Proper GFCI Placement

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Alarm Slave

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I have a jacuzzi in my home (circa 1985, tub at least that old) that I am about to put back in service and in the process discovered there is no GFCI protecting it at all. My questions are:
where is the best location for the protection? at the breaker panel or at the J - Box behind the access panel which can be gotten to from a common hallway? (The j -box is where the motor is connected to power source via a timer switch) would a GFCI breaker be easier/better?
I have to do some plumbing repairs on the tub itsself. The section of pvc pipe that has to be replaced has a ground connection on the suction line via a screw inside the pipe and a ground connection going back to the control box for the tub. I was told that this was for making the water in the tub grounded and is not really nesscecary and to bring this ground connection back to the j - box that and connect it to the EGC going to my breaker panel. Does anybody have any input on this ? good or bad?
 
There is no 'best place' for it. It's a design issue, and can go just about anywhere. Put a GFI breaker in the panel, or install a dead-front (faceless) GFI anywhere you like. Or use a GFI recep behind the skirt.
 
Easy access for testing and resetting is my justification for putting the GFCI device out of the access hole.

Best set up IMO is a faceless GFCI just outside the tub, approx. 12" off of finish floor.

The ground wire to the water has me stumped.
 
ground wire

ground wire

the ground wire is fastened to the suction line for the pump for the tub and the other end of this wire goes back to the logic box for the pump. There is a second wire that comes off of the logic box to a momentary switch on the user part of the tub labeled "on and off" Move the switch to make momentary contact and when the ground wire has a connection to ground (in this case the final connection is made by the water in the suction line.
I am questioning if there really is a need for the screw to be in contact with water? Seems to me you don't want any type of wire directly in contact with the same water you are sitting in even if it is a ground.
 
green wire?

green wire?

In refering to my very first post, with ALL the questions is it possible the green wire which might at first be assumed to be a ground wire could be the sensor for the presence of water to keep the pump from operating without water?
 
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