ECN Forum Forums Code Related Discussion NEC & other Code issues Steam generator units / showers

I agree on all the bonding you can do but using the spa requirement to justify requiring a GFCI is a stretch. This is a water heater/boiler.

Like I said, a life of their own. This argument is becoming pretty arcane, and no longer makes much sense based on the original question. I'll go one more round.
A hot tub is a vessel in which on eimmerses ones body in water while potentially being exposed to electrical current under the worst of circumstances. A steam generator is a water heater, and it doesn't take much judgement to see the difference. If you want to spend the money on an unnecessary 2 pole GFCI circuit breaker nothing is stopping you from exceeding the minimum requirements of the code. But ask yourself, who are you protecting, and from what? A person in a steam shower is not in contact with the steam generator anymore than a person washing his hands at the sink is in contact with a regular water heater. A disconnect at the unit is also a matter of choice. A lockable circuit breaker is an acceptable disconnect for a water heater in a single family house. None of this applies if the manufacturer requires something different, but we are talking about satisfying the code.
This same discussion is going on in at least 3 different threads simultaneously. If you go look at the first one you will see that I stated the heater should be bonded just like a water heater.

Funny thing happened today!

Steam unit repair guy pulls into space next to me. (Job next door) So I took the op. to bend his ear on the possible code requirements. "I don't know too much about the actual code part of it really." So still not going to get too far there.... He did make some interesting comments though. On GFI's he says the older units trip them alot. Doesn't like them... Goes on to say that most of his job is replacing the cards on them, and replacing the elements that have a tendancy to short out, especially with hard water. Showed me the one he took out, and apparently this short often happens within the tank. No answers, but informative none-the-less.

Anyway, it seems that no one knows which code, if any apply, for sure. There's alot of 'maybe's', and 'follow manufactures instructions'. They only say to follow applicable codes, which ones? It's a cycle!

Next time I actualy install one of these, and have some 'day time' to apply to it, I'll beat the horse some more.

Mark