ECN Forum Forums General Topics of the Trade General Discussion Area Mind if we revisit inground pools?

Hi,
I’m sorry if this has been addressed before, but maybe this will help a new electrician sometime in the future,

A relative has recently asked me to wire her new in-ground pool. The contractor will dig the hole and says he will finish the pool in a week. She asked me to “wire” it and I said OK. The pool is to be 20 ‘x 40’

Now, I wired a couple of pools about 15 years ago and remember some of it was quite tricky, add this to the fact that the electrical inspector is notorious in this town, I am a little nervous.

What I remember is the #8 soft drawn copper all around the pool; bonding everything metal and terminating at the pump. I remember installing a receptacle against the pool house, which was within 10 feet of the pool.

I am trying to blow the cobwebs off. Here are my questions:

Am I required to install a receptacle near the pool?

What is the best way to do it if they are not having a pool house at this time?

She tells me the pool is done with “graphite” instead of iron rebar – do I need to bond the “graphite”?

Also she says they are thinking of the new fiber optic lighting – does this have a metal shell and/or do I need to bond and at what point?.

Lastly, I plan on bringing a ¾” pvc from the house to the pump and branching everything from there – is this a good method?

What would this work generally cost her if she had someone else do it for her?

Thanks for any help

This might help:

Navigating the NEC's Rules for Bodies of Water

ElectricJ:

Your relative probably means "gunite"; not "graphite".

First off, get a copy of the NEC that is in effect in your area, and go to Article 680.

Next, are permits required in your area???

Bonding is pretty straightforward, any metal over 4 sq inches, within 5' of the pool must be bonded. #8 SOLID copper, bare or green.

Basically the wiring:
PVC, a conductor with a "W" (THHN/THWN)

Read Art 680, it's not that tough.
If the FO lighting has a metal shell, it has to be bonded, it may be a plastic shell.

Have you tried "speaking" to your AHJ??? All of them (us) are not bad guys.
John