Questions on Bonding

[Toxophilite]

After reading some threads here on subject, and having seen the process on my pool construction, I'm still a little concerned, or if not I should be concerned, and if I should investigate further, or what look for. Basically, would my pool water be properly bonded. I had no county or city requirement for electrical inspection.

I have no metallic fixtures in pool I can identify. I'm running all Pentair niche-less 12v Microbrites LED. I do remember, but before I read here and elsewhere all the applying NEC code, that the gunite rebar was tied all the way around in various places to loop of bonding wire on the perimeter. At the time, I did discuss with my PB and was satisfied with their answer, to bond, and I was inquisitive no further.

What I do know is that the pool is bonded to gunite around perimeter. Reading Pentair Microbrites install manual states that lights don't need bonding per NEC and that pool water bonding is satisfied by gunite porosity and conductivity. Should there be any other path of bonding past this?

Also, I read there is code for the decking, which I know mine has none other than what the bonding loop extended a few feet out from rebar to earth.

If there's anything I can do above and beyond, what suggested? Just want peace of mind.

 

[JoyfulNoise]

There really isn't anything you can do realistically for the decking. The bonding loop that was attached to the rebar is sufficient as long as it was attached all the way around the pool with 4 points of contact. But realize that older pools used to only have one point of contact and that was considered fine. The thing to check is that the bare copper bonding wire runs to your equipment pad and that it is securely connected to all of the equipment there - pump, heater, etc. Anything that has a bonding lug on it should be connected to the bonding wire. If that all checks out, then you're done.

Your MicroBrite lights are low voltage, 12 volts, similar to landscape lighting. Even if there were some kind of electrical malfunction, they are powered through a GFCI connection and the main power is isolated through a low voltage transformer so the risk of some kind of electrocution hazard is almost non-existent.

 

[ajw22]

What I do know is that the pool is bonded to gunite around perimeter. Reading Pentair Microbrites install manual states that lights don't need bonding per NEC and that pool water bonding is satisfied by gunite porosity and conductivity. Should there be any other path of bonding past this?

No, that meets NEC bonding requirements.

Also, I read there is code for the decking, which I know mine has none other than what the bonding loop extended a few feet out from rebar to earth.

Depends on the decking material. If it is concrete with rebar then the rebar in the deck should be connected to the pool bonding wires.

 

[Toxophilite]

There really isn't anything you can do realistically for the decking. The bonding loop that was attached to the rebar is sufficient as long as it was attached all the way around the pool with 4 points of contact. But realize that older pools used to only have one point of contact and that was considered fine. The thing to check is that the bare copper bonding wire runs to your equipment pad and that it is securely connected to all of the equipment there - pump, heater, etc. Anything that has a bonding lug on it should be connected to the bonding wire. If that all checks out, then you're done.

Your MicroBrite lights are low voltage, 12 volts, similar to landscape lighting. Even if there were some kind of electrical malfunction, they are powered through a GFCI connection and the main power is isolated through a low voltage transformer so the risk of some kind of electrocution hazard is almost non-existent.

Thanks! That's what I need to check, then, to trace if and where that wire terminates and connects back to equipment. Low voltage is why I initially didn't give it much concern given what I saw as bonding, but the entire system is pool and pool water on the whole, I guess.

 

[Toxophilite]

No, that meets NEC bonding requirements.



Depends on the decking material. If it is concrete with rebar then the rebar in the deck should be connected to the pool bonding wires.

Appreciated! Helps a lot! The decking is travertine over earth, but I do remember the rebar extension rods every few feet that was explained "would normally" connect to deck rebar. Lacking an inspection by any other than my PB, at least I know they knew the process.

 

[JoyfulNoise]

The rebar extended out from the bond beam should be fine. Whenever you have paver or tile decking, it's not very easy to create a bonded structure. A person could have a concrete base installed, then sand, then pavers with the concrete base having rebar or mesh to connect to the pool bonding, but that would greatly increase the cost and complexity of the pool deck. If the travertine is sitting on sand and the ground beneath it, then it is about as connected to the "earth" as anything can be and the risk of stray voltage is pretty low. There's only so much you can do practically speaking to "bond" everything together ... at some point, it's good enough as-is. It doesn't sound like your pool builder did anything out of the ordinary for pools and, honestly speaking, pool inspections by county building officials are laughable at best ... most of the guys they send out to look at a pool don't even know the first thing about pool construction or what to look for. Most of them just walk to the inspection papers by the equipment pad and sign off that they were there. So don't feel like you missed out on anything, inspections are a formality at best.

 

[Toxophilite]

The rebar extended out from the bond beam should be fine. Whenever you have paver or tile decking, it's not very easy to create a bonded structure. A person could have a concrete base installed, then sand, then pavers with the concrete base having rebar or mesh to connect to the pool bonding, but that would greatly increase the cost and complexity of the pool deck. If the travertine is sitting on sand and the ground beneath it, then it is about as connected to the "earth" as anything can be and the risk of stray voltage is pretty low. There's only so much you can do practically speaking to "bond" everything together ... at some point, it's good enough as-is. It doesn't sound like your pool builder did anything out of the ordinary for pools and, honestly speaking, pool inspections by county building officials are laughable at best ... most of the guys they send out to look at a pool don't even know the first thing about pool construction or what to look for. Most of them just walk to the inspection papers by the equipment pad and sign off that they were there. So don't feel like you missed out on anything, inspections are a formality at best.

Thanks! Other than later to see the terminations at the equipment, I feel much better. Very confusing for someone who is not familiar with all the scenarios, contingencies, and standards requirements of pools and pool water. This helps my mind at ease a lot!

The rebar extensions were bent over and buried in a packed cement sand and portand mix that was ram packed and watered then a layer leveling sand on top.

 

[1poolman1]

If it would give you piece-of-mind, there is a water-bonding fitting available:

https://www.amazon.com/Perma-Cast-PB2008-Water-Bonding-Fitting/dp/B00MGK1AX8/ref=sr_1_6?keywords=pool+bonding+kit&qid=1647045298&sr=8-6

It threads into a "T" fitting with a 1" FPT hole in your plumbing that is added somewhere. An 8ga wire is then attached from it to the bond wire that goes to the rest of your equipment. Water is then bonded.