Greg', if a steam unit is a water heater, so is a hot tub. But a hot tub is also a pool of some sort, right? And I have put many/all of them on 240 volt GFCI's. Same as jaccuzi tubs and thier water heaters. As well as the outlets in the bath, and on occassion lighting in shower and tub areas.
And I'm not quoting you to start with you, but...
"The code does not address each individual piece of equipment. Some judgement is required."
Exactly! What judgment is to be made?
In all of the instructions of these it says, in words to the effect of...
"All electrical wiring to be installed by a qualified licensed electrician in accordance with National
Electrical Code and local electrical code."
Great, which part of it? I think we all fit the "qualified licensed electrician" part of it, but which code?
One of the ones I listed above states in its instructions, that a GFCI is required by code, again, which code?
In general we could make a judgment on that it is a permantly installed appliance over 300VA:
422.31(B) would apply for disconnect at the very least.
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Further judgment :
(250.4(A)4, and 5, and 250.104 for the bonding, and the GFI just because...)
I'd put a GFI on it, and bond the the pipes of it. (Like I aways have.) Because you have a situation where you have a naked and wet person in a small damp room with two metallic objects in it. One is a steam outlet, the other a cold water connected to a faucet. Any fault current on the steam outlet could kill, if not be a liability issue.
Commentary from 250.104
Bonding the interior metal water piping system is not the same as using the metal water piping system as a grounding electrode. Bonding to the grounding electrode system places the bonded components at the same voltage level. For example, a current of 2000 amperes across 25 ft of 6 AWG copper conductor produces a voltage differential of approximately 26 volts. Section 250.104(A)(1) requires the interior metal water piping system and any other metal piping systems likely to become energized to be bonded to the service equipment or grounding electrode conductor.
If it cannot reasonably be concluded that the hot and cold water pipes are reliably interconnected, an electrical bonding jumper is required to ensure that this connection is made. Some judgment must be exercised for each installation. The special installation requirements provided in 250.64(A), (B), and (E) also apply to the water piping bonding jumper.
[This message has been edited by e57 (edited 06-01-2005).]
