Pool motors and GFI protection

[goldstar]

I'd like to share a recent experience with the Forum and hopefully get some opinions on what you might have done in this instance. My biggest account is a day camp here in my home town. About 1/3 of my gross income comes from doing work at this facility in the course of about 4 months. The owner has no problem spending $$$, especially when it comes to the safety of not only the children who use the camp in the summer but also the many companies who use the camp facilities for their weekend parties. The camp has 4 swimming pools, 4 gas fired heaters and a total of 9 pool motors. Four of the motors are 3-phase, 50 amp, 240 volt units, one is a single phase 30 amp unit and the balance are single phase, 20 amp units. Another electrical contractor performs the pool bonding certifications for the camp.

Just 2 weeks before the camp opens when almost 1000 kids arrive for their summer experiences each day (BTW at about $8K per kid - do the math), the local EI informs the pool bonding EC that he will not sign off on the certification UNLESS ALL the pool motors are GFI protected. In addition he tells the EC that he doesn't care how it gets done even if the camp has to change out all the breaker panels to do so. The existing breaker panels are CH-tan handle. In doing some research I found that Sq D makes a 3-phase GFI breaker at a cost of about $1800 @ (if you can get them). CH does not make a 3-phase GFI breaker that I know of. Over the course of about 3-4 days the camp owner did his own research and found a company somewhere in the mid-west that makes a "leakage detector" suitable for this purpose. I'm guessing that the cost was up there in the $1.8K area per unit. They were air-freighted in and installed by the pool bonding EC.

Now again, this is not about $$$ but rather how it was done. The EI left the camp owner with a problem to correct on his own without any guidance on how to correct it. IMHO, I was initially hoping that the EI had the camp shut down and then the camp owner sued the EI, the BI and the township for about $8M. Buit the more I thought about it, if the town lost the suit that payment would be coming out of my tax $$$. A Catch 22.

BTW, the camp owner asked me not to contact the State because he has to deal with this EI in the future. Any thoughts ?

 

[augie47]

Wow! A Catch-22 situation. Unless there is some local ordinance it appears the EI exceeded his authority. In theory it did enhance the safety and I believe it is required under the '23 NEC.
Since "safety" is involved had the owner challenged it and, God forbid, there was an incident, it might costs him more in the long run but, that said, I would have appealed the original ruling but considering the 2 week timing he (the owner) probably did the smart thing.

 

[John A]

In the 2020 NEC 680.21 (C) was revised and requires GFI.
There is no amendment within the NJ UCC (5:23-3.16) exempting existing pools with 3 phase motors.
The 2020 NEC w/amendments was adopted and is in effect.

As a side comment, a 'heads up' last year at the Annual Pool Inspection time, may have been nice.

 

[goldstar]

As a side comment, a 'heads up' last year at the Annual Pool Inspection time, may have been nice.

My thoughts exactly. It was never about refusing to GFI protect the equipment. It was never about spending $$$$$. Safety is the #1 concern of the camp owner. It’s about the attitude of the EI in telling the camp owner “The motors and heaters have to be GFI protected and I don’t care how you do it even if you have to change out the breaker panels”. All that just 2 weeks before the camp opens. The camp has been in existence for 30 years without any incident. What difference would it have made to allow the camp to open and install the GFI protection over the summer as the protective devices became available? The camp owner, in a panic situation, had to research on his own across the country to find a 3-phase product that he could use.

Try doing research on your own for 3-phase GFI circuit breakers. The only one that comes up is made by Square D. It’s a bolt-on breaker and costs about $1800. Availability is questionable.

 

[curt swartz]

Where are you getting the $1,800 price tag from? I have no idea what the current availability is but there is no way a wholesale SquareD distributor would charge that much.
Even online retailers are much less than that.
Here is one example.

Square D Miniature Circuit Breaker, 50 A, 120/208V AC, 3 Pole, Bolt On Mounting Style, QOB Series QOB350GFI | Zoro

Order Square D Miniature Circuit Breaker, 50 A, 120/208V AC, 3 Pole, Bolt On Mounting Style, QOB Series, QOB350GFI at Zoro.com. Great prices & free shipping on orders over $50 when you sign in or sign up for an account.

www.zoro.com

 

[goldstar]

The first time I researched it the price came up as $1800. The voltage is 240, 3-phase. In addition we would have to change out two entire panels just to accommodate these breakers. I’ll post a photo of the product that was installed when I can get to my computer.

 

[don_resqcapt19]

The first time I researched it the price came up as $1800. The voltage is 240, 3-phase. In addition we would have to change out two entire panels just to accommodate these breakers. I’ll post a photo of the product that was installed when I can get to my computer.

What type of system is that? Class A GFCIs are only for systems with a maximum voltage to ground of 150 volts. An ungrounded 240 volt delta system would have a voltage to ground of 240 volts per the definition and a 4 wire high leg delta would have a voltage to ground of 208 volts.
The only thing you could use on either of those systems would be a special purpose GFCI also known as a Class C GFCI, but those are even more expensive. The use of SPGFCI is provided for in Article 680 in the 2023 code, but I think they are even more costly than what you have been looking at.

 

[goldstar]

Here is the product that was installed for the 3-phase 50 amp motors. It was accepted by the EI but only after he contacted the State.