jetted bath tub

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Rewire

Rewire

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I have a cord and plug motor for a jetted tub that has a duplex receptacle behind an access panel.Can this receptacle be on the bathroom circuit that serves only this bathroom or does it need a dedicated circuit?
 
Rewire said:
I have a cord and plug motor for a jetted tub that has a duplex receptacle behind an access panel.Can this receptacle be on the bathroom circuit that serves only this bathroom or does it need a dedicated circuit?
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yes, as long as the cord and plug motor does not exceed 50% of the branch circuit and the circuit ONLY supplies that bathroom.
 
Although I would discourage it, from a Code standpoint, my opinion is that 210.23(A)(2) would allow it if the motor load was not over 10 amps (50%).
That said, I have a copy of two manfactuer's instruction that call for "seperate circuits". In those instances, I would think the installion instructions would take presidence and 110.3(B) would require dedicated circuits.
 
Also keep in mind that a change in the 2008 NEC requires an individual branch circuit to feed hydromassage bathtubs. (See 680.71 2008 NEC)

This section also requires that the GFCI protection be readily accessible also.

Chris
 
raider1 said:
Also keep in mind that a change in the 2008 NEC requires an individual branch circuit to feed hydromassage bathtubs. (See 680.71 2008 NEC)

This section also requires that the GFCI protection be readily accessible also.

Chris
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Nice!, I did not know that... but didn't have to either... :grin:
 
stickboy1375 said:
Nice!, I did not know that... but didn't have to either... :grin:
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Right, because CT had state ammenments that required the GFCI protection to be readily accessible and not located under the tub anyway. :)
 
peter d said:
Right, because CT had state ammenments that required the GFCI protection to be readily accessible and not located under the tub anyway. :)
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I know that's a requirement here and there, but I never really understood it. It's not like you're enhancing the safety of the installation somehow by making the GFCI's reset button easy to get at. I guess it's to make the regular testing easier, now that I think about it more. Duh.
 
mdshunk said:
I know that's a requirement here and there, but I never really understood it. It's not like you're enhancing the safety of the installation somehow by making the GFCI's reset button easy to get at. I guess it's to make the regular testing easier, now that I think about it more. Duh.
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It sure seemed like a logical requirement to me when I first heard about it, and it doesn't even infringe on any of my civil liberties. Imagine that. :cool:

Actually I did encounter a tub once where the tub was wired by a carpenter who thought he was an electrician, and he put the GFCI way under the skirt where it was completely inacessible unless you had a chainsaw or sawzall handy. Not that handymen follow the NEC anyway.
 
mdshunk said:
I know that's a requirement here and there, but I never really understood it. It's not like you're enhancing the safety of the installation somehow by making the GFCI's reset button easy to get at. I guess it's to make the regular testing easier, now that I think about it more. Duh.
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Connecticut feels that people actually test GFCI protection monthly and justify the need to have the GFCI protection accessible. I do custom homes, so they get a GFCI breaker... not a big deal to me.
 
This doesn't answer the OP's question, (which got done nicely allready) but I usually run the jetted tub circuit over to the bathroom and take it first to a gfi receptacle outlet on the other side of the bathroom someplace (but not the countertop one) and then load side feed a receptacle under the skirt. Now I see this is going to become a requirement for us when we get to 08, or else use the gfi breaker. Good. This is one change I don't have to do any learnin... Side note: lately I have been running into an awful lot of tubs that require 2 separate 120 volt 20 amp gfi protected outlets, one for motor, and one for heater. Or a new variation which is one circuit for each of two motors that are on opposite ends of the tub, which means two access panels to deal with. And of course the old suprise suprise- 240 volt motor which means I got to go buy an expensive gfi 2 pole breaker now that I didn't plan for in the bid, since it just showed a jetted tub on the plans.
 
My reason for asking was I noted the 08 change that requires an individual branch circuit and I thought this was to clear up confusion in the 05 I had not seen a required individual branch circuit in 05.The way I read 08 is that using a duplex gfci receptacle will not be allowed at all as an individual branch circuit can only serve a single outlet.
 
fisherelectric said:
"an individual branch circuit can only serve a single outlet." ????
I have never heard this. Is this in the '08?
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See definitions for branch circuit and individual branch circuit,in the 08 handbook it states in the comentary that individual branch circuits terminate in a single device the definition of a branch circuit states two or more devices.
 
Rewire said:
My reason for asking was I noted the 08 change that requires an individual branch circuit and I thought this was to clear up confusion in the 05 I had not seen a required individual branch circuit in 05.The way I read 08 is that using a duplex gfci receptacle will not be allowed at all as an individual branch circuit can only serve a single outlet.
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Yes, the 05 NEC has no requirement that the circuit feeding a hydromassage bathtub be on an individual branch circuit, this is new to the 08 code.

You are correct, a duplex GFCI receptacle on a circuit would not be an individual branch circuit.

To comply with this new requirement, I am giong to install a single receptacle for the tub motor and protect it with a deadfront GFCI device located in a readily accessible location.

Chris
 
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