Buck Parrish
Senior Member
- Location
- NC & IN
I agree and we have allways called the inspectors crazy for making us do that.
grounding jacuzzi
- Thread starter ofourcobra
- Start date
- Status
I agree and we have allways called the inspectors crazy for making us do that.
spdtrx
Member
- Location
- N,Calif.Vacaville
I agree. I don't call that out in my area.
- Location
- Chapel Hill, NC
- Occupation
- Retired Electrical Contractor
If you call the inspector crazy for making you do it then should we call you crazy for saying it must be done?
I hope it's not Durham, nc that you are talking about.
- Location
- New Jersey
- Occupation
- Journeyman Electrician
electricmanscott
Senior Member
- Location
- Boston, MA
I agree. But we've had this discussion here before.
We've had many of these discussions here before. Each time I answer differently. :grin:
c2500
Senior Member
- Location
- South Carolina
Ok,
I'll add a question. I just wired a jacuzzi brand tub that had an inline heater. The heater instructions called for the #8 ground. The plumbing is Pex, the drains PVC. Did I have to install the #8? I know, had the heater not been there, the #8 would not be required. What say we all?
c2500
I'll add a question. I just wired a jacuzzi brand tub that had an inline heater. The heater instructions called for the #8 ground. The plumbing is Pex, the drains PVC. Did I have to install the #8? I know, had the heater not been there, the #8 would not be required. What say we all?
c2500
Last edited:
- Location
- Logan, Utah
c2500
Senior Member
- Location
- South Carolina
Chris,
I think you are asking where the wire was installed? There was a lug on the inline heater for the #8.
c2500
I think you are asking where the wire was installed? There was a lug on the inline heater for the #8.
c2500
- Location
- Logan, Utah
From the lug on the inline heater where did the manufacture want you to run the #8 to?
Chris
- Location
- New Jersey
- Occupation
- Journeyman Electrician
My guess is that the heater is bonded to the lug on the pump motor with a # 8. The pump is grounded through the EGC supplied with the branch circuit.
Below I have copied the instructions from a page in a Jucuzzi hydro-tub instruction manual from a recently inspected job site.
It is rare that I find this, but it would seem to me that in this case 110.3(b) would require you to install the bond.
It is rare that I find this, but it would seem to me that in this case 110.3(b) would require you to install the bond.
Electrical Connections
Separate circuits, each must be protected by a Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI), are required for the pump/motor and the RapidHeat
TM Heater. Refer to the electrical specification for each model on pages 6-8. Install duplex outlets to the studwall underneath the bathtub, at least 4 inches (10,2 cm) above the floor or in accordance with local building or electrical codes. Duplex outlets are not provided. Because these units are manufactured with an electronic control panel no remote switch or timer is necessary.
Tubs with electronic control panels combine the electrical requirements of the pump/motor and electronic controls into a control box. For these units the power supply cord from the pump/motor runs to the control box. The power supply cord from the control box should be connected to the 20 AMP GFCI circuit.
Before installing electrical connections, inspect the pump/motor and heater nameplates and confirm you have 120VAC, 20 AMP and 15 AMP service requirements. The GFCI circuits must match these requirements. Care must betaken to connect the 20 AMP pump/motor or control box power cord ONLY to the 20 AMP GFCI circuit and to connectthe 15 AMP heater power cord ONLY to the 15 AMP GFCI circuit. Do NOT switch power cords and GFCI circuits.
With a #8 solid copper wire, bond the heater to the house electrical panel or approved local bond. A bonding lug is provided on the heater. With another #8 solid copper wire, bond the pump/motor to the house electrical panel or approved local bond. A bonding lug is provided on the pump/motor.
Tubs with electronic control panels combine the electrical requirements of the pump/motor and electronic controls into a control box. For these units the power supply cord from the pump/motor runs to the control box. The power supply cord from the control box should be connected to the 20 AMP GFCI circuit.
Before installing electrical connections, inspect the pump/motor and heater nameplates and confirm you have 120VAC, 20 AMP and 15 AMP service requirements. The GFCI circuits must match these requirements. Care must betaken to connect the 20 AMP pump/motor or control box power cord ONLY to the 20 AMP GFCI circuit and to connectthe 15 AMP heater power cord ONLY to the 15 AMP GFCI circuit. Do NOT switch power cords and GFCI circuits.
With a #8 solid copper wire, bond the heater to the house electrical panel or approved local bond. A bonding lug is provided on the heater. With another #8 solid copper wire, bond the pump/motor to the house electrical panel or approved local bond. A bonding lug is provided on the pump/motor.
- Location
- Logan, Utah
Thanks for posting that Gus.
This is really what I am getting at. 110.3(B) requires that we follow all the installation instructions that are part of the listing or labling.
I have a very hard time believeing that the #8 bond wire run from the heater to the house electrical panel is part of the listing requirements for this heater.
The problem is that the NRTL's aren't much help in this. When I have asked in the past what part of the manufactures installation instructions are part of the listing instructions the answer I have recieved is "all of them".
Chris
- Location
- New Jersey
- Occupation
- Journeyman Electrician
I would go with the "local bond" option. The pump is already grounded through the EGC so a bond to the motor housing from the heater should be sufficient.
c2500
Senior Member
- Location
- South Carolina
I ran it back to the panel.
c2500
c2500
c2500
Senior Member
- Location
- South Carolina
So you bond back to the motor with an #8. The EGC is a #12 (20 amp GFCI) In the greater scheme of things does changing the gauge matter?
Just curious
c2500
- Location
- New Jersey
- Occupation
- Journeyman Electrician
Not that it directly applies but you would do the same thing with a pool. Run a #12 EGC to the pump and then bond all of the metal parts together with a #8 solid Cu conductor. In this case the wording "local bond" is so ambiguous it's my guess that you could do just about anything and still comply with the directions. Since a pool doesn't require running a #8 all the way back to the panel why would a tub require it?
electricmanscott
Senior Member
- Location
- Boston, MA
Those instructions just show the manufacturer has just about as much of a clue on this as some electricians do. El zippo.
c2500
Senior Member
- Location
- South Carolina
So I guess we are back to the equipotential of the bond. Which inside a house does not make sense....unless it is a cave dwelling or something like that.
c2500
shuntripper
Member
- Location
- Northern California
so even in an old place where the cold water was never bonded and you would create a hazard? Ever see those gasketed plastic unions and tees the plumbers use to repair or tee off the cold water? that can very effectively un-bond whole sections of the plumbing you are relying on for your bond. Safer to use the equipment grounding conductor with the the supply circuit. I suppose you could run the #8 to the closest pipe just to pass inspection.........................the problem is that the hazard you may create is a killer.
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