Hot Tub and Ground Rod ???

[Davebones]

My old electrician buddy just installed a Portable Hot Tub on his screened porch ( 20 ft from his main house panel ). He installed a 50 amp 2 pole GFI breaker feeding it . He ran 2 #6 , 1 #8 neutral , and 1 #10 ground to it . He took the ground wire to the small ground bar on the side of the hot tub control box inside the tub per the instructions . He then took a #10 from the hot tub ground bar to a ground rod outside ( he added the ground rod just for the hot tub ) and then to his screen porch meal framing . I understand bonding the metal screen framing as it is about 2 ft from the spa . What I have a question about is the ground rod . He told me the guys that dropped off the hot tub told him the county requires the ground rod . I didn't see a code requirement for a separate ground rod and wondered is this normal ?

 

[ptonsparky]

Hard wiring a portable hot tub would not be normal in my thoughts.

Ask the local AHJ why they want the rod.

Delivery guys may not be the source to rely on for code requirements.

 

[Davebones]

As far as portable its about 8ft x 8ft I was told 2 guys delivered it . It has a control box within the hot tub for wiring directly to the unit . I plan on asking the county about this to see what they say ..

 

[ptonsparky]

As far as portable its about 8ft x 8ft I was told 2 guys delivered it . It has a control box within the hot tub for wiring directly to the unit . I plan on asking the county about this to see what they say ..

Not all peoples definition of portable is the same I guess.

My two story Victorian house was raised up and moved 30'. I guess that made it portable.

 

[charlie b]

This is no different than running a 50 amp circuit to a heat pump that you install on your back porch. The wires from the circuit breaker to the unit constitute a branch circuit. That circuit has an EGC. You are done. No ground rod is needed. Even if you install this portable hot tub in the yard, rather than on the porch, you still would not need a ground rod. Reference the exception to 250.32(A).

 

[K8MHZ]

Wouldn't a ground rod at the hot tub have to be bonded to the rest of the electrode system with something larger than a #10?

 

[kwired]

Wouldn't a ground rod at the hot tub have to be bonded to the rest of the electrode system with something larger than a #10?

No. This rod isn't a supplemental rod to the electrical system it is a supplemental rod to the equipment it is attached to, the EGC of the branch circuit is all that is needed to bond to the rest of the electrical system grounding/bonding.