Splicing pool light feed

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ronalddunbar@comcast.net

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I've been called to repair faulty pool lights. The pool lights ,I have determined, are fed from a JB under house. I have disconnected all wires and have found the wire from JB under house to Pool deck box has a short Hot to ground somewhere. HO wants me to dig until I find the problem and then do an underground splice. I really don't want to do an underground splice anywhere around the pool. I can't find where this would be a code violation, but if anyone knows something I can hang my hat on, it would be appreciated.
Thanks Ron
 
ronalddunbar@comcast.net said:
I've been called to repair faulty pool lights. The pool lights ,I have determined, are fed from a JB under house. I have disconnected all wires and have found the wire from JB under house to Pool deck box has a short Hot to ground somewhere. HO wants me to dig until I find the problem and then do an underground splice. I really don't want to do an underground splice anywhere around the pool. I can't find where this would be a code violation, but if anyone knows something I can hang my hat on, it would be appreciated.
Thanks Ron
Click to expand...
2014 NEC
680.23 (F)(1)
I'd is not permitted for branch circuit wiring to underwater Luminaires in all cases it is to contain an insulated equipment grounding conductor.

UNTIL... your jurisdiction adopts the 2017 code in which case they drop that requirement for an insulated equipment grounding conductor believe it or not you can run you UF cable all day to pool lights

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Here is the article

680.23(B)(2)(a)
(a) Metal Conduit. Metal conduit shall be approved and
shall be of brass or other approved corrosion-resistant metal.
(b) Nonmetallic Conduit. Where a nonmetallic conduit is
used, an 8 AWG insulated solid or stranded copper bonding
jumper shall be installed in this conduit unless a listed lowvoltage
lighting system not requiring grounding is used. The
bonding jumper shall be terminated in the forming shell, junction
box or transformer enclosure, or ground-fault circuitinterrupter
enclosure. The termination of the 8 AWG bonding
jumper in the forming shell shall be covered with, or encapsulated
in, a listed potting compound to protect the connection
from the possible deteriorating effect of pool water.
Click to expand...
 
The jb for the pool lights is also supposed to be an approved pool enclosure and should be 8" above the highest pool water level


680.24(A)(2) Installation. Where the luminaire operates over the low
voltage contact limit, the junction box location shall comply
with (A)(2)(a) and (A)(2)(b). Where the luminaire operates at
the low voltage contact limit or less, the junction box location
shall be permitted to comply with (A)(2)(c).
(a) Vertical Spacing. The junction box shall be located
not less than 100 mm (4 in.), measured from the inside of the
bottom of the box, above the ground level, or pool deck, or not
less than 200 mm (8 in.) above the maximum pool water level,
whichever provides the greater elevation.
(b) Horizontal Spacing. The junction box shall be located
not less than 1.2 m (4 ft) from the inside wall of the pool,
unless separated from the pool by a solid fence, wall, or other
permanent barrier.
(c) Flush Deck Box. If used on a lighting system operating
at the low voltage contact limit or less, a flush deck box shall be
permitted if both of the following conditions are met:
(1) An approved potting compound is used to fill the box to
prevent the entrance of moisture.
(2) The flush deck box is located not less than 1.2 m (4 ft)
from the inside wall of the pool.
Click to expand...
 
bclumen said:
I think he's questioning the branch circuit wiring to the deck box.
Under the 2014, UF is not allowed.

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You're correct... But still a NO NO to use UF. I saw that done a few times in this area. I asked an inspector if he okayed the install and he said that he had. He was surprised when I told him no uf...:D
 
Dennis Alwon said:
You're correct... But still a NO NO to use UF. I saw that done a few times in this area. I asked an inspector if he okayed the install and he said that he had. He was surprised when I told him no uf...:D
Click to expand...
Yeah I think it's a bad idea and surprised the 2017 is allowing it.

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bclumen said:
Yeah I think it's a bad idea and surprised the 2017 is allowing it.

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Click to expand...
I noticed that 2017 changed things but you still need an insulated equipment grounding conductor



(2) Equipment Grounding. Other than listed low-voltage
luminaires not requiring grounding, all through-wall lighting
assemblies, wet-niche, dry-niche, or no-niche luminaires shall
be connected to an insulated copper equipment grounding
conductor installed with the circuit conductors. The equipment
grounding conductor shall be installed without joint or
splice except as permitted in (F)(2)(a) and (F)(2)(b). The
equipment grounding conductor shall be sized in accordance
with Table 250.122 but shall not be smaller than 12 AWG.
Click to expand...
 
Dennis Alwon said:
Yeah, pool motors are okay with uf or nm inside but not the pool lights. Different animal...
Click to expand...
Ok, so I remembered my 2017 code change class right...
They added a sentance to 680.23(F)(1) in the 2017 to now allow any wiring method recognized in Chapter 3 if installed in a noncorrosive environment.
Thees also similar change to the feeders under 680.25

IMO UF is not a good choice for use in outdoor pool construction but the code writer's don't seem concerned unless its a corrosive environment.

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Good call shortcircuit2, I didn't catch how the change to 680.11 prevents the UF for underground wiring. Glad to see that in there.

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