Do pool trench drain grates need to be bonded?

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An indoor, permanently installed swimming pool has deck trench drains around the perimeter of the pool. The drain grate is stainless steel and sits in a completely fiberglass trench. Each grate is 4' long. Does this removeable grate need to be bonded? Yes, the trench drain is within 5' horizontally of the edge of the pool.

By my code interpetation, I believe it does need to be bonded. The contractor is questioning if it does need to be bonded and wants if required, how to accomplish it.

The only way I see possible is the have the bonding conductor laying in the fiberglass trench and at each grate (there are many), attach a short conductor to the grate from the bonding conductor to allow removal of the grate.

Has anyone run into this before?

Thanks.:-?
 
680.26 B 5 (2005) - I thought this said that anything metal within 5' of pool had to be bonded . Am I reading this wrong ?

(not being sarcastic - I have to do a pool in a couple months and want to make sure I understand this)
 
When it comes to pools and liability better to err on the side of bonding ,..or they make really tough plastics these days , perhaps there is a nonmetallic grate available
 
nakulak said:
680.26 B 5 (2005) - I thought this said that anything metal within 5' of pool had to be bonded . Am I reading this wrong ?

(not being sarcastic - I have to do a pool in a couple months and want to make sure I understand this)
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Is it a metallic part of the structure ?? I don't know
Is it a metal fitting attached to or within the structure , I don't know
But Mike Holt Has an Image of a fence , a window frame and an antena showing them all bonded to the grid.

412ecm11fig20.jpg

I know he ain't God and his graphic could be wrong and the info I've been sold at required code education seminars could also be wrong, I would bond them or have them use nonconductive material .
 
the section I'm reading says:

680.26 B 5

Metal Wiring Methods and Equipment

Metal sheathed cables and raceways, metal piping, and all fixed metal parts that are within the following distances of the pool, except those separated from the pool by a permanent barrier, shall be bonded.
1) Within 5ft horizontally of the inside walls of the pool

. . .

now it seems to me that if the bottom portion of the grate is metal and bonded, and the top grate bolts to it, that it would be effectively bonded ?
 
nakulak said:
the section I'm reading says:

680.26 B 5

Metal Wiring Methods and Equipment

Metal sheathed cables and raceways, metal piping, and all fixed metal parts that are within the following distances of the pool, except those separated from the pool by a permanent barrier, shall be bonded.
1) Within 5ft horizontally of the inside walls of the pool

. . .

now it seems to me that if the bottom portion of the grate is metal and bonded, and the top grate bolts to it, that it would be effectively bonded ?
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Well the grate is not a wiring method ,..I'm almost sure of that at least:smile: and it does not seem to fit the definition of equipment

Equipment. A general term, including material, fittings devices, appliances, luminaries, apparatus, machinery, and the like used as part of, or in connection with , an electrical installation
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Now ,.does this section apply to just "Metal Wiring Methods and Equipment or all fixed metal within 5' of the pool regardless the relationship

I have always hated the title of this article it is either pointless or pointed I'm not sure which:confused:
 
Is this a fixed metal part. I don't think so-- it is removeable thus 680.26(B)(5) would not apply.

I also think -- and yes we argued it before, that 680.26(B)(5) refers to metal wiring methods and equipment. Perhaps the drain cover is equipment but it is not fixed.
 
just FYI - in case you missed it, "Equipment" is redefined at the beginning of article 680 for this article
 
nakulak said:
just FYI - in case you missed it, "Equipment" is redefined at the beginning of article 680 for this article
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That's correct and look at equipment, fixed. Plus read the definition of equipment in art. 100-- This grate does not need bonding.

I don't know why they didn't use a plastic grate to begin with.
 
nakulak said:
just FYI - in case you missed it, "Equipment" is redefined at the beginning of article 680 for this article
Click to expand...

Thanks,.. but I think it is "fixed" and "portable" and "stationary" that are defined as they relate to equipment.
 
M.D.
Don, are you busting chops on the article cited ,.. as in it should be 680.26(B)(5) ??
You seemed sure Mr. Hall had to bond his removable fence posts that were within 5'
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In the thread that you cited my position was that the fence poles were fixed and not removable equipment. If the grates in this installation are fixed or require the use of tools to remove, then they would have to be bonded. If they are just setting in the trench the rule does not require that they be bonded.
Don
 
is "fixed" defined somewhere ? I can't find it.

Seems to me that a grate is fixed by the fact that it can't move around, even though its not fixed in the conventional sense of "bolted down".

?
 
I don't see tools mentioned in the definition of Equipment, Fixed . I see fastened or otherwise secured ,..I'm not sure what otherwise secured means . Would weight alone meet this , would weight and sitting in a notch designed to hold the grate meet the " otherwise secured " mentioned in 680 ,,...I would bond it or ask them to replace it regardless
 
Dennis Alwon said:
That's correct and look at equipment, fixed. Plus read the definition of equipment in art. 100-- This grate does not need bonding.

I don't know why they didn't use a plastic grate to begin with.
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Possibility # 1 - they are rich enough to afford an inside pool, they know what they want, and they are willing to pay for it.

Possibility # 2 - they are now officially up to their eyeballs in debt, want to go out finanically with a bang, know what they want and are willing to stiff the contractor to get it.

Possibility # 3 - they never thought of plastic.

Possibility # 4 - Trophy wife wants it, and Sugar Daddy wants to please Trophy wife

Possibility # 5 - Juan the Latino pool boy wants it, and the millionaire widow wants to please Juan the Latino pool boy

Possibility # 6 - did I mention I hate pools?:grin: :D
 
Grate is metal, but the trough is fiberglass

Grate is metal, but the trough is fiberglass

The stainless steel grate is what the architects want. No fiberglass grate. The steel grate sits in a completely fiberglass trough so it has no contact with any other metal.

I guess the argument can be made that the grate is not a wiring method and is not a fixed object as per 680.26,(B), (5), so it would not need to be bonded.
 
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