Pool controversy with inspector

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Rawls007

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Customer has hired me to do the electrical portion for his inground pool. Although I haven't physically done this before I believe that I am knowledgeable enough of the methods used and know enough about code to get the job done properly.

The pool that is being installed is a totally fiberglass pool. No metal rebar, no diving board, fiberglass ladder and handrail, and fiberglass forming shell for the underwater light. I talked to the code inspector over the phone and explained that since there was no metal in or around the pool there was nothing that needed to be bonded. He said I still had to bond the pool light to the pool pump motor and from there to the ground rod at the main service panel. I'm not too sure how I'm going to do this being that the forming shell for the light is fiberglass and there is no other place on the light casing to attach a wire. I also asked if I could just drive a ground rod near the pool pump and he said no, it had to be bonded back to the main service ground rod.

None of this seems to make any sense to me and I'm wondering if he even know's what he's talking about. Either that or I'm the igorant one.
 
I think you both need a little help. First thing you should do is read Article 680 of the NEC.
What will a ground rod do for you?
 
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If he infact said what you say he said, I will have to go with Fc and Jwelectric, you both need to read the article and Infinty's link.

Roger
 
fc said:
I think you both need a little help. First thing you should do is read Article 680 of the NEC.
What will a ground rod do for you?
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That was one of the points I made with the inspector. It didn't seem to make sense to use a ground rod when the equipment grounding conductor was going to be used which was already bonded back to the main service. His reply was that was what code required. I didn't want to start an argument and felt I could find some middle ground by just driving a ground rod near the motor instead of having to install a 75 ft. run of #8 back to the main.
 
Rawls007 said:
That was one of the points I made with the inspector. It didn't seem to make sense to use a ground rod when the equipment grounding conductor was going to be used which was already bonded back to the main service. His reply was that was what code required. I didn't want to start an argument and felt I could find some middle ground by just driving a ground rod near the motor instead of having to install a 75 ft. run of #8 back to the main.
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You need to ask him to show you where it is in the code.
A ground rod will do nothing for you. So forget about the ground rod.
If he is making you install one he is wrong and if you do you need to treat it as another metal object to bond.
 
You mentioned that the forming shell was fiberglass. Forming shells are required to provide a means for terminating the 8 AWG solid bonding conductor. Most are listed and will provide means for (equipotential) bonding. So I agree with the inspector on that point. See (WBDT) from the UL White Book, and the last sentence of 680.23(B)(1)

Show the inspector the FPN that follows 680.26(A), which states:" The 8 AWG or larger solid copper bonding conductor shall not be required to be extended or attached to any remote panelboard, service equipment, or any electrode"

The FPN is there for guidance, and you can show him that there is no requirement for a ground rod attachment within Section 680.26.

Good luck, I would like to hear how he responds.
 
Ask the inspector what the pool is in or on. The answer - the earth or ground. How much more "grounded" can it be? The issue here is bonding in order to eliminate any potential difference in metallic parts of the pool. As others have said, it appears that you will both need to spend some time studying article 680. These problems stem from our use of the words bonding and grounding as being interchangeable, they are different things.
 
Pierre C Belarge said:
You mentioned that the forming shell was fiberglass. Forming shells are required to provide a means for terminating the 8 AWG solid bonding conductor. Most are listed and will provide means for (equipotential) bonding. So I agree with the inspector on that point. See (WBDT) from the UL White Book, and the last sentence of 680.23(B)(1)

Other then those that are part of a listed low voltage lighting system not requiring grounding. .
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