Was asked to look at baptistry heater that is not working. 6 KW 240 inline heater. an elder at the church said he went to turn the t/stat up and got a good shock when he touched the heater control box and a copper cold water line. So I go check it, I placed one lead of my meter to the housing of the heater and the other to the cold water line 123 volts. check heater element shorted to housing. do some checking and the equipment ground wire not connected in the control box. also the copper piping on each end of the housing to the pump and the baptistry is isolated at each end by way of connection to pvc. I know I need to connect the equipment ground wire. do I need to bond the isolated portion of the copper piping to the near by cold water copper piping and bond it also to a near by grounding electrode conductor? and why do you think the gfci did not trip when the elder got shocked? would the GFCI breaker tripped if the equipment ground wire was attached?
Church baptistry heater questions?
- Thread starter MichaelJ
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- Location
- Lockport, IL
- Occupation
- Retired Electrical Engineer
You don't need an equipment grounding conductor, in order for a GFCI to properly function. All you need is for a certain minimum amount of current to leave on one leg and not return on the other leg. However, it takes some amount of time to the GFCI device to actuate. I remember getting a shock via a newly installed GFCI outlet in my kitchen. I posed a question on this forum as to why the GFCI did not trip. I was told that since I quickly removed my hand from the thing that gave me the shock, the GFCI did not have time to do its thing.
But GFCI protection is not required for 240 volt circuits. Does this circuit have a 240 volt GFCI breaker?
I can't answer the other parts of your question.
But GFCI protection is not required for 240 volt circuits. Does this circuit have a 240 volt GFCI breaker?
I can't answer the other parts of your question.
- Location
- Placerville, CA, USA
- Occupation
- Retired PV System Designer
Is this a full immersion baptistry?
If so I would apply the same standards as for a hot tub.
In particular, the metal pump housing and motor need to be bonded.
If the baptistry is metal, it and therefore the pipe connected to it need to be bonded. That will also serve to bond the water.
If the baptistry itself is non conductive, I would bond the copper pipe attached to it, which should also serve to bond the water.
Whatever else you do, you need an EGC connected directly or indirectly to the heater housing.
Note that the preceding is off the top of my head and should be taken as a starting point for an actual code search.
Although not required by code, it might be a good idea to follow the rules for an equipotential grid similar to a swimming pool to the extent possible.
Tapatalk!
If so I would apply the same standards as for a hot tub.
In particular, the metal pump housing and motor need to be bonded.
If the baptistry is metal, it and therefore the pipe connected to it need to be bonded. That will also serve to bond the water.
If the baptistry itself is non conductive, I would bond the copper pipe attached to it, which should also serve to bond the water.
Whatever else you do, you need an EGC connected directly or indirectly to the heater housing.
Note that the preceding is off the top of my head and should be taken as a starting point for an actual code search.
Although not required by code, it might be a good idea to follow the rules for an equipotential grid similar to a swimming pool to the extent possible.
Tapatalk!
- Location
- Massachusetts
- Location
- Placerville, CA, USA
- Occupation
- Retired PV System Designer
Ignore. Link was bad in email, but correct in the post itself. Shame on Gmail. 
Last edited:
- Location
- Placerville, CA, USA
- Occupation
- Retired PV System Designer
- Status