Plug/Outlet in hidden crawlspace?

[jeffw_00]

Plumber is putting an air-jet tub in a 3-wall alcove. It's not a hydromassage tub and no special grounding is needed. The Blower/Heater has a normal 3-prong plug.

Access to the Blower/Heater is through a cut-out panel in the back of a closet adjacent to the bathroom (behind the head of the tub). I had intended to put a junction box in this crawl space, direct-wire the tub, and put a blank-face GFCI on the far bathroom wall, both for convenience and as an emergency cutoff switch.

However, since the tub has a 3-prong plug it seems like I should mount an outlet on the junction box in the crawl space.

I don't like the idea of a plug/outlet that can't be seen and is inaccessible. Vibrations could loosen it, etc. But I'm not sure I should be cutting off the tub plug.

Which is safer? Cut off the plug & direct-wire, or leave the plug and put an outlet in the crawlspace? (I suppose I could use a regular outlet and still put the GFCI on the wall, but that seems kind of hokey).

Thanks!
/j

[ September 28, 2004, 05:53 PM: Message edited by: jeffw_00 ]

 

[sdbob]

Re: Plug/Outlet in hidden crawlspace?

Use the plug imo.

Hard wire it and you'll lose your disconnecting means.

 

[sdbob]

Re: Plug/Outlet in hidden crawlspace?

.. and mounting the GFI remotely is a good idea for convenience too, but is no bueno for disconnecting means.

 

[electricman2]

Re: Plug/Outlet in hidden crawlspace?

It's also possible that removing the plug could void the manufacturers warranty.

 

[jeffw_00]

Re: Plug/Outlet in hidden crawlspace?

Originally posted by sdbob:
.. and mounting the GFI remotely is a good idea for convenience too, but is no bueno for disconnecting means.

I wouldn't count on a GFCI as a disconnect before working on the tub, but the reason I wanted it accessible was not only for convenience but also as a 'panic' switch in case the tub started smoking or something.

 

[petersonra]

Re: Plug/Outlet in hidden crawlspace?

Originally posted by jeffw_00:

Originally posted by sdbob:
.. and mounting the GFI remotely is a good idea for convenience too, but is no bueno for disconnecting means.

I wouldn't count on a GFCI as a disconnect before working on the tub, but the reason I wanted it accessible was not only for convenience but also as a 'panic' switch in case the tub started smoking or something.

I would think that in such a case having a plug that could be yanked on would be a better choice then trying to get a paniced homeowner to push the test button on the GFCI.

I can't recall ever having seen such a tub plugged into an outlet before, so if its being done its plugged in where the outlet is not readily visable.

 

[jeffw_00]

Re: Plug/Outlet in hidden crawlspace?

yes - the plug/outlet would be in a hidden location (in a crawlspace) and thus not yankable

 

[sdbob]

Re: Plug/Outlet in hidden crawlspace?

It doesn't need to be yankable.

The motor(s) all should have some sort of overload protection which prevents the magic smoke from escaping, and the disconnect only needs to be accessible from the location that the unit would be serviced from, which sounds like the crawl hole.

Use a good commercial grade 20 amp outlet and you won't have to worry about the falling out.

 

[hbiss]

Re: Plug/Outlet in hidden crawlspace?

If it make you feel better just install a 20A switch next to the GFI.

-Hal