Electrical wiring help needed

[exptrade]

I am getting ready to start electrical work for my pool. I have one Pentair 1HP Superflo 2 speed pump and one Intex swg unit to power. I think I can pull this off myself, and electricans around here are asking 3K to do do work. But before I start I want to see if you can give me some directions, critiques etc.

My main panel is in the garage, 90 feet away from where my pump is. Panel is 200 A rated. I am planing on installing double pole breaker @ 20A each. I will use THWN 8 AWG wire (I know it is more than needed) but this would give me option to expand later.
About 50 feet is through garage and under my patio roof, rest of the wires will be inground ( 18" deep at least) Wire will be in 1" pvc conduit sch80, all glued together).

Now when I get to equipment pad, I will place a Intermatic T30604R (Pool/Spa Control Panel T106M and T104M), that based on their decription does not require any junction boxes or service panels. Once I get to that I will need help wiring it up, if I cannot figure it out based on their wiring diagrams. Panel will be on the 4X4 treated post, 5' of the ground, about 10' from the pool. I have 12V LED light. I guess I need to place transformer somewhere in the outdoor rated panel.

I am confused as far as requirements for emergency shutoff switch and maintenance disconnect.

Do I need to install these also? Does maintenance disconnect comes after this panel? Is it one like this
SIEMENS LNF222R 60 Amp, 2 Pole, 240-Volt, Non-Fused, Outdoor Rated

Would Intermatic PA600 Pool/Spa Emergency Shut Off Switch work as emergency switch?

 

[JohnT]

Your breaker needs to be GFCI for the pump. (680.22(B))

Your outlet for the SWCG needs to be twist-lock and GFCI protected. (680.22(A)(1))

You are required to have a convenience outlet between 6 and 20ft of the water. (680.22(A)(3)

The requirements for the light junction box and transformer box are stated in 680.24. With a 12V light, you can use a deck box or an elevated pool-rated junction box that is 8" above the maximum possible water level.

The maintenance disconnecting means is the emergency shutoff for the pump. It has to be at least 5ft from the water, visible from the pool and readily accessible. Generally in the feed to the pump. The switches you listed will work, though the Intermatic is only a 20A switch. If it works, the Intermatic would probably be the better choice.

Your bond wire from the pool will need to go to the bonding lug on your pump, and possibly to a water bond in the plumbing.

 

[Bama Rambler]

I'd consider running a #6 awg out there with a 50 amp breaker feeding it and installing breakers in the panel for the individual loads. That way you're all done for whatever you need.

 

[exptrade]

Thanks for quick reply guys. My Jandy LED light calls for 12V Class 2 transformer. Search at amazon returns all kind of transformer. Not sure which one would be OK for this. Any suggestions?

 

[Bama Rambler]

Just search for pool light transformer. You'll find what you need.

The Intermatic PX300 is fairly reasonable.

 

[exptrade]

Placed order today for 120' X 3 6 AWG coper wire, and 120' 8 AWG ground wire, 120' or 1" PVC conduit. 60 Amp breaker, Intermatic PE25300F control panel, Intermatic transformer PX50 for pool light and 20 amp backyard outlet. One thing I am not sure if I need or not is slip riser, or joint expansion.

 

[bdavis466]

You don't necessarily need either unless you have a specific reason why you would require one

 

[danpik]

Ground wire needs to be insulated, not bare, in this installation

 

[exptrade]

Thanks danpik, do you have specific section of NEC code that this requirements is stated in? I want to read it.

 

[JasonLion]

You need to keep bonding wire and grounding wire straight. Bonding wire is non-insulated in almost all cases, while grounding wire needs to be insulated in almost all cases. See for example 680-25(B) and 680-21(A)(1), or for an exception see 680-23(B)(2)(b).

 

[exptrade]

I understand the difference between bonding and grounding. So, for grounding wire that will be run from the service panel to pool control center, in the conduit with other three wires (black, red, white), seems like I need 4th one that will be green? The fourth one, grounding wire cannot be bare copper wire. Am I right?

 

[JasonLion]

Correct.

 

[exptrade]

I ordered additional 120' insulated #8 green wire. I can use bare one for bonding, so it will not go to waste. I was looking at getting a double pole 60 amp breaker. Should I get GFCI one to install in service panel? I see some that are dual function AFCI/GFCI also.

 

[jblizzle]

I think you would want the last breaker before the pump / equipment to be a GFCI. I would not think you would want the breaker feeding the subpanel to be GFCI.

AFCI should not be important in this use.

 

[bdavis466]

Jason is correct on both accounts. The breaker feeding the subpanel should be standard. The GFI breakers will be in the subpanel that feed the individual circuits. AFCI are for a completely different application and not needed in this instance.

 

[danpik]

thanks danpik, do you have specific section of nec code that this requirements is stated in? I want to read it.

680.25(b)

 

[Divin Dave]

Others are right about the GFCI.

If the Main Breaker were a GFCI and tripped, you would not know which piece of equipment caused it to trip.
It would be difficult at best to troubleshoot and find the problem. On top of that, a 60A GFCI would be considerably more expensive than a non-GFCI one.

Your pump should have a GFCI,
and your 120V outlets should be on GFCI

 

[exptrade]

Thanks for all your help. I'll start wiring this weekend. Will let you know how it goes

 

[exptrade]

Finally rain stopped and I had time to wire everything up. And I have a problem that I cannot figure out. Namely, GFCI breaker trips immediately. So I tried to isolate the issue by disconnecting all load lines, and still same issue. If I don't connect white wire to the bus, I can measure voltage between two poles, and it is 282V. Yes, 282V. Between one pole and white bus, 141V, same with other pole. Then I pulled the double pole GFCI breaker out, and then put just a single pole GFCI, same thing. Immediately trips. Now, in the same panel I have another regular breaker that feeds to GFCI outlet. That works fine, outlet never trips. I tested it with GFCI outlet tester, and it shows that it is wired correctly, and I can test that outlet. I don't know that else to do. Any sugestions?

 

[JasonLion]

If you are saying that you install the GFCI breaker in the panel, connect the coiled white wire to the neutral bus and turn the breaker on, without any load connections, and it trips instantly, then: either the coiled white wire is not connected properly to the neutral bus, or the GFCI breaker is defective, or something is seriously wrong with the panels basic wiring.