​RESIDENTIAL DWELLING
PERMANENTLY INSTALLED SWIMMING POOLS

The following is a quick reference guide and is not intended to 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 feet horizontally of the inside walls of the pool, and within 12 feet above the maximum water level of the pool.
 
Bonding grid used to bond metal parts together: (680-22(b))
 
  • #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 inches)
  • Intermediate metal conduit (6 inches)
  • Nonmetallic raceways listed for direct burial without concrete encasement (18 inches)
  • U.F. cable to GFCI protected 15- or 20-ampere 120-volt receptacle (12 inches)
 
ELECTRICAL FINAL
 
  • A disconnecting means shall be provided within site of pool equipment and shall be located at least 5 feet 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, panel boards, & 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 #12 copper.
  • Installed with the feeder conductors in:
    • Rigid metal conduit
    • Intermediate metal conduit
    • Liquid tight 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 panel boards
    • Panel boards 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 inches below normal water level 
  • Connected to an insulated copper equipment-grounding conductor not smaller than #12 copper.
          Installed in:
 
  • Rigid metal conduit
  • Intermediate metal conduit
  • (Metal conduit shall be of brass from deck box to wet-niche & no-niche fixtures)
  • Liquid tight flexible nonmetallic conduit, or
  • Rigid nonmetallic conduit
    • Where a nonmetallic conduit is used, a #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,
    • Liquid tight 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 inches above the ground level or pool deck, or not less than 8 inches above the maximum pool water level
  • Located not less than 4 feet 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 feet horizontally and 12 feet vertically from the maximum water level of the pool    
  • Must be GFCI protected if located in a area between 5 feet and 10 feet horizontally and located less than 5 feet vertically
  • Switching devices must be located 5 feet horizontally.
 
One 125-volt 15- or 20-ampere receptacle must be:
 
  • Located 10 feet minimum and 20 feet maximum from the inside wall of the pool
  • GFCI protected (680-6(a)).