Mounting Easy Touch 8 without existing fence or wall

[JamieP]

In our upcoming build, our pad will be near a perimeter aluminum pool fence, but the fence will not be installed yet at the time the equipment is set up. The electrician will charge me $125 for them to mount the Easy Touch 8 panel to a galvanized steel u-channel frame. He says sometimes they come back later for a fee to move it to a fence, or other people decide to leave it and it's just fine. Cosmetically speaking, is there anything better that I could provide for them as an alternative to mount the control panel on? I don't really want to pay to have it moved to the fence once the fence gets installed. Or will the u-channel frame be just fine and I won't care one way or another once everything is operational?

Thanks for any insight!

 

[pooldv]

My stuff has been on U channel for 3-1/2 years and it is fine. Not great looking, but fine. There are a couple of pics in my build thread, link in sig.

Some people put 1 or 2 4x4s in the ground with a couple of 2x6s mounted to them for their electrical equipment.

 

[bdavis466]

That's a pretty typical way of mounting a sub panel that is free standing. Why not have them place the panel where the fence will be so that all that needs to be done is secure it to the fence when the time comes?

 

[JamieP]

That's a pretty typical way of mounting a sub panel that is free standing. Why not have them place the panel where the fence will be so that all that needs to be done is secure it to the fence when the time comes?

I'm glad to hear it's pretty typical. I just might do as you suggest, although I'm a little wary of now close the pad would be to where a fencepost would need to be dug. I guess I can calculate that ahead of time though based on the fence panel widths.

Thanks for the replies!

 

[bdavis466]

That's what I would do. Is there any reason the fence can't be installed before the electrical?

 

[JamieP]

That's what I would do. Is there any reason the fence can't be installed before the electrical?

If I was really on the ball it might have worked, but I haven't lined the fence guy up yet and assumed we'd finalize the fence dimensions once all the decking was in. Plus where the equipment will go, and where the fence will be for the panel to attach to, would make access to the pool area for the rest of the work a little more difficult.

If the u-channel frame is close enough to where the future fence will be, is moving the panel that difficult once the fence is in or is it something I'd want to leave to the electrician? If there is enough "play" in the wires (I'm really not sure how these things get installed), can we just shift the panel ourselves and reattach it to the new fence?

 

[bdavis466]

If they use Liquid Tight (flexible conduit)...no problem. If they use PVC then forget about it. The panel stays where it is.

 

[JamieP]

If they use Liquid Tight (flexible conduit)...no problem. If they use PVC then forget about it. The panel stays where it is.

Good to know, thanks. At least I know the u-channel frame will be just fine if that's how it has to end up.

One other question... If I want to get a surge protector to protect the equipment at the pad, is there something specific that you'd recommend? Also, can I install this at the pad, or does it have to be back at the main house panel? It seems like at the pad would be the easiest, but then again, I'm just guessing.

 

[bdavis466]

They're are several types of whole home surge protectors that would work in your application. To protect the pool equipment, you'd want one mounted in the Easytouch and you might as well add one to your main panel as well.

 

[Conman]

The fence person can add an extra post where ever the compool panel is and cut out the u channel with a sawzall below the ground.

 

[JamieP]

The fence person can add an extra post where ever the compool panel is and cut out the u channel with a sawzall below the ground.

Thanks, Conman! That might be the most asthetic thing to do.