Spa Tub

Status
Not open for further replies.

laketime

Senior Member
Just getting into residential wiring and bidding a house with 110v spa tub. Do those usual come with cord connection or hard wire?
 

Dennis Alwon

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Chapel Hill, NC
Occupation
Retired Electrical Contractor
Just getting into residential wiring and bidding a house with 110v spa tub. Do those usual come with cord connection or hard wire?
If you mean the hydromassage tub that installs indoors and is used a bathtub- water doesn't remain in it, then yes, they have a cord and plug. You must provide a GFCI in a readily accessible location-- not under the tub. 680.71

I often use the dead front GFCI as the safety off switch and put it somewhere inconspicuous.
 
Last edited:

raider1

Senior Member
Staff member
Location
Logan, Utah
Do you mean a hydromassage bathtub?

All the hydromassage bathtubs that I have installed have been cord and plug connected.

Chris
 

Dennis Alwon

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Chapel Hill, NC
Occupation
Retired Electrical Contractor
Here it is

50F401B8488F43DFBCBFBF23620E048F.ashx
 

laketime

Senior Member
Very nice never used on or seen one of those. Good solution for accessible GFCI without having the issue of someone plugging a space heater into it and running the tub at the same time.
 

muckusmc

Senior Member
Location
Roebling, NJ
I haven't seen anyone do this - Have you???

680.74 Bonding. All metal piping systems and all grounded
metal parts in contact with the circulating water shall be
bonded together using a solid copper bonding jumper, insulated,
covered, or bare, not smaller than 8 AWG. The bonding
jumper shall be connected to the terminal on the circulating
pump motor that is intended for this purpose. The bonding
jumper shall not be required to be connected to a double insulated
circulating pump motor. The 8 AWG or larger solid
copper bonding jumper shall be required for equipotential
bonding in the area of the hydromassage bathtub and shall not
be required to be extended or attached to any remote panelboard,
service equipment, or any electrode.
 

Dennis Alwon

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Chapel Hill, NC
Occupation
Retired Electrical Contractor
I haven't seen anyone do this - Have you???

680.74 Bonding. All metal piping systems and all grounded metal parts in contact with the circulating water shall be bonded together using a solid copper bonding jumper, insulated, covered, or bare, not smaller than 8 AWG. The bonding jumper shall be connected to the terminal on the circulating pump motor that is intended for this purpose. The bonding jumper shall not be required to be connected to a double insulated circulating pump motor.
The 8 AWG or larger solid copper bonding jumper shall be required for equipotential bonding in the area of the hydromassage bathtub and shall not be required to be extended or attached to any remote panelboard, service equipment, or any electrode.


No because most of the piping systems are not metallic. The tub itself has plastic piping. I have never had an inspector force this rule. At times I have run a piece of #8 from the lug on the motor to the copper water system directly under the tub.
 

kwired

Electron manager
Location
NE Nebraska
If you mean the hydromassage tub that installs indoors and is used a bathtub- water doesn't remain in it, then yes, they have a cord and plug. You must provide a GFCI in a readily accessible location-- not under the tub. 680.71

I often use the dead front GFCI as the safety off switch and put it somewhere inconspicuous.

I was thinking I have never needed to do this before then I looked and seen that this is a change in the 2008 code.

I am still required to use 2005 code.

But it is good to know about a change other than AFCI changes and tamper resistant receptacle changes, that seems to be all the emphasis I ever hear about when talking about 2008 changes.
 

lat1

Member
i have seen tubs that take 2- 20a circuits also. one for heat, one for pumps. now i always get the specs during rough-in so there are no surprises later.
 

George Stolz

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Windsor, CO NEC: 2017
Occupation
Service Manager
680.74 wasn't substantively changed for the 2008, it was just a clarification of the standing rule. Generally, around here, the metal tub handle is bonded to the lug, if there is enough copper pipe to do so.

I have heard of inspectors on prior editions requiring the tub motor be bonded to the panelboard serving the tub, which was never required.
 

Dennis Alwon

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Chapel Hill, NC
Occupation
Retired Electrical Contractor
I was thinking I have never needed to do this before then I looked and seen that this is a change in the 2008 code.

I am still required to use 2005 code.

But it is good to know about a change other than AFCI changes and tamper resistant receptacle changes, that seems to be all the emphasis I ever hear about when talking about 2008 changes.

The other change, although it probably doesn't you, is that an individual branch circuit is required.

The use of a dead front GFCI has been my MO since I have been wiring tubs. It makes no sense to hid one under a tub. My feeling is that this was an excellent change.
 

kwired

Electron manager
Location
NE Nebraska
The other change, although it probably doesn't you, is that an individual branch circuit is required.

The use of a dead front GFCI has been my MO since I have been wiring tubs. It makes no sense to hid one under a tub. My feeling is that this was an excellent change.

I agree it is probably a good change. My biggest problem in past is convincing homeowners that they need access to service the pump, not just to reset a GFCI but to actually service anything that goes wrong including a leaking pump seal that will make a water stain on the ceiling below if it is finished. They still do not think they want to have to see access doors of any kind.

I have installed many where there is an access but I hope I never get a service call to fix anything on it because the access is useful for nothing more than an inspection window, if you needed to remove the pump I don't know how you would ever do it.
 

zappy

Senior Member
Location
CA.
If you mean the hydromassage tub that installs indoors and is used a bathtub- water doesn't remain in it, then yes, they have a cord and plug. You must provide a GFCI in a readily accessible location-- not under the tub. 680.71

I often use the dead front GFCI as the safety off switch and put it somewhere inconspicuous.

I always have put a GFCI recp. behind the access door, under the tub. That's a code violation now?
 

jusme123

Senior Member
Location
NY
Occupation
JW
If you mean the hydromassage tub that installs indoors and is used a bathtub- water doesn't remain in it, then yes, they have a cord and plug. You must provide a GFCI in a readily accessible location-- not under the tub. 680.71

I often use the dead front GFCI as the safety off switch and put it somewhere inconspicuous.

nice idea dennis, i've never seen one of those
 

Dennis Alwon

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Chapel Hill, NC
Occupation
Retired Electrical Contractor
I have installed many where there is an access but I hope I never get a service call to fix anything on it because the access is useful for nothing more than an inspection window, if you needed to remove the pump I don't know how you would ever do it.

The good thing is that most tub owners hardly ever use their tubs so the chances of repair is small. I don't recall ever having to go back and repair a tub. Hot tub , yes but not hydromassage.
 

augie47

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Tennessee
Occupation
State Electrical Inspector (Retired)
my experience: hydrotub + kids + washcloth + vacuum.
The homeowner will eventually need access :)
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top