ECN Forum Forums Code Related Discussion NEC & other Code issues Wiring pool off Hot tub panel

I am not sure you understood what I was trying to say.

I was not talking about water leakage.

Almost all utilization equipment has some current leakage, the more equipment connected to a GFCI the less 'headroom' that is left between O ma and the trip level of the GFCI.

Of course your right it may work fine, on the other hand it may cause nuisance tripping of the feeder, which if I am hired to do a job I want to try hard to prevent.

As much as I advocate the use of GFCIs I think using GFCI mains to accomplish this is a poor design.

If I have the choice I install GFCI receptacles at each point of use and would only connect one hardwired device to each GFCI unit.

I think I still stay with "tight" meaning rain tight. Certainly defective equipment can trip a GFCI but properly working "hi Potted" equipment should "leak" in the micro amps. A table spoon of water will surely tip that into dozens to hundreds of miliamps pretty quick.
I have close to a half mile of THHN/THWN in pipe around here and it is all GFCI. I know what trips it.
My biggest tip. Arrange wires in the J box so the connections are toward the top of the box and point the wirenuts up.
They all "leak", particularly if the wind is blowing in the triple digits

No you misunderstood. The GFI is not on the main feeder. It just goes to the hot tub out of the 4 circuit panel. If the main feeder is big enough, I will be coming back out of the 4 circuit panel,( the other two spare spaces) to get the pool pumps. I've got to go back to the job tommorrow to check and see what size breaker is feeding the 4 circuit panel. I'm guessing now that it is a 60 amp breaker since I think the wire is # 6 thhn. Steve..

It sure sounds like you will need a very sharp pencil to get this all in under 60a. If these are high E pool pumps you might make it. You are going to be at the mercy of the nameplate and the customer may get in trouble if they replace the pumps.

I think you would be surprised what the leakage is on some perfect appliances, any of the leakage current testers I can find on line work in milliamps.


I will see if I can find some real numbers from a standard.

Even the length of the circuit on the protected side of a GFCI can start adding some leakage due to capacitance coupling with the EGC.

Of course water can trip it.....thats the whole idea is it not?

The "half mile" is not an exaggeration. I started with 6 500' spools and I am almost out of wire. When I trip a GFCI I find a box with water in it.

Greg, I checked the hot tub today. The amp rating on the cover said 24/34. I don't know what the 34 was, because there was only one voltage rating (240 volts). I don't know why they put a 60 amp breaker ahead of this, unless they were allowing for the "start up". I took the biggest motor which was a 3/4 hp that had a nameplate of 6.4 amps at 240 volts X 125% = 8 amps
plus the other cleaner motor at FLA = 5.5amps
plus the hot tub FLA of 34 amps( ? )=34.0
Total amps 47.5 **
This still leaves some for the pool light
and recpts.
#6thhn in the 60 degree column is good for 55 amps. If the terminations on the panel are listed for at least 75 degree, and I'm sure they are, I can use the 75 degree table which allows me 65 amps. Am I correct? Thanks.. Steve

Yup that must not be a very big hot tub.
Mine is on an 80a .
11 kw heat, 2HP jet pump and 3/4 circulation pump