I am in the process of building a pool/spa partially in-ground, concrete and brick construction, max dia approx. 17ft max depth 4ft, I have got to the stage where pumps can be installed, I have purchased one pump (sta-rite Dynamo 340197SR) I intend to install two pumps one for a waterfall, the other for a Jacuzzi area. The motors need to be bonded, as there are no exposed metal components in the pool my question is what do I bond them to? the pump house is situated approx. 15ft away from the pool wall, electrical supply is from the main house so grounding/earth is via a copper spike in the vicinity of the main control box. Any advice would be appreciated.
Pump motor bonding
- Thread starter Robert Holden
- Start date
Given that you are outside of the US, and assuming there are no local codes on this issue. Correct bonding attempts to insure that the pool water is at the same electrical potential as the surrounding area. Concrete will conduct electricity to a degree. One way this can be done is to have some amount of metal in contact with the water, this can be a metal pool ladder with a bonding wire connected to the base, a metal plate inserted into the skimmer or even a section of metal pipe with a copper wire attached to it that is always wet. These are then tied in with the steel rebar under the concrete using a continuous copper wire loop around the pool connected to the steel rebar in at least 4 places as well as all pool pumps, etc.
The problem is you want the deck and the pool water bonded. Not just the water or not just the deck. The water and the deck should be bonded. The idea is so someone getting out of the pool onto a wet deck will not be shocked.
Also, the copper spike will do nothing for grounding the system in the event of an electrical malfunction such as a short. Ground rods/spikes are for high voltage events such as lightening strikes. The grounding of your system should be tied back to the grounded conductor in your electrical supply
I have an idea that might sort out the bonding installation, can I just run it past you for your comments?
The pool construction consists of a double brick wall reinforced at the base and about two thirds of the way up by horizontal re-bar and concrete "collars" all around, in addition to this, between the two walls vertical re-bars are installed within concrete, spaced at half metre intervals, attached to these are re-bars protruding outwards at right angles by approximately half a metre to reinforce a concrete walkway around the outside of the pool (no decking) there is also a web construction of re-bars within the concrete base of the pool. All of the re-bars around the wall and walkway are wire tied together, The steps are of concrete and brick (also tied into the re-bar system) so a ladder will not be required, however I was planning to install a handrail along the side of the steps, I was planning to use a plastic material however if the vertical tubes or at least one of them was of stainless steel, as it would be permanently wet this could then be attached via a copper cable (8awg) to the vertical re-bars. The ends of the vertical re-bars I have cut off flush with the wall awaiting the topping stones, if I can drill and tap into the end of the bar and insert a means of holding the copper wire in place in several places around the top of the wall, this will give me a continuous copper run attached to the re-bar cage and to the handrail tube, from this run a copper wire over to the pump room for motor connection. Topping stones will cover the wire around the top of the wall.
Does this sound feasible?
The pool construction consists of a double brick wall reinforced at the base and about two thirds of the way up by horizontal re-bar and concrete "collars" all around, in addition to this, between the two walls vertical re-bars are installed within concrete, spaced at half metre intervals, attached to these are re-bars protruding outwards at right angles by approximately half a metre to reinforce a concrete walkway around the outside of the pool (no decking) there is also a web construction of re-bars within the concrete base of the pool. All of the re-bars around the wall and walkway are wire tied together, The steps are of concrete and brick (also tied into the re-bar system) so a ladder will not be required, however I was planning to install a handrail along the side of the steps, I was planning to use a plastic material however if the vertical tubes or at least one of them was of stainless steel, as it would be permanently wet this could then be attached via a copper cable (8awg) to the vertical re-bars. The ends of the vertical re-bars I have cut off flush with the wall awaiting the topping stones, if I can drill and tap into the end of the bar and insert a means of holding the copper wire in place in several places around the top of the wall, this will give me a continuous copper run attached to the re-bar cage and to the handrail tube, from this run a copper wire over to the pump room for motor connection. Topping stones will cover the wire around the top of the wall.
Does this sound feasible?
Of course you are quite right, I stand corrected, the grounding/earth will be connected via the house system and a GFCI in the pump room. The copper spike is for the old TV antennae which is still on the roof so I'll leave it where it is, nothing to do with the pool installation.