Pool violations??

[peter d]

My friend just purchased a new home complete with nice backyard and pool. Upon closer inspection I noticed a few issues. Pool is late 70's, early 80's but has been reconditioned.

1) Both the pump motor and light are wired with UF (buried, of course.) Was it ever acceptable to use UF for this?

2) The pool motor was replaced at some point and the #8 bond wire was never connected and it looks like it was never run to the filter area in the first place. However, the bond wire was run from the pool back to the service panel. So, electrically, the motor is bonded via the EGC from the motor albeit with the #12 in the UF cable. Is a fix in order?

I hardly ever work on pools so any advice would be appreciated.

 

[benaround]

Re: Pool violations??

peter d,

I can remember wiring pools just like you described,and it was in the 70's.

The #8 went to the main panel EG bus to the pump lug.And UF cable at 18". This was in Mass. and it was code compliant also.

frank

 

[benaround]

Re: Pool violations??

peter d,

About the light in the pool, UF was never allowed for a wiring method for it. We used brass thick wall threaded 1/2" from niche to power.

frank

 

[peter d]

Re: Pool violations??

Originally posted by benaround:
peter d,

About the light in the pool, UF was never allowed for a wiring method for it. We used brass thick wall threaded 1/2" from niche to power.

frank

I should clarify. There is rigid conduit that goes from the light niche to a deck box, and from the deck box it goes into the ground and changes over to UF. I don't think the conduit is brass, but I didn't open the box either.

There are some people out there who still run the #8 back to the panel, but it's not a code requirement and just a waste of copper.

 

[benaround]

Re: Pool violations??

peter d,

That's because they haven't opened a code book since the 70's either. Glad I wasn't trained by those type of guys.

frank

 

[jwelectric]

Re: Pool violations??

My suggestion is to fill the pool with dirt and start over.

 

[peter d]

Re: Pool violations??

Oh yeah, I forgot to mention that the deck box for the pool light is about 3-4' from the edge of the pool. :roll: It used to be "hidden" under the diving board but that was removed leaving this ugly and illegal appendage for all to see. At least it's on a GFCI breaker.

 

[jwelectric]

Re: Pool violations??

680.24 (C) Protection. Junction boxes and enclosures mounted above the grade of the finished walkway around the pool shall not be located in the walkway unless afforded additional protection, such as by location under diving boards, adjacent to fixed structures, and the like.