Were copper pipes the 1950s version of pool equipment bonding?

Status
Not open for further replies.

ddbear

Member
Location
Southern California
Occupation
Designer
I noticed the 1950s pool with all copper piping, and the vintage pump is all metal. The thought occurred to me, is this basically the 1950s version of bonding the pool electric equipment to the soil that surrounds the pool and to the water? Today's code is to bond together the rebar, ladder, deck, etc.

If the pump is changed out, is the standard practice to replace it with a pump that has a metal housing for this reason, or connect the pump ground wire with a clamp to the copper pipe, or use a double insulated pump? After all isn't the copper pipe going to two returns and the intake like a big wire loop around the whole deck?
 
Last edited:
I suspect copper with brass fittings was chosen for corrosion resistance more than anything else.
Contribution to maintaining an equipotential area was probably a byproduct.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top