Self Contained Spa wiring requirements

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StoneCreekSpas

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Garden City, KS, USA
I am a spa manufacturer, and would like clarifications of the code requirements to wire a self-contained spa to a home. The current electrician my customer has hired has placed the GFCI (my spas require a 220V 50A GFCI as they do not contain a GFCI within the spa itself) in an enclosed garage, and the wiring close to the tub is a 220V plug. We are built to be hardwired, and I have refused to install this spa until I can get clarification of the rules. What I am reading seems to be that this is not up to code, but I am not an expert either. I have read NEC 680 but can't seem to find what I'm needing to support my case. Thank you!
 
Welcome. 680.40 requires spas to follow parts I and IV of 680, and 680.43 (indoor spas) require following parts I and II.

I would be looking at 680.22(A)(1), 680.7 and 680.7(A). I do not see how a 50A 230V twistlock plug, even to single receptacle with GFCI protection, can be 3' or less to a receptacle that has to be minimum 6' away. as far as I can tell, there is no provision/exception to place that receptacle inside the skirting/siding of the unit . Im going off the 08 NEC and there are numerous changes from it to the 14/17.

680.34 would seem to allow it if it were a storable pool but it isnt (and part III doesnt apply to spas), and the sides may not be considered an "other effective permanent barrier"

The exception to 680.43 only applies to cord and plug eqpt of 20A or less, which seems suggest either a longer cord or closer receptacle are permitted in some cases. and if it were outside, 680.42(A)(2) would allow a cord and plug connection <15' of any amperage so long as other sections were met.

Since all of that is muddy as heck, perhaps someone on the 2014 Code can chime in with a more clear-cut answer. The aforementioned Code sections should be a decent start.

eta: if your mfg directions require a hardwire connection, and your unit is listed or labelled, the section you need to look at is 110.3(B), which would forbid a cord and plug setup regardless of anything permissive in 680 or chapter 3 wiring methods.
 
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If your main concern is whether the use of cord and plug connection is permissible - take a look in 400.7 and 400.8, those still apply unless something in 680 specifically overrules them.
 
Well is the garage considered indoors if it isn't heated????If not then this would not allow a flexible connection.

680.42 Outdoor Installations. A spa or hot tub installed
outdoors shall comply with the provisions of Parts I and II
of this article, except as permitted in 680.42(A) and (B),
that would otherwise apply to pools installed outdoors.
(A) Flexible Connections. Listed packaged spa or hot tub
equipment assemblies or self-contained spas or hot tubs
utilizing a factory-installed or assembled control panel or
panelboard shall be permitted to use flexible connections as
covered in 680.42(A)(1) and (A)(2).
(1) Flexible Conduit. Liquidtight flexible metal conduit or
liquidtight flexible nonmetallic conduit shall be permitted.
(2) Cord-and-Plug Connections. Cord-and-plug connections
with a cord not longer than 4.6 m (15 ft) shall be permitted
where protected by a ground-fault circuit interrupter.
Click to expand...



In the interior of a single family dwelling it appears to allow any method allowed in chapter 3-- rubber cord is in chapter 4

680.21 Motors.
(A) Wiring Methods. The wiring to a pool motor shall
comply with (A)(1) unless modified for specific circumstances
by (A)(2), (A)(3), (A)(4), or (A)(5).
(1) General. The branch circuits for pool-associated motors
shall be installed in rigid metal conduit, intermediate
metal conduit, rigid polyvinyl chloride conduit, reinforced
thermosetting resin conduit, or Type MC cable listed for the
location. Other wiring methods and materials shall be permitted
in specific locations or applications as covered in
this section. Any wiring method employed shall contain an
insulated copper equipment grounding conductor sized in
accordance with 250.122 but not smaller than 12 AWG.
(2) On or Within Buildings. Where installed on or within
buildings, electrical metallic tubing shall be permitted.
(3) Flexible Connections. Where necessary to employ
flexible connections at or adjacent to the motor, liquidtight
flexible metal or liquidtight flexible nonmetallic conduit
with approved fittings shall be permitted.
(4) One-Family Dwellings. In the interior of dwelling
units, or in the interior of accessory buildings associated
with a dwelling unit, any of the wiring methods recognized
in Chapter 3 of this Code that comply with the provisions
of this section shall be permitted. Where run in a cable
assembly, the equipment grounding conductor shall be permitted
to be uninsulated, but it shall be enclosed within the
outer sheath of the cable assembly.
Click to expand...
 
Dennis you quoted 680.21 - that should only apply to the "pool motor".

I don't see it applying to the supply circuit of a packaged spa. 680.43 kind of says the same thing though, but does have exception to use cord and plug for 20 amp or less rating. Fortunately OP has a 50 amp circuit.
 
kwired said:
Dennis you quoted 680.21 - that should only apply to the "pool motor".

I don't see it applying to the supply circuit of a packaged spa. 680.43 kind of says the same thing though, but does have exception to use cord and plug for 20 amp or less rating. Fortunately OP has a 50 amp circuit.
Click to expand...

The spa motor, IMO, is part of the circuit so I think it applies
 
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