Bonding Issues for Above Ground Pool

[ellemgee]

So, our Sharkline Matrix above ground pool (24' x 54") is all up and filled with water. The pool is has all resin parts, but steel walls, so, it looks like it needs to be bonded at four points around the pool. Trouble is... when setting up the pool, there is only ONE spot in the pool to attach bonding equipment (I don't know the technical term, but there you go). The wall was one long piece with no holes for bonding. I was nervous about drilling holes in the walls since I worried this would a) void the warranty on the pool and b) possibly damage the vinyl liner or pool walls over time to have random holes and bolts in them.

If the inspector insists on it, does anyone know a way to get the other three bonding points on the pool? I was looking at the Burndy Waterbug, but that also needs to be screwed through the pool wall, correct? Ideas please...

 

[cowboycasey]

that burndy is awesome, and it is used to "bond" the water, you drill a hole through your skimmer and install it there, I don't have a picture of mine, when the sun comes up I can grab one.. if your above ground pool has 1 connection for a bond that is awesome, most do not even have that...

 

[CJadamec]

At the very least bond the pool wall at the bolt strip where the ends of the wall overlap. Run your bond wire all the way around your pool you are bonding the earth with the continuous wire around the pool. The NEC does make note that not all pool shells/frames can be bonded because they are either plastic or fiberglass. Then make sure your pump and water are bonded and heater if you have one. The waterbugs in the skimmer are very nice and simple. I used one of these in the pipe going to the pump on a tee fitting. That way I didn't have to have a bond wire running up to my skimmer.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00MGK1AX8/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o08_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[danpik]

If the inspector requires 4 attachment points, the only way I can see doing it is to drill 4 holes equally spaced at 4 points around the pool low enough that they will be below the liner and attach the direct burial rated lugs that way. I would contact the inspector in your area and ask him what he wants to see.

 

[ellemgee]

Thanks for all the answers! Just to clarify, we have the Burndy on the skimmer and the filter/pump will be bonded and we'll have the wire going around the pool. I guess it just means talking to the inspector and seeing if he'll let us get away with the single bonding point on the steel wall. (That's really all I was asking about... I thought there would be 4 points on the actual steel wall to connect the bonding wire to, but there's only one.) I really don't want to drill holes in the wall because I'm worried that it will damage the pool. Fingers crossed that one bonding point will be good enough to pass inspection so we don't have to potentially damage the pool or the liner! Do you think if we try to drill the holes now (even very low on the wall) that we would be able to since the pool is filled with water and standing? Wouldn't the direct burial rated lugs that were mentioned pierce a hole in the liner over time if they ended up coming into contact with it? That's my fear and I've got to believe that there's a better and safer way to bond the pool than by destroying the components to it. (Of course, maybe I'm just not understand how everything goes together).

 

[CJadamec]

In theory the bottom 2-3" of the wall are buried in sand/foam for the coping against the liner but I wouldn't want to stick a self tapping screw in there either. Are the baseplates for the pool uprights metal by any chance you could bond to them if the inspector demands it. Your best bet as has been stated here is to talk with your inspector and explain where you are bonded and what you concerns are if he wants it bonded further. What you have installed now by the sounds of it should pass an inspection.

 

[gwegan]

Technically you only have to bond the metal pool wall in one place.

Ok so this gets nasty.

First you have more than 42" of water so you are a permanent pool.

680.26 (B) lists the parts of a pool system that must be bonded in a permanent pool.

680.26 (B) (1) sets forth how to bond conductive pool shells. But if you read it you realize that its really only talking about concrete or some derivative of concrete. It lists two methods -- 4 point attachment to rebar or a copper cage.

So those don't apply to your metal wall.

680.26(B) (3) however discusses bonding of Metallic Components. It provides: "All metallic parts of the pool structure, including reinforcing metal not addressed in 680.26(B)(1)(a) shall be bonded."

Therefore, your manufacturer only provides one bonding point because that is all 680.26(B)(3) requires.

I like 4 points better but the code only requires one.

The above is based on the 2014 NEC. I don't think its different in earlier code cycles.

 

[ellemgee]

Thanks again! I'm hoping the last answer from gwegan is right that technically the steel pool wall only needs to be bonded on one place and that this is sufficient for safety reasons. It's tricky because our permit plans says four places and that's what the city approved before the project, but it wasn't until we opened up the pool and started getting it together that we realized the manufacturer only provided one bonding point on the actual wall. The guy putting it together did not recommend altering the pool walls or risking damage to the liner, so I'm hoping that will be sufficient for the inspector as well!

 

[gwegan]

Show what I wrote to the inspector. As I said I would prefer four but as I read the code and apparently as the pool manufacturer reads the code, only one is required. I gave you the code sections so he can look it up. Ohio has adopted the 2014 NEC so his code should read the same as I quoted above.

Let us know what he says.

I have some other arguments about why its only one from a piratical and electrical theory point of view also if the inspector is interested.