Bonding Above Ground Pool - Trying to understand

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callie_grace

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Feb 11, 2013
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I had my 24' above ground pool installed last summer. It was not bonded at the time. This year my goal is to bond the pool, but I am having a hard time wrapping my head around how to attach the bonding lugs to the legs/posts of the pool. My pool has steel supports with resin tracks and cap. So my question is how do you secure the copper lug to the support when the pool is already installed?

Could you also verify I am looking at the correct bonding supplies? Am I missing anything? I saw a thread discussing split bonding lugs, but what do you use that for?

Copper Lug

Burndy Waterbug
 
To properly bond the pool you will need to do a few things.
The bonding loop/grid will be a solid #4 copper wire surrounding the pool at a 6" depth and 18-24" away from the pool shell/frame. At 4 locations equally spaced around the pool you will need to connect the loop to the pool frame. The lugs you linked to may be used if they are GC (ground contact) rated. At the skimmer, the Water Bug will need to connect to the loop as well. From the loop you will also need to provide a connection that will go to the pump bonding lug, heater bonding lug and any other metal component at the pad. I don't have my code book in front of me right now but, if there is a metal fence (including aluminum) within a certain distance from the pool edge, it must also be connected to the loop.
 
Thank you for the replies. I am understanding the bonding of the pool and water, but unsure what type of connection to use to screw or bolt the lug to the pool uprights. That is what I haven't quite figured out yet. This is probably stupid, but is there any kind of screw that will lock itself in place with out a nut?

Also, thanks for pointing out that I will need to bond the fence too!
 
There has been a little incorrect information being given out here. You can refer to This PDF of Article 680 of the National Electrical Code (Thanks to Mike Holt Enterprises for posting this)

*The The bonding conductor must be 8 AWG bare solid copper

*You can not use sheet metal screws or rivits to connect the bonding conductor.

*The bonding conductor must be secured in or under the deck or unpaved surface within 4 in. to 6 in. below the subgrade and must be located between 18 in. and 24 in. from the inside walls of the pool.

All fixed metal parts within 5 feet of the pool must be bonded to the equipotential grid, including but not limited to, "metal-sheathed cables and raceways, metal piping, metal awnings, metal fences, and metal
door and window frames."

Attachments for the bonding wire must be listed for the application. If you look at page 3 of this post you will see photos of some correct attachment devices.

The part I am unsure of deals with above ground pools such as yours that have metal legs and resin top/bottom rails. With the resin top/bottom the legs are isolated from each other, thus the 4 point bonding would leave many legs with no protection.

If you go to Youtube and search for videos of "Bonding above ground pools" you will find several with examples of how they did it. But, I caution you the advice they give, just like the advice here may be worth what you paid for it. When in doubt contact the Authority Having Jurisdiction (building department) over your area for enforcement of building codes.
 

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