Hot tub Question

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olly

Senior Member
Location
Berthoud, Colorado
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Master Electrician
Could someone please tell me if there is a min distance off of the floor a hot tub disconnect needs to be? This is for a dwelling unit. I want to mount it at about 2' off the ground. Also If I read the code correctly the disconnect needs to be over 6' away but within site of the hot tub? is this correct?
 
olly said:
Could someone please tell me if there is a min distance off of the floor a hot tub disconnect needs to be? This is for a dwelling unit. I want to mount it at about 2' off the ground. Also If I read the code correctly the disconnect needs to be over 6' away but within site of the hot tub? is this correct?
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As far as I can tell there's no minimum distance off the floor. 680.13 states that it has to be a minimum of 5 feet away, readily accessible, and within sight of the tub unless there's a permanent barrier that provides a 5 ft. reach path. Might not hurt to place a sign above it stating the disconnect is there if it's difficult to see though.......?
 
olly said:
Could someone please tell me if there is a min distance off of the floor a hot tub disconnect needs to be? This is for a dwelling unit. I want to mount it at about 2' off the ground. Also If I read the code correctly the disconnect needs to be over 6' away but within site of the hot tub? is this correct?
Click to expand...

Disco can be 2' off the floor; pretty typical with spas on decks to have the disco that low. and yes 5' away but within sight.
 
Also, the 5' is measured from the interior wall of the tub to the closest corner of the disco. A lot of people think it's from the exterior edge or corner of the tub enclosure.
 
MNSparky said:
Also, the 5' is measured from the interior wall of the tub to the closest corner of the disco. A lot of people think it's from the exterior edge or corner of the tub enclosure.
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True. Also, I'd recommend the tub be set in place before mounting and wiring the disco; even tape marks on the floor can be useless. If you mount it 6' away from the water's edge and they decide to move it 18" closer, you're gonna be mounting that disco twice.
 
JFletcher said:
Disco can be 2' off the floor; pretty typical with spas on decks to have the disco that low. and yes 5' away but within sight.
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Can be .002" off the floor and is still NEC compliant.

680.12 says it must be readily accessible, only height restrictions in art 100 definition of readily accessible would be if there is a need for portable ladders or similar equipment to access it.
 
This thread brought something to mind to which I had not given thought.
The OP mentioned "dwelling unit" and my first thought was the following wording from 680.41
This requirement shall not apply to single-familydwellings
(He id not mention if it was SF or not)
BUT, my question...
680.41 exempts sf dwellings from the emergency disconnect but would 430.102 not still require an insight disconnect for the motor ?
 
augie47 said:
This thread brought something to mind to which I had not given thought.
The OP mentioned "dwelling unit" and my first thought was the following wording from 680.41
This requirement shall not apply to single-familydwellings
(He id not mention if it was SF or not)
BUT, my question...
680.41 exempts sf dwellings from the emergency disconnect but would 430.102 not still require an insight disconnect for the motor ?
Click to expand...

Hot tubs and spas are required to have a disconnect that is visible from the tub (680.12 in part I, which is applicable to hot tubs/spas/680.40 installs). SF dwellings are only exempt from an e-stop.
 
kwired said:
NEC doesn't require you to be able to lock it - your work safety rules might making it a design decision for other then NEC requirements:p
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:D

I only brought it up because mounting the disco at ground level, while allowable, isn't the best of ideas. I have to think there are some knife/fork type discos where the handle in the down/off position would extend past the footprint (backprint?) of the enclosure and that mounting one of those ground level wouldn't permit throwing the handle to full off.
 
augie47 said:
This thread brought something to mind to which I had not given thought.
The OP mentioned "dwelling unit" and my first thought was the following wording from 680.41
This requirement shall not apply to single-familydwellings
(He id not mention if it was SF or not)
BUT, my question...
680.41 exempts sf dwellings from the emergency disconnect but would 430.102 not still require an insight disconnect for the motor ?
Click to expand...
JF, already hit this - the switch required in 680.41 is not/does not need to be a disconnecting means, it just has to shut down the pump, could just open the control circuit. A disconnecting means is still required within sight for the pump, or for the packaged spa.
 
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