New Here and to pool ownership

[amorton1437]

I'm overwhelmed. I ordered a new intex pool and it came with a pump. I'm reading the manuals before I set it up and it says not to use extension cords, a non GFCI receptacle etc. The problem is that there is no outlet outside in the back at all (100 year old house). There is a GFCI outlet in the bathroom near the backyard and if I could use an extension cord, it could work. I'm not sure what to do if I can't use an extension of some sort. I want it to be safe for my kids.

 

[Vette]

Part of the total cost of a pool should be getting it done right. I would get an electrician to do it right (buried conduit running wires to a 4x6 post which has the GFCI on it). Is it a twist-lock plug? Our electrician had to drill a hole in the house to get it 6 feet away from the house (Our old hot tub electric box that we don't use was only 5 feet away). He then used the existing hot tub wiring that leads to the main box to run the 110v power to the outside of the house through the hole he drilled. Then he put a GFCI outlet over that hole. Then attached a line to that and run conduit up to the 4x6 post that we had cemented in. Then lead the conduit and wire to the Twist-lock plug. They don't make GFCI twist-lock, so that's how you have to do it.

So that's the right way to do it, I wouldn't recommend an extension cord for any permanent electrical connection.

 

[jblizzle]

Welcome to TFP!!!

You would be best served by having a new electrical circuit run to the outside of the house. The pool MUST be on a GFCI circuit and it likely violates your local codes/ordinances to use an extension cord (not to mention the voltage drop that occurs in the extension cord).

 

[amorton1437]

The plug itself on the pump is a GFCI.

 

[jblizzle]

Well it still needs to be plugged into an outlet without an extension cord. Although I wonder if those "built-in" GFCI actually meet code.