Pool bonding conundrum

[Not My Fault]

The neighbor just had an 18' above ground pool installed. The pool installers did nothing in regard to equipotential bonding.

It's my understanding that the pool should be bonded to an 8 AWG conductor buried around the circumference. There should be four evenly spaced bonds between the pool and the bonding conductor.

This pool has a thin sheet metal wall, the ends of which are held together by a metal joining bar secured by about 20 bolts. No bonding lugs are provided anywhere on the metal wall.

The pool company, Aqua Leader, when contacted, said to make four bonding connections to the joining bar. Where on the circumferential bonding conductor should the connections to the joining bar be made?

 

[Little Bill]

After you locate the four equally spaced bonding points and installed the lugs, just use a short piece of #8 from each lug down to the perimeter ring of #8. Use direct bury rated split bolts.

Don't forget the water bond. I use a device that goes in to strainer basket of the pump. Remove the lid on the basket, remove the inner strainer, remove the outside drain plug. The device has a tail that runs through the hole where you removed the drain plug. The bonding kit comes with a new plug with a hole for the tail piece. It also comes with a split bolt to connect a jumper from the tail to the perimeter bond or the bond to the pump motor.

 

[Not My Fault]

The problem is that there are not four equally spaced bonding points on the pool wall. The only place to make a bonding connection is on the single joining bar.

 

[Little Bill]

So the wall is just a continuous piece of sheet metal with no breaks until the two ends meet?
If that is the case, I see no need in bonding any more than one place, and that would be on the bar you mention. For peace of mind, I would check continuity on each side of the metal by placing the probes on each end of the metal without touching the bar with the probes.

 

[Mystic Pools]

After you locate the four equally spaced bonding points and installed the lugs, just use a short piece of #8 from each lug down to the perimeter ring of #8. Use direct bury rated split bolts.

Don't forget the water bond. I use a device that goes in to strainer basket of the pump. Remove the lid on the basket, remove the inner strainer, remove the outside drain plug. The device has a tail that runs through the hole where you removed the drain plug. The bonding kit comes with a new plug with a hole for the tail piece. It also comes with a split bolt to connect a jumper from the tail to the perimeter bond or the bond to the pump motor.

Bill, what is that water bond product?

 

[Little Bill]

Bill, what is that water bond product?

CMP
"Pool water bond above ground pump trap retro kit"
CMP 25810-500-000

I used to use a similar product to this. This one has a coil of wire that serves as the 9in sq, the other one that I used had a round brass piece and was called a "lollipop" bond. some still call this a "lollipop" but it doesn't look as much like one with the coil of wire instead of the solid round brass piece.

 

[mopowr steve]

You know, I find it odd that pool manufacturers are not providing provisions to do the bonding which is required by the NEC.
And yes, the metal pool shell is one continuous sheet that just joins together in one place with that metal strip. I typically will put a lug on the very top bolt which puts it kinda under the pool ledge area. But the last pool I worked on all the support legs were made of fiberglass. Those were what I would typically do the 4 spaced bonding points to when they were metal.

 

[Mystic Pools]

You know, I find it odd that pool manufacturers are not providing provisions to do the bonding which is required by the NEC.
And yes, the metal pool shell is one continuous sheet that just joins together in one place with that metal strip. I typically will put a lug on the very top bolt which puts it kinda under the pool ledge area. But the last pool I worked on all the support legs were made of fiberglass. Those were what I would typically do the 4 spaced bonding points to when they were metal.

I don't think it's odd. We build gunite (concrete) pools. Our bond connections are made directly on the rebar with no provisions. We follow the guidelines of the NEC and also the inspectors knowledge and review. We can put our bond wire pretty much anywhere on the rebar. The 4 points must equally apart, but we can place them high or low. within the frame.
An inground vinyl pool with steel walls has no provisions either.

In my opinion, if any of the manufacturers of above ground kits or inground steel kits make provisions, then they could perhaps become liable in the event of an issue.
Properly bonding these types may require asking the inspector what they want to see in place or conferring with a colleague who's experienced this aspect.

 

[mikeames]

I don't think it's odd. We build gunite (concrete) pools. Our bond connections are made directly on the rebar with no provisions. We follow the guidelines of the NEC and also the inspectors knowledge and review. We can put our bond wire pretty much anywhere on the rebar. The 4 points must equally apart, but we can place them high or low. within the frame.
An inground vinyl pool with steel walls has no provisions either.

In my opinion, if any of the manufacturers of above ground kits or inground steel kits make provisions, then they could perhaps become liable in the event of an issue.
Properly bonding these types may require asking the inspector what they want to see in place or conferring with a colleague who's experienced this aspect.

One could reasonably expect those provisions from a manufactured product just in the same way the pool pump has a lug. Not putting a lug opens them to liability if their directions specify bonding without a manufacture provided means. Hence the question from the OP.