Equipment bonding

[IronScott]

Hi. First post here. I've gotten a lot of good information in the past but finally found a need to register.

I have a gunite pool which is a little over 5 years old. I have had to replace just about everything that supports the pool and the Polaris pump is now shot, so that will just about round it all out. Yay me.

The pool builder is a complete jerk who will never set foot on my property again if I have my way. At least I've learned how to do this all myself, including installing a salt system this year and replacing the filter. The pump was last year and the light the year before that.

Anyway, I should've paid more attention to this before, but the pool pump, Polaris pump and (gas) heater are not bonded to the pool. To be honest, I didn't know there was a difference between bonding and grounding, and I knew everything was grounded, so I thought everything was okay. I decided to do some searching and find there is definitely a difference, so I want to make this right. If it matters, the light is on a GFCI circuit and it definitely works as the original light was leaking and kept tripping the breaker.

I'm pretty sure the pool and light niche is all done correctly. I remember it passing inspection and I think I have pictures somewhere of the rebar being wired together. There is also a #8 copper wire that comes out of the pool and is attached to a copper rod.

If what I'm reading (here and on the mikeholt site) is correct, I should be able to run a #8 or larger wire from the equipment over to the wire that comes out of the pool and connect everything together. First off, is that correct?

If so, can I lay bare wire in the ground or does it need to be in a conduit? It's quite a run, upwards of 100 feet, from the equipment to the wire from the pool. Does that make a difference in any way?

 

[Bama Rambler]

First, yes run a #8 wire from the closest place on the pool bonding loop that you can get to and connect it with a bonding rated split bolt connector.

Second, you need to directly bury the wire in the ground. The distance doesn't really matter.

Are you sure that the bond loop isn't near the pad somewhere. If it had to pass inspection it would almost assuredly have had to extend to the pad. Unless the equipment has been moved it should still be close somewhere.

 

[IronScott]

First, yes run a #8 wire from the closest place on the pool bonding loop that you can get to and connect it with a bonding rated split bolt connector.

Second, you need to directly bury the wire in the ground. The distance doesn't really matter.

Are you sure that the bond loop isn't near the pad somewhere. If it had to pass inspection it would almost assuredly have had to extend to the pad. Unless the equipment has been moved it should still be close somewhere.

Thank you for the response. Very helpful.

I'm pretty sure but I'm going to look deeper. It could be buried but the original equipment was never hooked up. I'm not confident a visual final inspection was ever completed. I know the early ones were but I don't recall the inspector coming out for the final. Our pool builder took 9 months to finish. 9. freaking. months. There is no telling what the builder did or even if he got final approval.

It was a mess and a decision I've regretted for a long time. That's why I've learned how to do all this myself. Luckily his guys built a solid and good looking pool. His management of the process and everything but the pool itself left a lot to be desired.

 

[davelinde]

I'd call the local building department and make sure your finals are cleared. Maybe Arkansas is different, but in NJ an open permit will stop a home sale cold. In Florida they take it one step further and if the permits are left open too long they expire them and make you apply (eg pay) all over again.

My system passed all inspections but my salt system is not bonded. I keep meaning to do that... My pump is bonded for sure though so all I need to do is tag the salt power onto it.

 

[IronScott]

I'd call the local building department and make sure your finals are cleared. Maybe Arkansas is different, but in NJ an open permit will stop a home sale cold. In Florida they take it one step further and if the permits are left open too long they expire them and make you apply (eg pay) all over again.

My system passed all inspections but my salt system is not bonded. I keep meaning to do that... My pump is bonded for sure though so all I need to do is tag the salt power onto it.

That's a good point. I don't think Arkansas is different, but I live in a very small community outside several mid-size cities, so I'm just not sure. I know if I lived in one of the neighboring cities all this would be different. I'm pretty sure the inspector and the builder were friends, so it was probably just checked off but I need to make sure. Thanks for that.

Also, thanks for the reminder on the salt system. I need to bond that as well. Didn't think about that earlier.