NEC Requirement for listed and labeled spa

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engineersteve

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I just had an electrical inspection of a Spa install and received the following comment:

SPA must be labeled and listed as a self-contained hot tub or spa.

My new spa is not UL or other (all components inside are). I was told this is an NEC requirement, can someone point me to section that requires the SPA to be listed and labeled?

If it is a requirement, and the Spa manufacturer won't do this, can someone explain the process to get this Spa listed and labeled and approximate cost for something like this? Inspector said it was pricy.
 
Re: NEC Requirement for listed and labeled spa

I think it would be much easier and cheaper to buy a new spa than to get UL to list it. Normally, that is something the manufacturer would have to do.

Are you sure it is a spa? Is the water left in it all the time? Or is it a hydromassage tub which is more like a bathtub with a pump?

In general, inspectors are allowed to approve or reject equipment. They generally approve things that are UL listed (but I think they can also reject those items). You might try asking the inspector exactly what his concern is, or ask him if you really need to replace the whole unit.

Did an electrical contractor install this? If not, that may be his real concern. If that would satisfy the inspector, it may be cheaper to hire an electrician to check or rewire the unit.

There are 2 sections that specifically mention a "listed unit". One applies where the unit is wired with flexible connections. The other section eliminates the need for additional GFCI protection for a listed unit.

Steve
 
Re: NEC Requirement for listed and labeled spa

Thanks for the reply,

This is definately a spa, it's brand new just delivered to my house two weeks ago. It's just a typical spa with an enclosure and all pumps and pack pre-installed like every spa at a fair. I just had to bring the 6/3 wire into the panel behind the cabinet, but no other wiring inside the hot tub itself. My house was pre-wired with the GFCI and the disconnect box. Conduit was done per code, and no comments on the conduit/wiring bewteen the house and spa were included.
 
Re: NEC Requirement for listed and labeled spa

Did you receive any paperwork with the spa such as manufacturers instructions and/or warranty work? Perhaps the listing information is indicated on those documents.
 
Re: NEC Requirement for listed and labeled spa

Originally posted by engineersteve: SPA must be labeled and listed as a self-contained hot tub or spa. I was told this is an NEC requirement, can someone point me to section that requires the SPA to be listed and labeled?
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I don't think there is one. You should call upon the inspector to cite the rule that he is using to call your installation a violation.
 
Re: NEC Requirement for listed and labeled spa

The manufacturer has told me that their spas are NOT UL or other certified, and they don't advertise as such. They do state that all components (heater, pumps, filter, controls) are UL listed, which they are. The sell and ship about 10-20 spas a day nationwide, and seemed surprised by my question.

NEC 110.3 says something about the device must be suitable for it's intended use, and one way to do this is having the device listed. Is their another way of satisfying the "suitable for intended use" requirement.
 
Re: NEC Requirement for listed and labeled spa

Note to the membership: Although this is a DIY installation, or more accurately an "ADIM" (Already Done It Myself), the OP is not asking for "how-to" assistance. The question asked is along the lines of "what NEC section applies to. . . ." That is within the Forum rules.

Note to engineersteve: Since you are talking about a project in which you did, or still will do, electrical installation at your own home, and since you are not an electrician, then please understand that we will not be able to provide any "how-to" assistance. That would be against the Forum rules.
 
Re: NEC Requirement for listed and labeled spa

Originally posted by engineersteve:
NEC 110.3 says something about the device must be suitable for it's intended use, and one way to do this is having the device listed. Is their another way of satisfying the "suitable for intended use" requirement.
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That's the million dollar question. Without some recognized testing lab certification, it's hard to get any inspector to step out on that limb and say it's okay.

110.3 does mandate that the equipment be suitable for the intended use, and gives the option in the fine print note (which is totally unenforecable) that it may be listed and labeled to make this decision easier for the inspector. There is no mandate that it must be.

680.42 does require that the hot tub be listed as an assembly if it is either cord and plug connnected or wired with a flexible wiring method. If your hot tub is wired with one of these flexible methods, it must be listed. If your hot tub is wired with Rigid metal conduit, Intermediate metal conduit, Nonmetallic raceways listed for direct burial without concrete encasement, or Jacketed Type MC cable listed for direct burial, then there is no clear mandate that your entire tub must be listed and labeled as an assembly.

[ December 16, 2005, 12:25 PM: Message edited by: mdshunk ]
 
Re: NEC Requirement for listed and labeled spa

I have since spoken with the inspector again, and he confirmed that under no circumstances will my electrical permit be approved until the spa is certified by one of the independent laboratories, like UL. The only way they can inspect this is through the "industrial panel" provisions. Then he went on to say that it's illegal to sell an unlisted and unlabled spa in my state (Washington) and the seller should receive a citation for selling it to me, and I'll receive a citation if I sell it to anyone in this state. Even though not directly related to the NEC below is the section of our state code he referenced.

Electrical equipment associated with spas, hot tubs, swimming pools, and hydromassage bathtubs shall not be offered for sale or exchange unless the electrical equipment is certified as being in compliance with the applicable product safety standard by bearing the certification mark of an approved electrical products testing laboratory.
 
Re: NEC Requirement for listed and labeled spa

If that's the rule in your state, it sounds like you're between the perverbial rock and hard place. Your only recourse now is with the manufacturer to try to get your cash back. Education is expensive. You just paid a few grand tuition for this lesson. Best of luck with the manufacturer...
 
Re: NEC Requirement for listed and labeled spa

Electrical equipment associated with spas, hot tubs, swimming pools, and hydromassage bathtubs shall not be offered for sale or exchange unless the electrical equipment is certified as being in compliance with the applicable product safety standard by bearing the certification mark of an approved electrical products testing laboratory.
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That requirement appears in the Revised Code of Washington: RCW 19.28.010. You can find it here.
Originally posted by engineersteve: The manufacturer has told me that . . . all components (heater, pumps, filter, controls) are UL listed. . . .
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That should be all you need. The RCW statement is that the electrical equipment must be listed, not the spa as an entity or as a whole system.
 
Re: NEC Requirement for listed and labeled spa

That should be all you need. The RCW statement is that the electrical equipment must be listed, not the spa as an entity or as a whole system.
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I thought the same thing, but my state inspectors claim that there are numberous examples of case law that uphold the RCW referenced to apply to the entire spa package. So, I'm off to the manufacturer to get what I can.
Thanks to eveyone who took the time.
 
Re: NEC Requirement for listed and labeled spa

My goodness I hate overinterpretive inspectors.
What part of: "...unless the electrical equipment is certified as being in compliance with the applicable product safety standard..."
does he not understand.

This, IMO, is black and white. It very clearly states "electrical equipment", not "spa", "package", "as a whole", or anything even remotely similar.

I would fight this to the end. Then again I can be a bit stubborn.
 
Re: NEC Requirement for listed and labeled spa

charlieb, I guess I'm
overinterpretive
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but I would still read that as saying the electrical equipment as a whole. TN has requirements for NRTL listing on equipment.
My experience on the spas has been some components are UR (UL recognized, not listed).
Perhaps its way off base, but we've always explained as the tires on your car may be "listed"(designed) for that car, but the same tire, though "listed" isn't worth a flip on a tractor-trailer. UL listed components might be listed for certain withstand ratings, operations, etc. and unless the end product is listed I have no idea that the individuL UL, OR UR, components are designed to work as a unit.
To this overinterpretive inspector, show me the UL listing for an assembled SPA./
 
Re: NEC Requirement for listed and labeled spa

Since you seem affected by the word I used I'll ask you this.
Regardless of the rules in your area, and reading the rule verbatim as posted by Steve, do you really think the intent is to require the spa as a whole to be listed? The quote posted clearly states "electrical equipment".
Answer as a judge considering the law, not as an attorney who would spin the law.
 
Re: NEC Requirement for listed and labeled spa

To me, the 'spa' is the 'electrical equipment', thereby requiring the 'spa' to be listed.

The listed heater, blower, etc, are components.

We run into this alot with low-voltage lighting.
We also run into it alot with home theatre systems.
Check out this screen control relay
Is it UL listed??
The control board inside is, but does that make the whole thing listed??
 
Re: NEC Requirement for listed and labeled spa

yes/./.UL has a listing for spas... as a complete unit...it can be listed, it should be listed and in TN it must be listed.
 
Re: NEC Requirement for listed and labeled spa

Only his hairdresser will know!

[ January 11, 2006, 10:26 AM: Message edited by: al ]
 
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