of pavers in one direction, and then every foot in the other. If you've read much on people getting shocked in the pool here, you can imaging what a pain it would be to dig up and fix it.

    Now for a disclaimer. Since this is not a case that is considered in code, there's no guarantee that any of this will comply with either code or any local rules you may have, or even if it will work. A hardball inspector could potentially say a paver deck can't be made code compliant. It's just my "best guess" as to how I'd solve it if I had to deal with it.

  6. #6
    dave orso is offline ** No working email address ** dave orso 0
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    Default Re: Electrical Bonding

    Thanks, I think I will visit the city hall and see if they cover it in my area. Otherwise I am going to take your advice and try to place it directly under the pavers.

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    Default Re: Electrical Bonding

    Quote Originally Posted by dave orso View Post
    Thanks to all. As for the copper grid, where would I purchase it and would it be placed under the crusher run, the sand, or directly under the pavers?
    I went through this discussion with my pool electrcian regarding pavers. He explained to me that there is no need to bond or to add a grid under the pavers. The bonding is only used in concrete decks because they have steel rebar/mesh running through them. Pavers do not and therefore need not be bonding.
    Good Luck

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    Default Re: Electrical Bonding

    Quote Originally Posted by mshumack View Post
    I went through this discussion with my pool electrcian regarding pavers. He explained to me that there is no need to bond or to add a grid under the pavers. The bonding is only used in concrete decks because they have steel rebar/mesh running through them. Pavers do not and therefore need not be bonding.
    Good Luck
    Get a new electrician. 2005 NEC Code requires:

    The equipotential bonding grid shall cover the contour of the pool and the pool deck extending 1m (3 ft.) horizontally from the inside walls of the pool.
    There is no mention in the NEC of paver decks being exempt. Unless the pavers are bonded, you will be at risk of stray voltage issues. I have seen pools with stray voltage issues that had concrete decks with fiber reinforement and no rebar. The bad part is that there is no good way to bond paver decks, and my first inclination is to advise against them until a solution exists.

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