Bonding with resin uprights and top

[boggs10]

Hey all, I will be a first time pool owner next week and have a few questions about bonding. It's a 24' pool with a metal track and shell, but resin uprights and top. How would you go about bonding it correctly? I've tried researching but have seen differing opinions. Would you recommend drilling into the track while it's being put up, or is there another option? Also, do I need to have the walls AND track bonded in addition to the water? Just want to make sure if there's something I can do during the installation to make my life easier down the road.

Thanks!

 

[CJadamec]

With resin frame and steel wall bond to the wall at the wall seam on one the bolts that is already there. If you want to go the extra mile do 2-3 more spots on the very bottom edge of the wall so the coving protects the liner from the bonding hardware.

 

[boggs10]

Is there any room under the wall to access the track once the pool is up or would I have to drill into the track before the walls go up and attach the copper wire? Or in this case, would just a bond of the walls and water be sufficient?

 

[CJadamec]

The track and wall are basically bonded to each other once you put it together no need to worry about the track.

A quick break down of AGP bonding goes like this:

Loop of #8 bare copper wire arund the entire pool buried 3-6" down and 18-24" from the wall of the pool
Connect that loop to the wall/frame of the pool in 4 spots spread equally around the pool (in your case just the wall)
Connect your equipment (pump, heater, SWG) to the loop
Connect your water bonding fitting to the loop
Connect any thing metal permanently installed a within 5 feet of the pool to the loop such as ladders, fences, metal conduit,or decorative metal flamingos. Things like patio furniture or tables that you move around don't count.

Everything in the loop is connected with #8 bare copper wire
Split bolt connectors will be used where two pieces of wire come together
Only connect to equipment at the factory installed bonding fitting

 

[boggs10]

Thank you, I guess then my question is how do I attach the connector lugs to the walls of the pool without drilling into it?

 

[CJadamec]

I thought I had seen a connection that would work without drilling. But I can't find it.

That's why in your case using the bolts in the wall seam is best. Adding more points around the wall means drilling. At least if you do it before the cove and liner are in you can get it very low on the wall and smooth head of the bolt on the inside of the pool. Rather than the point end going into where the liner is.

 

[jonnyb3_94]

So I have a similar pool. All resin except for the wall. I live out in the country and have no codes or inspector to deal with. I was planning on bonding the skimmer water and where my pool bolts together. Will this be sufficient to eliminate shocks or do I need to add 3 more points and drill my pool wall?? New build, wall going up tomorrow. Thanks

 

[CJadamec]

For the wall the joint where the wall bolts together should be fine.

The rest of the bonding loop must be completed for it would offer any protection. An incomplete bonding loop is more dangerous than no bonding at all. All the items on the list above must be included.

 

[jonnyb3_94]

Sorry I should have been more clear. Yes I am going to loop all around the pool and to the pump. Just wanted to know iF bonding to the wall in just one place (at the seam) instead of 3 more places to the wall. I am nervous about drilling 3 more holes in the pool wall if it is not necessary. If I do need to add 3 more bonding spots to the wall I need to run to Menards tonight and get the clamps so I can bolt them to wall while it is installed. Hopefully tomorrow.

 

[CJadamec]

There is a some minor debate on the on your question and some inspectors will want to see more than one spot and have you drill the wall.

The majority of inspectors and will be fine with using the single bond point on the wall at the seam rather than risk damaging the pool by drilling into the wall.

Just as a disclaimer this only applies if you have an all resin pool with no metal in the uprights or top rails.

 

[smankins]

If the vertical end caps are metal you could attach to them (the bottom ones). That is what I did and what Doughboy (made my pool) recommended to me. I have the resin top rails and verticals.

 

[dzedaddy]

Another question about this - with an all resin pool, if you bond the water, the pump, and the pool wall at the single point of wall joint, without the halo, does this meet the code? I'm not sure what the point of the halo is other than connecting the four points connecting to the pool wall for those that go that route.

 

[CJadamec]

The loop around the pool is intended to bond the earth around the pool to the pool so you don't get a shock when you are standing on the ground and touch the water. The loop around the pool is a critical component of the bonding loop.