I was getting gas line installed today and the contractor cut the wiring to my pool. The cut happened close to my house, far away from the breaker by the pump (see photo). An electrician spliced the wire together and did his best to get it back into the conduit. The question is, is it OK to splice this wiring? I have been reading how splices are not permitted in pool light wiring, but it seems to be intended for the wiring from the light to the elevated junction box since that gets wet. If the splice occurred between the breaker and the house and not between the pool and the breaker, is it OK? Won't the breaker trip should anything short out?
Underground Pool Wiring Splice
- Thread starter mcc202
- Start date
Hi,
If it was your pool light, you should pull a whole new light. The conduit that goes to the light in the pool is almost never sealed. There are codes on height and distance of pool light junction boxes for this reason. Pool light cables are black and all 3 wires are incased in the sleeve.
If it was your pool light, you should pull a whole new light. The conduit that goes to the light in the pool is almost never sealed. There are codes on height and distance of pool light junction boxes for this reason. Pool light cables are black and all 3 wires are incased in the sleeve.
Right, but the wires that were cut, were spliced beyond the breaker panel for the light (the one shown in the photo). In other words, if the conduit from the light goes from the light to the junction box, then to the individual breaker panel for the pool (the one shown in the photo), isn't it grounded at that breaker? The splice in the line happened beyond this breaker for the pool, so I am just wondering if the same no-splice logic applies since this line is not really continuous from the pool. See attached diagram...pictures better than me trying to explain it.
- Jul 21, 2013
- 55,419
- Pool Size
- 35000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
If a licensed electrician did the splice you should be good.
You are correct the code about no splices is between the pool light and the raised junction box.
You are correct the code about no splices is between the pool light and the raised junction box.
Bill1974
Well-known member
- Jun 18, 2014
- 504
- Pool Size
- 32000
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-60 Plus
As far as I know all splices have to be accessible. What line was cut? The power to the pool equipment or just to the pool light? If the light, a new light would be needed and the conduit could be repaired (if the conduit isn't repaired you are going to have a leak). If to the pool equipment, the splice would need a box put over it. The splice needs to be accessible. An open bottom box could be put over it. If it was in conduit the conduit could be repaired and a new wire pulled.
Putting a splice in something that’s not accessible is just evil IMO and most code books for good reason. When it fails, how do you find it? I suspect they do allow some splices to be buried, but you have to use those copper lug style splices and not a Twist on wire nut.
Bill1974
Well-known member
- Jun 18, 2014
- 504
- Pool Size
- 32000
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-60 Plus
There are approved ways, but it requires recognized splicing lugs and waterproofing the connection and also leaving a way for it to be access/found. The ones I have seen, basically would force you to dig out the open bottom box and dig more just to have room to work. Some look like what is used to access water shutoff valves, yeah you can access but you can't really work on anything. Recall the depth wires need to be buried depending on if they are in pvc or metal conduit or are direct buried.
The light just needs to be replaced and the conduit fixed. Will it work? Absolutely.... but it'll suck when it fails. A splice also needs to be in a jbox and it needs to be accessible. Bite the bullet and do it right now or you WILL regret it later on down the road.