Bonding existing AGP with retaining wall

[pooley1]

When we built our pool, I didn't have much knowledge about pools, let alone building one. We located our pool in an area where the backside had to be cut 3' or so to level the existing ground. We built a retaining wall and deck on that side of the pool. I didn't know about bonding until after the fact. I've read that to bond, a #8 bare wire is placed 18-24" from the pool wall 4-6" deep, attached to vertical supports at 4 locations(evenly spaced), attached to a screw at the wall seam, then attached to the pump. I don't have access at the retaining wall/deck area, not enough space between pool and retaining wall. Does the wire have to complete a loop? Does the wire have to be in a trench 100%? I could fish the wire under the deck, but have no way to trench(would be exposed). Or I can connect at 4 locations and run to the pump, but about 1/4-1/3 circumference of pool would have no loop.Thanks for any direction in this matter.

 

[cowboycasey]

while bonding an inground pool is required now above ground pools get away with it because they are suppose to be seasonal, the power is suppose to be unplugged when people are in the pool..

My way of thinking is the same as yours, I bonded my pool, pool water, pump, SWG and lights together

I connected everything using #8 bare copper wire
I used this for the water Amazon.com: Burndy Waterbug Pool Water Bonding Kit Ul: Kitchen Dining
anyway you can connect to the steel frame
does the intex have a bond point?

the wire does not have to be underground and the way I look at it is any way you can connect the frame is better than nothing...

I hope this helps

 

[CJadamec]

The idea behind the loop all the way around the pool is that there is no voltage potential between the pool and the ground so you can nver get a shock when you touch the pool. To achieve this the bare copper wire must be burried a few inches down. In the most recent code nec describes permanent pools as over 42 inches in hight. Which for the most part separates traditional above ground pools from the intex style. Aside from the benefits of not getting a shock bonding can help greatly reduce galvanic corrosion. In the case of your retaining wall you can run the wire between the pool and wall to make a continuous loop. Or run the wire up and bury it on top of the wall. That would give you the intended protection of bonding loop.

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[pooley1]

Thanks for the responses. Just to clarify the only part Intex is the pump, filter, swg. The pool is 52" steel wall and uprights. So, it sounds like the continuous loop is a necessity. If I ran the wire, between the pool and wall, would covering with CA-6(aggregate with fines) give the same results as being buried a couple of inches, because of lack of room to trench?

 

[danpik]

Anyplace around the pool where you can stand on a conductive surface and touch the water needs to be in the bonding grid. As was mentioned, this is to even out voltage gradients between the water and any 'touch" surfaces around the pool. Something to keep in mind,...electricity, in this case voltage gradients, do not care if a pool is a temporary or permanent and they need to be handled properly.

 

[CJadamec]

You dont really need to trench the wire. An 8awg solid wire can be buried simply by sticking a shovel in the ground pushing it foward and tucking the wire in the earth. As for the material it's buried in I would think anything compactable enough to be a pool base would be fine.