Another pool question...

[M. D.]

I think before I took the next step I'd make sure I understood the scope of this type of inspection .....

 

[LawnGuyLandSparky]

Why do I get the feeling the next words are going to be: "I'd like to see...."

 

[elohr46]

It's an inground pool located on the roof of a hotel. All the the pool railings and ladders are bonded. I checked continuity between railings and ladders and ground and they all had good continuity. The motor was my concern as it only had a #12 from the motor housing to the pool pump panel.

The #12 ground from the panel to the pool pump motor is most likely an equipment ground, that should be ok. You need a #8 copper bond wire from pool pump motor housing to all metal parts located within 5' of the pool walls.

Checking this with a continuity tester doesn't prove you have a good bonding system, most inspection agencies that do commercial pool inspections that are usually required by the state board of health every 3 years have specialized test equipment that will drive DC current through the bonding system.

 

[dnem]

You always have a grounding connection between equipotential bonding lug/motor enclosure on the motor and the panel but it's usually inside the raceway and it's classified as an equipment grounding conductor. . If the bond at the motor doesn't exist, then 680.26(B)(6)(a) requires the equipotential bonding to be extended and that must be a #8 or larger. . If a bonding lug at the motor exists, that's where the equipotential bonding ends. . From that point on is equipment grounding off T250.122.

As long as the pool motor breaker isn't larger than 20amp, I don't see any reason that the #12 would be an issue. . Since it's additional and not required, I don't see that physical protection of the exposed #12 would be an issue. . But maybe I'm wrong about that. . Installations that are required or voluntary must all comply with the applicable code sections.

If the motor gets replaced with a double-insulated replacement, at that time the voluntary/supplemental #12 equipment grounding conductor would become a required extension of the equipotential bonding and would need to be changed to a #8 or larger.

 

[acrwc10]

What's even scarier is that this has passed yearly inspections for years. (not by me nor my company) I got the whole speech well we never had a problem before.

The reply to that is " You have not had a problem YET.