pools and 5'min clearance 4 120v lines

[joebeadg]

So, I must keep any 120v wiring, like for landscape lighting for instance at least 5' away from pool, but I can have a 120v light IN the pool? What is up with that???

 

[petersonra]

The code does not have to make sense. However, I am pretty sure that a 120V light in the pool has to be listed for that use.

 

[Coppersmith]

All the pool lights I have seen are low voltage. There's a transformer at the pool panel.

 

[texie]

So, I must keep any 120v wiring, like for landscape lighting for instance at least 5' away from pool, but I can have a 120v light IN the pool? What is up with that???

Back in the day they used to be very common. The code still recognizes them but I haven't seen one installed for at least 40-50 years. I wold not have one. I'm not sure if you can even still buy one. Sort of like copper clad AL building wire-it is code recognized but not made by anybody anymore.

 

[infinity]

Wasn't the 5' rule for underground wiring removed in the 2017 NEC?

 

[joebeadg]

IDK, Fl. still under 2014. I see some 120v lights here and they are not old. I'm really leary of messing with them. Also, my customer now bought the wrong 12v light for his 120 setup. Its an LED one. I see no problem just installing a thrans. and using it. I've never done new pools so not well versed in it.

 

[jusme123]

Wasn't the 5' rule for underground wiring removed in the 2017 NEC?

Within 5’ has to basically be in conduit 680.11 (2020 NEC)
Under pool ONLY if necessary to serve pool equipment.

 

[infinity]

In the 2017 NEC there is no 5' rule as there was in the 2014 and earlier versions. The 2020 cleaned up 680.11 by changing the requirements to a list format.

2017 NEC:
680.11 Underground Wiring Location. Underground wiring shall be permitted where installed in rigid metal conduit, inter‐
mediate metal conduit, rigid polyvinyl chloride conduit, reinforced thermosetting resin conduit, or Type MC cable, suitable
for the conditions subject to that location. Underground wiring shall not be permitted under the pool unless this wiring is
necessary to supply pool equipment permitted by this article. Minimum cover depths shall be as given in Table 300.5 .

2014 NEC:
680.10 Underground Wiring Location. 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
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 complete raceway systems of 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 cover depth shall be as given in Table 680.10.

 

[joebeadg]

nice that they removed that dumb rule, but I'm uder 2014 code here.