Electrical Disconnect Switch for Pool Hardware

[Andy49]

I have all the pool equipment on a concrete slab (heater, DE filter, Pump, booster pump for Polaris and aerator for the spa). The main 220 volt service comes into the Intermatic mechanical timer and gets to different devices from there. It is supplied by a breaker in the main panel in the garage. It is a problem. Every time I need to work on something, I have to trip the breaker in the garage. I was thinking about installing a non fused disconnect switch which I saw at Home Center. Outdoor type rated at 30 amps. I was also thinking about installing 120 volt, motion sensing LED light for the equipment area and tapping into the terminal of Intermatic to get the needed power. Any code related comments or suggestions? Thanks.

 

[gwegan]

Well, you most likely don't comply with the code as it is. Because I can't really see what you have, I'm just giving you a sort of stream of conciseness view.

First the code requires a maintenance disconnect within sight of the pump and not more than 50 feet away. So what you want to do makes sense.

I have no idea what the breaker size is in the main panel or the wire size to the equipment pad. Nevertheless I would not do a simple disconnect but a subpanel. As long as it has less than 6 throws it counts as a disconnect. The "rule of six." That way you could have a GFCI breaker for each pump and a separate breaker for the aerator and some convenience outlets.

A timer is not a subpanel. Daisy chaining off the inputs to the timer is not something you want to do. I know it costs more but what you need is a subpanel.

 

[Andy49]

I had not thought of a sub panel. It is the way to go. The current breaker size in the main panel is 20 amps. The wires coming in to the Intermatic timer don't look any larger than 12 awg. I will post a pic of the setup later..