So I just got a used 15k gallon above ground pool, put it up, and am slowly filling it from a natural spring (long story). Its time to do the electrical wiring for the pump and pool lights. So I have a 1.5hp 120v hayward pump rated at 15amps. (I know it might be a little overkill, but thats what came with it so thats what I plan to use for now). I also have 2 halogen pool lights on either side of the pool. They're 50-watt lights, ran from a transformer - i assume making them lower voltage. I calculated all of that to be about 16 amps with everything running, but maybe I am off in assuming the transformers for the lights only uses about 1amp combined?
I'm trying to figure out:
1) What all I need to buy
2) What will make it up to code
I was thinking for the wiring, get either a 10 gauge or 12 gauge UF-B and bury it (the pump will be maybe 75 feet from the breaker box). And either a 20amp or 30amp breaker on the main panel. I've read that you never want to have a load more than 80% of the breakers rated value. In my case, 16 amps would be exactly 80%, so would I be fine with a 20amp breaker or should I step up to a 30 to be safe? I shouldnt really need to plug anything else into it..(unless i get a SWG)..and in the future if I ever got another pump i would probably go smaller.
Should i get a small breaker box to install on a 4x4 post near the pool, with 2 breakers in it, 1 for the pump and 1 for the lights? And maybe a 10-15 amp breaker for the lights and a 20amp for the pump? The other idea i had was to just avoid a breaker box at the pool and have a junction box on a 4x4 post, and from there run a 14 gauge to a lightswitch and from there to the lights, and another section run out of the junction box of 12 or 10 gauge wire to a waterproof gfi outlet where the pump would plug in.
Also - the lights. So the previous owner had waterproof gfi outlets screwed to one of the plastic pool support posts on either side of the pool near where the lights are. And then he had the large transformers for the lights also screwed to the same posts. The lights themselves have a fairly long cord on them (maybe 10 ft or so), and the manual for the lights says to put the transformer away from the pool. I guess maybe this is to keep the 120v line away from the pool? Is that really necessary? Or should I just hook it back up like he had it? The outlet boxes on the posts still have conduit attached to them, and 14 guage UF-B wire going between the outlet boxes on either side of the pool.
Is there anything I should be aware of code-wise? I definitely want everything up to code. Once I get the electrical setup, I'll be bonding the pump/pool.
I'm trying to figure out:
1) What all I need to buy
2) What will make it up to code
I was thinking for the wiring, get either a 10 gauge or 12 gauge UF-B and bury it (the pump will be maybe 75 feet from the breaker box). And either a 20amp or 30amp breaker on the main panel. I've read that you never want to have a load more than 80% of the breakers rated value. In my case, 16 amps would be exactly 80%, so would I be fine with a 20amp breaker or should I step up to a 30 to be safe? I shouldnt really need to plug anything else into it..(unless i get a SWG)..and in the future if I ever got another pump i would probably go smaller.
Should i get a small breaker box to install on a 4x4 post near the pool, with 2 breakers in it, 1 for the pump and 1 for the lights? And maybe a 10-15 amp breaker for the lights and a 20amp for the pump? The other idea i had was to just avoid a breaker box at the pool and have a junction box on a 4x4 post, and from there run a 14 gauge to a lightswitch and from there to the lights, and another section run out of the junction box of 12 or 10 gauge wire to a waterproof gfi outlet where the pump would plug in.
Also - the lights. So the previous owner had waterproof gfi outlets screwed to one of the plastic pool support posts on either side of the pool near where the lights are. And then he had the large transformers for the lights also screwed to the same posts. The lights themselves have a fairly long cord on them (maybe 10 ft or so), and the manual for the lights says to put the transformer away from the pool. I guess maybe this is to keep the 120v line away from the pool? Is that really necessary? Or should I just hook it back up like he had it? The outlet boxes on the posts still have conduit attached to them, and 14 guage UF-B wire going between the outlet boxes on either side of the pool.
Is there anything I should be aware of code-wise? I definitely want everything up to code. Once I get the electrical setup, I'll be bonding the pump/pool.
