Spa emergency shutdown
- Thread starter nickelec
- Start date
- Status
DrSparks
The Everlasting Know-it-all!
- Location
- Madison, WI, USA
- Occupation
- Master Electrician and General Contractor
By code you must have a safety switch within 50 feet and within sight of the spa.
Sent from my SM-A326U using Tapatalk
DrSparks
The Everlasting Know-it-all!
- Location
- Madison, WI, USA
- Occupation
- Master Electrician and General Contractor
For what purpose? Is this something you want to automate? If so, what condition would you want the circuit to open under? Please provide a little more detail on the proposed function. Thanks.
Sent from my SM-A326U using Tapatalk
kwired
Electron manager
- Location
- NE Nebraska
- Occupation
- EC
Never done it but have thought about it before. You likely have a GFCI breaker supplying the spa, why not just use typical pilot duty E stop switch and run GFCI protected neutral to the switch and a non GFCI neutral or the EGC to the other side of the switch. GFCI will trip on neutral to ground fault function and spa is shut down. Simpler and less costly than finding a breaker with GFCI and with shunt trip.
Someone will bark about it not being listed for that sort of thing.... seems to me it is also an additional GFCI testing function in a way.
Someone will bark about it not being listed for that sort of thing.... seems to me it is also an additional GFCI testing function in a way.
DrSparks
The Everlasting Know-it-all!
- Location
- Madison, WI, USA
- Occupation
- Master Electrician and General Contractor
Excellent idea. I'm assuming you're looking to do like a panic button?
Sent from my SM-A326U using Tapatalk
DrSparks
The Everlasting Know-it-all!
- Location
- Madison, WI, USA
- Occupation
- Master Electrician and General Contractor
I think you're right. I've seen that before although I've never had occasion to wire a hot tub in a non dwelling unit.
I like the ground fault idea. GFCIs are designed to fail safe and are self testing so you basically have an emergency stop relay
Sent from my SM-A326U using Tapatalk
I like the ground fault idea. GFCIs are designed to fail safe and are self testing so you basically have an emergency stop relay
Sent from my SM-A326U using Tapatalk
SSDriver
Senior Member
- Location
- California
- Occupation
- Electrician
Pentair LX80 or LX820 controller. They come with a e stop button and alarm. These seem very common for small hoa and hotel spas. They have two 3hp 2 pole relays to contol a circ pump and one jet pump.
kwired
Electron manager
- Location
- NE Nebraska
- Occupation
- EC
Disconnect can also be the emergency shutdown. Pretty sure it needs labeled as such. This would commonly apply to packaged spa units.
The Estop style switch is common for non packaged spa units as there often is no pumping equipment in the vicinity of the spa and therefore no need for disconnect in the area of the spa either.
kwired
Electron manager
- Location
- NE Nebraska
- Occupation
- EC
680.41 contains the requirements.
It needs to be clearly labeled, within sight, not less than 5 feet away of spa or hot tub and must stop the motors that power the circulation/jet pump(s).
Disconnecting means required for servicing equipment can also serve this purpose if in proper location as they will interrupt the motor(s), but that is usually going to apply with packaged spas and not necessarily a built on site spa.
I'm pretty certain the reason is if someone were to be stuck to the pump inlet they have a way to easily shut the pump off, I think this is somewhat an old rule and other codes require different inlet designs that are not as easy to get stuck to like some old ones were, but probably still good idea to leave this rule for an emergency shut off method in there.
Does not apply to spas at single family dwellings.
DrSparks
The Everlasting Know-it-all!
- Location
- Madison, WI, USA
- Occupation
- Master Electrician and General Contractor
So for your GFCI solution, kwired, would you simply wire the e stop to ground out the neutral?
Sent from my SM-A326U using Tapatalk
Sent from my SM-A326U using Tapatalk
kwired
Electron manager
- Location
- NE Nebraska
- Occupation
- EC
Yes
If you don't like the idea of making a neutral-ground connection you can bring the GFCI protected neutral and a non GFCI protected neutral to the switch and you still have the same thing as far as the GFCI is concerned.
Mystic Pools
Senior Member
- Location
- Park Ridge, NJ
- Occupation
- Swimming Pool Contractor
Yes, you need E stop/panic button
A public pool I built in NJ in 2012 required it. Must be visible.
Greentagger
Senior Member
- Location
- Texas
- Occupation
- Master Electrician, Electrical Inspector
Shunt trip breaker?
Mystic Pools
Senior Member
- Location
- Park Ridge, NJ
- Occupation
- Swimming Pool Contractor
DrSparks
The Everlasting Know-it-all!
- Location
- Madison, WI, USA
- Occupation
- Master Electrician and General Contractor
brantmacga
Señor Member
- Location
- Georgia
- Occupation
- Former Child
This is what i do on commercial pools and spas. I use an e-stop switch to a contactor between the breaker and pump.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
- Status