Pool/Spa Question

[busman]

The situation is this; I have a hot tub (spa) that was wired by a pool company. The feeder to the spa panel is within 5 feet of the wall of the spa and so is the panel itself.

The question is, does this violate the code? I think we would all say it violates the intent of the code, but the only thing I could find was 680.10 (2005 NEC) that says wiring can't be within 5 feet, unless it is necessary to supply pool equipment. In my mind this could be read two ways:

1) Wiring is prohibited within 5 feet if it's not associated with the pool. For instance, I can't run a feeder out to a shed and pass it under the pool.

or

2) Wiring is prohibited within 5 feet unless there is no other way. For instance wiring to an in-pool light obviously MUST go into the 5 foot zone to get to the light. But, if in the case of the panel and feeder, they CAN be routed outside the zone, so they MUST be routed outside the zone.

Am I missing something? Also if #1 is the correct interpretation, then I can put the pool panel within 5 feet of the pool? I didn't see an article that specifically mentions panels.

Thanks,

Mark

PS: Does 680.6 really require me to ground a non-metallic junction box? It seems to say so.

 

[Dennis Alwon]

680.12 specifically states the disco must be at least 5' from the inside wall of the tub. There is nothing, that I can find that prohibits a panel from the tub directly however one could argue that the main panel has a disco for the tub also and thus must be at least 5' from the inside wall of the tub.

Art. 680.10 is for underground wiring so imo it has nothing to do with the distance of panels etc. I believe the intent is to keep panels and other electrical boxes awaw however if they are accepted at closer than 5' then they must be bonded as part of the equipotential bonding.

 

[hotwire1955]

the panel is in in violation if within 5' if it's more then 5' it ok 680.12
read 680.6 grounding in accordance with article 250 parts V, VI, VII

 

[hotwire1955]

Dennis I need to wake up sooner or type faster

 

[busman]

All good answers, but they don't answer which is the correct interpretation for underground wiring #1 or #2? So if the underground wiring passes within 5' of the spa, but the panel is more than 5' away, is that legal?

Thanks,

Mark

 

[M. D.]

I'm thinking if the space is available and the wiring is not necessary it needs to be outside 5' .If it is necessary ( here is the debate ) the 5' rule does not apply to underground wiring.. is the feeder necessary to supply the pool equipment or are they talking about branch circuit wiring? .

Seems to me they are talking wiring in general which would include feeders.


(

680.10)
____________________________________________________________
Submitter: Michael Tooke, Temecula, CA
Recommendation: This article as currently written:
Underground wiring shall not be permitted under the pool or within the area
extending 1.5 m (5 ft) horizontally from the inside wall of the pool unless this
wiring is necessary to supply the pool equipment permitted by this article.
Where space limitations prevent wiring from being routed a distance 1.5 m (5
ft) or more from the pool, such wiring shall be permitted where installed in
rigid metal conduit, intermediate metal conduit, or a nonmetallic raceway
system. All metal conduit shall be corrosion resistant and suitable for the
location. The minimum burial depth shall be as given in Table 680.10.

This article with the revision:

Underground wiring shall not be permitted under the pool or within the area
extending 1.5 m (5 ft) horizontally from the inside wall of the pool unless this
wiring is necessary to supply the pool equipment permitted by this article.
Where space limitations prevent wiring that is necessary to supply the pool
equipment from being routed a distance 1.5 m (5 ft) or more from the pool,
such wiring shall be permitted where installed in rigid metal conduit,
intermediate metal conduit, or a nonmetallic raceway system. All metal conduit
shall be corrosion resistant and suitable for the location. The minimum burial
depth shall be as given in Table 680.10.
Substantiation: The first sentence in this article states that NO underground
wiring is permitted within 1.5 m (5 ft) from the inside wall of the pool unless it
is necessary to supply pool equipment. The next sentence needs clarification, as
it is being interpreted that ANY underground wiring (even if it is not necessary
to supply the pool equipment) is permitted within the 1.5 m (5 ft) area so long
as it is installed in an approved raceway at the depths listed in the chart. By
adding the phrase that is necessary to supply the pool equipment to this second
sentence (where I indicated above), it clarifies the intent of the article.

Panel Meeting Action: Reject

Panel Statement: The intent of the Code is to permit, when space is limited,
conduits from other systems to be buried within 5 ft of the pool in accordance
with 680.10 and Table 680.10.

Number Eligible to Vote: 11

Ballot Results: Affirmative: 11