Swimming pool panel GFI

[george t. everett]

In wiring a pool I piped from the main panel to a sub panel located adjacent to the pool pumps. from this panel I fed a pool filer, jet pump & the pool light. The pool panel is fed from a 40 amp GFI breaker. The AHJ said that the pool light has to be fed from its own GFI breaker. What are your thoughts?

 

[david]

Re: Swimming pool panel GFI

680.23 Underwater Luminaires (Lighting Fixtures).
(A) General.
(3) GFCI Protection, Relamping. A ground-fault circuit interrupter shall be installed in the branch circuit supplying luminaires (fixtures) operating at more than 15 volts, so that there is no shock hazard during relamping. The installation of the ground-fault circuit interrupter shall be such that there is no shock hazard with any likely fault-condition combination that involves a person in a conductive path from any ungrounded part of the branch circuit or the luminaire (fixture) to ground.


680.27 Specialized Pool Equipment.
(B) Electrically Operated Pool Covers.
(2) Protection. The electric motor and controller shall be connected to a circuit protected by a ground-fault circuit interrupter


Compare the wording in these two sections:

For lighting: A ground-fault circuit interrupter shall be installed in the branch circuit supplying luminaries

In the other: controller shall be connected to a circuit protected by a ground-fault circuit interrupter

It seems to state clearly for your light the GFCI shall be in the branch circuit supplying the light

 

[Guest]

Re: Swimming pool panel GFI

I'm wondering about those all-in-one disconnects. They are covered by a 2-pole blank-face GFCI (see diagram below). The "lighting" breaker is covered by the GFCI. Would one of these meet the requirements? They are typically used for spas, but would they work for the simple pool setup you described? It covers up to a 50-amp load.

GFCI protected subpanel

 

[curt swartz]

Re: Swimming pool panel GFI

Wayne,
The single pole circuit breaker in that "SPA Panel" could not be used to supply underwater lights without additional GFCI protection even though it is protected on the supply side. I believe the purpose of that breaker is to feed the required convenience outlet required.

George,
Are you are hard wiring all of your pumps? If so you don't need GFCI protection for them. Even if your not I would recommend using a standard breaker for your feeder and individual GFCI breakers for each branch circuit.

 

[Guest]

Re: Swimming pool panel GFI

That makes perfect sense to me. Not enough circuit distribution capacity. Plus pool light must have GFCI protection on the actual branch circuit. Upstream GFCI protection on the feeder breaker does not satisfy the GFCI protection of the pool light as spelled out in 680.27. Thanks!

 

[jbell59]

Re: Swimming pool panel GFI

Curt or anyone:

I know the 2002 code states your point about GFCI protection not needed on pool pump motors. Would you happen to know if that had changed from the 99 code? I'm here in Va. and we are under the 99 code and I don't have a 99 book anymore.