Hot Tub install....

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jap

Senior Member
Occupation
Electrician
and it took 4 pages of discussion to get here ?????

Didn't have to read it at all if you didn't want to.
Could have chimed in at post #2, then you could of stopped it dead in it's tracks and we could have all just sat back and marveled over your answer.


JAP>
 

mwm1752

Senior Member
Location
Aspen, Colo
Didn't have to read it at all if you didn't want to.
Could have chimed in at post #2, then you could of stopped it dead in it's tracks and we could have all just sat back and marveled over your answer.


JAP>


Wasn't intending to hurt your feelings -- no way I could have stopped this train -- to me it was more a horse sense issue and it was a fun read. -- never seen someone marvel over code but I guess it could happen
 

jap

Senior Member
Occupation
Electrician
Wasn't intending to hurt your feelings -- no way I could have stopped this train -- to me it was more a horse sense issue and it was a fun read. -- never seen someone marvel over code but I guess it could happen


Not offense taken.

Didn't say marvel over the code,,,,, I said marvel over your answer.

So what is your answer?

I find it harder and harder to include "Horse Sense" and electrical code in the same paragraph.

What seems logical to what may or may not be allowed is not always so easily determined.

JAP>
 

iwire

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Massachusetts
I still say it really matters what code cycle is in place at the time of construction.

:thumbsup:

For sure it does which is why my post said it does not comply with current code. No telling if it complied at the time of installation.

As a side note in this state violation or not I would not have to correct it if doing other work in the area.
 

kwired

Electron manager
Location
NE Nebraska
There is potential to build a wall to put that panel far enough away from the tub.

If you set your post count to 40 per page (max it allows) you would only be on second page at this point:p
 

Sierrasparky

Senior Member
Location
USA
Occupation
Electrician ,contractor
:thumbsup:

For sure it does which is why my post said it does not comply with current code. No telling if it complied at the time of installation.

As a side note in this state violation or not I would not have to correct it if doing other work in the area.

Got it.
 

mwm1752

Senior Member
Location
Aspen, Colo
I am sorry next time we will just have you tell us how we should think. :D

Well I/we think the hottub is in awesome condition for being at least 30 years old because I/we think I see a recept hiding around the corner of the hottub below the panel which was non compliant in 1984 and I/we think we could hit 10 pages with a little proding ---- :lol: the sewage drain is a nice decorative touch
 

kwired

Electron manager
Location
NE Nebraska
I would never recommend a hot tub on a 100 amp service.....
Why? if there is not much load it will be fine. Also depends on rating of hot tub. Majority that I have installed require 50 amp circuit, occasionally you do find one that only needs a 30 amp circuit and even more rare but they are out there, some that only need a 20 amp 120 volt circuit.
 

rt66electric

Senior Member
Location
Oklahoma
REALLY ?? how are you going to heat the water?? gas??

REALLY ?? how are you going to heat the water?? gas??

lets see
A/C 25 amp or more
fan blower 10 amp
hair dryer 12 amp
stove?? 10 amp
all other lights 10 amp
coffee pot 12 amp
toaster 10 amp
fridge 5 amp
freezer 5 amp
Hot water heater??? 22 amp
vacuum cleaner 10 amp
electric dryer?? 22 amp
deteached garage ??
more stuff??
hot tub 40 amp

it is easy to add up 100 amps

I have repaired at least 50 or more, 100 amp services due to burnt panels/ breakers/ burnt stabs/meterstab failures etc..

Most of them had electric water heaters and central A/C

That little old zinsco or bryant panel has worked fine for 30 or 40 years why worry?

The little track house next to them would still have a Gas stove and gas water heater and no electrical problems.

For some reason adding central A/C and a electric water heater to
a 1950's house that did not originally have these luxuries stresses the stabs on the main breaker after 5 or 10 years or so

Short-term loads like stove, or dryers or hair dryers etc does not seem to have much effect, but A/C and water heaters can remain on at full load for HOURS. especially when there are multiple teenage girls.

I felt bad when the little old lady asked me to wire the new 80 gal fast recovery water heater for her fancy new walk-in bath-tub.
The trailer had a 200 amp panel, but, was only fed by (3) #4 wires 250ft away from a 1950's shack that has a 100 amp service. The load on the A/C and the hot water tank alone added up to 90 amps.
I felt like a heal to tell her it would cost over 3 grand to upgrade the service. ( I do not know what she decided)
 

kwired

Electron manager
Location
NE Nebraska
lets see
A/C 25 amp or more
fan blower 10 amp
hair dryer 12 amp
stove?? 10 amp
all other lights 10 amp
coffee pot 12 amp
toaster 10 amp
fridge 5 amp
freezer 5 amp
Hot water heater??? 22 amp
vacuum cleaner 10 amp
electric dryer?? 22 amp
deteached garage ??
more stuff??
hot tub 40 amp

it is easy to add up 100 amps

I have repaired at least 50 or more, 100 amp services due to burnt panels/ breakers/ burnt stabs/meterstab failures etc..

Most of them had electric water heaters and central A/C

That little old zinsco or bryant panel has worked fine for 30 or 40 years why worry?

The little track house next to them would still have a Gas stove and gas water heater and no electrical problems.

For some reason adding central A/C and a electric water heater to
a 1950's house that did not originally have these luxuries stresses the stabs on the main breaker after 5 or 10 years or so

Short-term loads like stove, or dryers or hair dryers etc does not seem to have much effect, but A/C and water heaters can remain on at full load for HOURS. especially when there are multiple teenage girls.

I felt bad when the little old lady asked me to wire the new 80 gal fast recovery water heater for her fancy new walk-in bath-tub.
The trailer had a 200 amp panel, but, was only fed by (3) #4 wires 250ft away from a 1950's shack that has a 100 amp service. The load on the A/C and the hot water tank alone added up to 90 amps.
I felt like a heal to tell her it would cost over 3 grand to upgrade the service. ( I do not know what she decided)

25 amp AC is a pretty big AC. Small house that is more likely to have a 100 amp service may have an AC that only draws 10 - 12 amps.
10 amp blower is a huge blower. Again smaller house only has a 1/4 to 1/3 hp blower motor in the HVAC system. Higher wattage portable appliances mentioned are generally only short time use.

Water heater or a dryer are something to pay closer attention to.
Hot tub? like I said in last post - depends on size of unit. I have a unit that has a 5-15 cord cap on it. Is not a huge spa, does not heat while running the jets in normal user mode as the pump uses too much power to run the heater at same time on only a 15/20 amp circuit. Some will say there is no way that thing can work in cold climate - I leave it running all winter so it doesn't freeze. Have used it in fairly cold weather - it stays warm enough to have a decent sitting in it. You are not supposed to stay in these for much more then 20-30 minutes anyway for health reasons - that is plenty of time and if it is reallllly cold, I'm not even interested in venturing out in a bathing suit, and worse yet getting out of the tub in the cold.

Sorry don't see many zincso or bryant panels around these parts - probably a good thing anyway. This area is fairly dominated with QO panels on older homes and businesses. Only ones with much problem is ones that had an aluminum bus, majority of those that had any significant load on them have failed and been replaced.
 

iwire

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Massachusetts
lets see
A/C 25 amp or more
fan blower 10 amp
hair dryer 12 amp
stove?? 10 amp
all other lights 10 amp
coffee pot 12 amp
toaster 10 amp
fridge 5 amp
freezer 5 amp
Hot water heater??? 22 amp
vacuum cleaner 10 amp
electric dryer?? 22 amp
deteached garage ??
more stuff??
hot tub 40 amp

it is easy to add up 100 amps

Yes especially when you do so falsely. :D

You know as well as I and the power company know that all that stuff does not run at the same time, a lot of those loads are 125 volt on a 240 service etc.

I have repaired at least 50 or more, 100 amp services due to burnt panels/ breakers/ burnt stabs/meterstab failures etc..

So you are saying 50 year old equipment is failing, I don't see that as any surprise.
 

peter d

Senior Member
Location
New England
lets see
A/C 25 amp or more
fan blower 10 amp
hair dryer 12 amp
stove?? 10 amp
all other lights 10 amp
coffee pot 12 amp
toaster 10 amp
fridge 5 amp
freezer 5 amp
Hot water heater??? 22 amp
vacuum cleaner 10 amp
electric dryer?? 22 amp
deteached garage ??
more stuff??
hot tub 40 amp

it is easy to add up 100 amps

I have repaired at least 50 or more, 100 amp services due to burnt panels/ breakers/ burnt stabs/meterstab failures etc..

Most of them had electric water heaters and central A/C

That little old zinsco or bryant panel has worked fine for 30 or 40 years why worry?

The little track house next to them would still have a Gas stove and gas water heater and no electrical problems.

For some reason adding central A/C and a electric water heater to
a 1950's house that did not originally have these luxuries stresses the stabs on the main breaker after 5 or 10 years or so

I live in a densely populated suburb with small homes built during the post war boom. It was built out in the 1960's. The overwhelming majority of homes here have 100 amp services. Granted, I'm in a natural gas and oil heat area, but these homes do just fine with a 100 amp service. In fact, many new construction starter homes are still built with 100 amp services (gas heat and hot water.) I just don't see the kind of problems you're describing. In fact, I think you're being a bit dramatic.
 
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