Well this pool is my pool and there is nothing bonded, including the slide, diving board, metal returns, metal ladder, metal suction/drain, concrete shell, deck, motor light posts outside the 8 ft deck, fence, or pool pump. No pool light is installed. I do not see anyway possible to bond this pool to meet code, however, there never have been any issues. If you cannot properly bond the shell, bonding anything else around the pool is pointless. In my opinion, if you bond everything accessible, it is inherently more dangerous as you create a greater chance of shock in that you connect everything in reach on one level of potential and leave the main body on a different level. The frustrating part is that the pool can never have anything added, such as a heater in this case, as the AHJ will need it to meet current code. With cost prohibitive modifications necessary to comply to current code, the pool won't be any safer with or without the new equipment. What it comes down to on the AHJ's side is liability. The AHJ (or town inspector) does not know what to tell me, or does not want to tell me what they will accept, other than it needs to be bonded to something.
In posting this thread, I was hoping to hear what others have come across in their experience and what solutions, if any, were found. Also I wanted to get opinions and a discussion of the bonding principle and the code requirements as it relates to old installations as I'm sure mine isn't the only one still out there. My training in bonding and grounding comes from my days as a power engineer in the phone company. I have no intention of ripping the pool out or performing major work in an attempt to get at every possible component as the code currently requires, but if someone came up with a reasonable approach that seemed plausible, I would consider it or propose it to the AHJ.
Thanks for your input.
