Fiber optic pool light

Status
Not open for further replies.
sparkyjpb

sparkyjpb

Member
Location
S/E Michigan
Does a fiber optic swimming pool light fall under the same rules as an in pool light? I mean as far as the continuous ground from the panel and being insulated? With these, the fiber optic light generator sits at least 5' away from the water (usually 10-20 the way this installer sets them up). There is no power running into the pool light in the water.
 
sparkyjpb

sparkyjpb

Member
Location
S/E Michigan
We still do all the usual bonding of hand rails, etc., but the fiber optic generator, to which power is run, is all plastic and has nothing that requires bonding. This set up doesn't have a deck box for the light like a standard pool light with the bulb in the pool. The part of the fixture in the water is all plastic and requires no bonding.
 
Dennis Alwon

Dennis Alwon

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Chapel Hill, NC
Occupation
Retired Electrical Contractor
sparkyjpb said:
Does a fiber optic swimming pool light fall under the same rules as an in pool light? I mean as far as the continuous ground from the panel and being insulated? With these, the fiber optic light generator sits at least 5' away from the water (usually 10-20 the way this installer sets them up). There is no power running into the pool light in the water.
Click to expand...

I would say no. The fiber optic light is not a wet niche nor a dry niche fixture. I would go so far as to say no gfci would be necessary either. I will probably hear about this one.:grin:
 
sparkyjpb

sparkyjpb

Member
Location
S/E Michigan
Paperwork doesn't say anything about GFI, but we have been installing them. That's not really my issue here, I need to know about the circuit to it.
 
Dennis Alwon

Dennis Alwon

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Chapel Hill, NC
Occupation
Retired Electrical Contractor
sparkyjpb said:
Paperwork doesn't say anything about GFI, but we have been installing them. That's not really my issue here, I need to know about the circuit to it.
Click to expand...

As far as I can tell there is no restriction on the fiber optic light. The is no electricity going to the pool via the fiber optics so I cannot see the danger.

Are you asking if it needs to be in conduit and have an insulated ground? I would say no.
 
Rampage_Rick

Rampage_Rick

Senior Member
Location
British Columbia, Canada
IMHO any application involving all-dielectric fiber optics (i.e. not electrically conductive) should be classified no differently than window installation. You have a transparent medium (usually glass) surrounded by a structure who's job is to aid in protection, installation, and mounting.
 
Pierre C Belarge

Pierre C Belarge

Senior Member
Location
Westchester County, New York
sparkyjpb said:
We still do all the usual bonding of hand rails, etc., but the fiber optic generator, to which power is run, is all plastic and has nothing that requires bonding. This set up doesn't have a deck box for the light like a standard pool light with the bulb in the pool. The part of the fixture in the water is all plastic and requires no bonding.
Click to expand...


Do you have a manufacturer name and model number? or a URL to the site?
 
sparkyjpb

sparkyjpb

Member
Location
S/E Michigan
Dennis Alwon said:
As far as I can tell there is no restriction on the fiber optic light. The is no electricity going to the pool via the fiber optics so I cannot see the danger.

Are you asking if it needs to be in conduit and have an insulated ground? I would say no.
Click to expand...

Exactly. We ran romex in the house, then before we popped out, we switched over to sealtite to the timer box on the outside of the house. (with thhn inside the sealtite) Then pvc from timer to fiber optic generator using thhn again. Inspector wants us to pipe all the way across the basement for the light.
 
Dennis Alwon

Dennis Alwon

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Chapel Hill, NC
Occupation
Retired Electrical Contractor
sparkyjpb said:
Exactly. We ran romex in the house, then before we popped out, we switched over to sealtite to the timer box on the outside of the house. (with thhn inside the sealtite) Then pvc from timer to fiber optic generator using thhn again. Inspector wants us to pipe all the way across the basement for the light.
Click to expand...

I would ask him to read art. 680.23 and see if he can show you were it fits there. I don't get it. I can't imagine why this would be an issue. There is no current thru the fiber optic.
 
brantmacga

brantmacga

Señor Member
Location
Georgia
Occupation
Former Child
sparkyjpb said:
Does a fiber optic swimming pool light fall under the same rules as an in pool light? I mean as far as the continuous ground from the panel and being insulated? With these, the fiber optic light generator sits at least 5' away from the water (usually 10-20 the way this installer sets them up). There is no power running into the pool light in the water.
Click to expand...

As far as the #8 bonding wire, it is not required on the fiber optic light. there is no place to land it on the fiberstars pedestal either.

Are you saying the inspector is not letting you land the grounding conductor on the equipment ground bar inside the WPC-xx timer, and wants it continuous to the service?

Also, no GFI protection is required on that light either. The code section is low voltage lighting systems within 680. that light operates on a low-voltage transformer.
 
sparkyjpb

sparkyjpb

Member
Location
S/E Michigan
brantmacga said:
As far as the #8 bonding wire, it is not required on the fiber optic light. there is no place to land it on the fiberstars pedestal either.

Are you saying the inspector is not letting you land the grounding conductor on the equipment ground bar inside the WPC-xx timer, and wants it continuous to the service?

Also, no GFI protection is required on that light either. The code section is low voltage lighting systems within 680. that light operates on a low-voltage transformer.
Click to expand...
No, I'm not saying we can't use the ground bar, I'm saying that when we first hit the gfi, then to the WPC1, the ground can't be broken. And he says it must be insulated from the service panel to before we exit the house.
How do you figure the light is low voltage though, it has a 120 volt metal halide lamp?
 
brantmacga

brantmacga

Señor Member
Location
Georgia
Occupation
Former Child
sparkyjpb said:
No, I'm not saying we can't use the ground bar, I'm saying that when we first hit the gfi, then to the WPC1, the ground can't be broken. And he says it must be insulated from the service panel to before we exit the house.
Click to expand...

Just curious, why are you feeding the WPC1 w/ a GFI? Is this for the light?


sparkyjpb said:
How do you figure the light is low voltage though, it has a 120 volt metal halide lamp?
Click to expand...

Input voltage is 120v; if you follow that fused hot lead it should take you straight to the LV transformer, unless you have a model I haven't worked with yet. All of the fiberstars equipment I have installed has been low-voltage.
 
brantmacga

brantmacga

Señor Member
Location
Georgia
Occupation
Former Child
a gfi is not only not required by the manufacturer, but not required by the nec either. i say the continuous ground to each component is not required; ask the inspector to give you a code reference. if you had two pumps, would that inspector want you to run two separate grounds to the service? that's why they gave you a ground bar inside the wpc.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top