Gfci with pool pump control

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JJorg

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Hi I have a question that I have been getting conflicting information on.
if a pump for a water feature (waterfall) at a swimming pool is on a contactor that is controlled by a switch outdoors to turn the contractor on and off. does the switch itself need to be gfci protected. Because it is a 120 volt switch controlling the contactor with no neutral ran to it, just power and switchleg. but the power to the pump itself is obviously controlled by a 240 volt gfci breaker that runs through the contactor.
 
IMO, the switch for the contactor (coil) would be no different than a switch for an outdoor light, no GFCI needed.
As long as the actual pump is GFCI protected you should be good to go.
 
ptonsparky said:
I’m guessing you’re picking up the 240 volt control power for your contactor from the GFCI of the pump anyway. 120 volt switch meaning a standard residential type single pole switch.
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Yeah I maybe didn’t explain it very good. We have a 240 volt pump that controls a waterfall inside a pool. That is of course a gfci breaker feeding that pump. The switch is a 15 minute timer switch outside about 12’ from the pool that you turn on to control the contactor coil.
so the pump itself is on a gfi breaker. But the timer switch that controls that coil is just 120 volt right off of the panel. On its own circuit. The question is does that switch need to be Gfci protected since there is no neutral. It is just a power and switch leg to the switch and the neutral just goes to the coil only ?
 
JJorg said:
The question is does that switch need to be Gfci protected since there is no neutral. It is just a power and switch leg to the switch and the neutral just goes to the coil only ?
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The absence of a grounded circuit conductor or neutral would never make an exception to GFCI requirements.

The fact that is a switch for equipment associated with water circulation might mean you need to bond the switch, with a #8. 680.26(B) 2017 NEC.

I typically have a 15A GFCI breaker in the pool panel for general lights and things and would just put a contactor like that on that circuit anyway, unless there is a reason for a dedicated circuit.
 
I don't see where the switch controlling the 120v coil on the contactor has anything to do with the GFI requirements of the fountain pump itself.

JAP>
 
tortuga said:
The absence of a grounded circuit conductor or neutral would never make an exception to GFCI requirements.

The fact that is a switch for equipment associated with water circulation might mean you need to bond the switch, with a #8. 680.26(B) 2017 NEC.

I typically have a 15A GFCI breaker in the pool panel for general lights and things and would just put a contactor like that on that circuit anyway, unless there is a reason for a dedicated circuit.
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He's not trying to make an exception.
The coil on the contactor is 120v so the neutral drops off on the coil in the contactor enclosure.

JAP>
 
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