Pool Electrical Requirements


Swimming Pools

RESIDENTIAL DWELLING
PERMANENTLY INSTALLED SWIMMING POOLS


The following is a quick reference guide and does not constitute an all-inclusive list of requirements for permanently installed swimming pools.

ELECTRICAL GROUND WORK INSPECTION
Bond following metal parts together: (680-22(a))

  • Ladders
  • Handrails
  • Forming shells of wet-niche fixtures
  • Brackets of no-niche fixtures
  • Metal parts associated with pool structure
  • Metal parts of electrical equipment associated with the pool water circulating system:
    • Pump motors
    • Metal parts of equipment associated with pool covers
    • Electric motors
  • All fixed metal parts that are within 5 ft. horizontally of the inside walls of the pool, and within 12 ft. above the maximum water level of the pool.

Bonding grid used to bond metal parts together: (680-22(b))

  • No. 8 or larger solid copper conductor, insulated, covered or bare
  • Structural reinforcing steel of a concrete pool where the reinforcing rods are bonded together by the usual steel tie wires
  • The wall of a bolted or welded metal pool
  • Rigid metal conduit or intermediate metal conduit of brass or other identified corrosion-resistant metal conduit

Underground wiring burial depth (680-10)

  • Rigid metal conduit 6"
  • Intermediate metal conduit 6"
  • Nonmetallic raceways listed for direct burial without concrete encasement 18"
  • U.F. cable to GFCI protected 15- or 20-ampere 120-volt receptacle 12"
ELECTRICAL FINAL
  • A disconnecting means shall be provided within site of pool equipment and shall be located at least 5 ft. from the inside walls of the pool (680-12).
  • A disconnect means shall be provided within site of pump motor and controller (430-102(a)&(b)).
  • Motors, panelboards, & disconnecting means, shall have an equipment-grounding conductor installed to the service equipment. (680-25(c)&(d).

    • It shall be an insulated conductor.
    • Sized in accordance with Table 250-122 but not smaller than No. 12
    • Installed with the feeder conductors in:
      • Rigid metal conduit
      • Intermediate metal conduit
      • Liquidtight flexible nonmetallic conduit
      • Rigid nonmetallic conduit.
    • Any wiring method in chapter 3 can be used for:
      • Motors in the interior of a one family dwelling
      • Motors in a separate building associated with a one family dwelling
      • Between the service equipment and existing remote panelboards
      • Panelboards in a separate building or structure.

  • Wet-niche, no-niche & dry-niche fixtures (680-20(a)(b)&(d)))

    • GFCI protected 
    • Installed so the top of the fixture is at least 18" below normal water level 
    • Connected to an insulated copper equipment-grounding conductor not smaller than No. 12.

              Installed in:

    • Rigid metal conduit
    • Intermediate metal conduit
    • (Metal conduit shall be of brass from deck box to wet-niche & no-niche fixtures)
    • Liquidtight flexible nonmetallic conduit, or
    • Rigid nonmetallic conduit
      • Where a nonmetallic conduit is used, a No. 8 insulated copper conductor shall be installed.
      • Termination shall be covered with, or encapsulated in, a listed potting compound.

  • Dry-Niche Fixtures (690-20(c))

    • Provided with a provision for drainage
    • Means for accommodating one equipment grounding conductor for each conduit entry
    • Wiring method:
      • Rigid metal conduit,
      • Intermediate metal conduit,
      • Liquidtight flexible nonmetallic conduit, or
      • Rigid nonmetallic

  • A junction box ("deck box") shall be installed as follows:  (680-21(a))

    • Listed and labeled for the purpose
    • Equipped with threaded entries or hubs
    • Of copper, brass, suitable plastic, or other approved corrosion-resistant material
    • Provided with electrical continuity between connected metal conduit and the grounding terminals
    • Located not less than 4 in. above the ground level or pool deck, or not less than 8 in. above the maximum pool water level
    • Located not less than 4 ft from the inside wall of the pool, unless separated from the pool by a permanent barrier
    • Provided with at least one more grounding terminal than the number of conduit entries.

  • Lighting fixtures must be: (680-6(b))

    • At least 5' horizontally and 12' vertically from the maximum water level of the pool    
    • Must be GFCI protected if located in a area between 5' and 10' horizontally and located less than 5' vertically
    • Switching devices must be located 5' horizontally.

  • One 125-volt 15- or 20-ampere receptacle must be:

    • Located 10 ft. minimum and 20 ft. maximum from the inside wall of the pool
    • GFCI protected (680-6(a)).