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Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 37
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RickG Offline OP
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I understand, (via reading various posts in the past) that NJ has a law requiring the testing of electric installations at public pools every so many years. If this is true, what does the state require to be tested? Does the pool bonding system have to be tested/proven? If the bond system integrity does indeed have to be proven, how is this done? Are there qualifications for the testers?
Rick

Joined: Jan 2003
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LK Offline
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Rick, I asked the same question. Yes there is a requirement to inspect each annual and provide a cert. every 5 years. Someone that knows more about this may jump in and give you more info. This should be an intresting issue, if you ever seen a demo of an old pool installition you will find most pools with a little age have bonding systems in poor shape.

Joined: Apr 2002
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RickG:
The NJ UCC requires that all "public" pools have an annual visual electrical inspection (by the local AHJ) prior to starting the operating season. (Year-round pools must also do it once a year) The pools have to have a current Certificate of Bonding Test, which is good for a maximum of five (5) years. The "testing" has to be done by an authorized testing company, or a lic. EC.

There are a lot of other details regarding this matter, and it's been kicked around on a few threads at this and other sites. IF you want further info, send me an e-mail...or reply here and we will use Mr Bill's bandwidth.

John


John
Joined: Oct 2000
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John,

If you don't mind, I think we'd all like to hear how the bonding is tested. It seems to be required at some point on private pools near me too. I've been asked to test it several times for a house being sold.

What I did was bug the end of a roll of #8 Bare copper to the bond wire at the pump lug and roll it out to be near my test points.

Then I'd test for low resistamce between ladder cups, diving platforms etc. and my copper wire. Does this sound reasonable?

Bill


Bill
Joined: Jun 2003
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Hello Bill

I am not familiar with the engineers procedure. What value of resistance do you look for as acceptable? Do you expect all locations to have the same value? Why?

Pierre


Pierre Belarge
Joined: Oct 2000
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Pierre,

Welcome to ECN!
I've only done it a few times and it was at the request of a local AHJ to verify bonding either on pools that never had an inspection, or were over 10 yrs old and he had been asked to re-certify.

I didn't really have any direction on this as to best way or readings to look for. He wanted me to confirm low resistance readings between bonding points and that was the easiest way I could think of.

I don't recall the specific readings, but I think one ohm (or less) sounds familiar. On one I got good readings on the diving platform, but the ladder cups were no good so I had to 'fail' it. On another the Slide (which was installed after the pool) showed high resistance and I had to fail that too.

Bill


Bill
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RickG Offline OP
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Where is Superman with his x-ray vision when you need him?
So, a continuity test with an ohmmeter is acceptable to the state? Does the state have guidelines for how to test?
At issue here is a new pool installation, not all of the bonding has been confirmed- esp. a large metalic slide structure. The amaturish method of connecting the bond wire to the slide structure makes me wonder about the connection of the bond wire to the pool bond grid.
Also, this pool was constructed next to another pool built 5 years ago. The pump houses are located in different locations, so the power source is from a different transformer for each pump. I believe that the 2 pool bond grids should be connected together, ( this can be easily accomplished ) with a #8 or larger conductor. I am concerned with the "step potential" between the 2 pool areas. Does anyone have any thoughts either way on this.
RickG

Joined: Apr 2002
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Gwz Offline
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I would not have the slightest idea of what quality test equipment for such a pool bonding test should be.

Even though a meter ( what quality? ) shows a one OHM resistance between two points, is the length and size of the test leads included in the final analyst?. Is there a current other than that supplied by the 1.2 volts to 9 volts of the typical meter supply?

Appears to me that there should be a MIMIMUM current ( but what value) applied to the test circuit. What shows as one ohm now ( with a 1.2 volt meter, will it 'burn' open at a 25 volt ( or some other low voltage ) fault instance?

Joined: Oct 2000
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Rick,

Please don't take my simple method described above as an accepted method of testing. I was years ago and I was just asked to verify that bonding existed, nothing as to the integrity of the connections. The few situations I was involved in were largely 'failures' anyway so more stringent testing was a moot point anyway. I have no idea what should really be done and wonder if such testing guidelines exist. (John?)

I didn't feel comfortable doing confirming connections I couldn't see, and wouldn't do it after those few times.

For many years it was common practice (in my area) for people to have work done without permits and inspections because of increased taxes. I don't know what local position is anymore on previously uninspected work but I've been told that they won't do closed-wall inspections anymore and wonder if the same thing applies to finished pools. I just know that I don't want anything to do with them anymore.

Bill


Bill
Joined: Feb 2002
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Rick,

Here in NJ there are several people who claim that they are certified to test pools. One of the people is a lic. electrical contractor. He uses a "GROUND RESISTANCE TESTER" made by AEMC company. It gets re-calibrated once a year by the state or a testing agency. This way it is proven accurate. He will test the continuity from several points on the pool. ( From the motor to the cups of the ladder. Motor to cups on handrail, motor to dive board., etc.) He has a piece of # 8 solid copper that was also tested for a certain resistance. He uses that wire to get from point "A" to point "B". Once he knows all the readings he starts his test. I believe he told me that a low reading proves that there is good continuity and that a high reading means that the grounding path is not good. If you want more info let me know. I can contact him again to get all the facts straight.

HE


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