1HP pump - what gauge wire?

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airforcematt

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May 11, 2018
46
Dayton TN
Last year I ran my pool pump off of an extension cord - simply wasn't in the budget to do it the right way. Kept it unplugged when in use for safety.

This year as I'm getting ready to open I am getting ready to wire things up correctly. I've got a 1HP Hayward pump that draws 11 amps (photo attached)

It will be located about 60 feet away from the breaker. Will 12 gauge wire be enough to run it safely?
 

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It is 115V. You can get away with 14 gauge for hot and neutral to a 15A GFCI CB. But you need a 12 gauge insulated green ground wire. You should not have anything else connected to that circuit.

12 gauge wire for hot, neutral and ground connected to a 20A GFCI CB is better.
 
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ajw22 said:
It is 115V. You can get away with 14 gauge for hot and neutral to a 15A GFCI CB. But you need a 12 gauge insulated green ground wire. You should not have anything else connected to that circuit.

12 gauge wire for hot, neutral and ground connected to a 20A GFCI CB is better.
Click to expand...

Awesome, thanks.

Was going to use a standard circuit breaker with a GFCI outlet at the end so I appreciate you letting me know that I need it at the actual breaker.

You mentioned not having anything else connected to the circuit - I am planning on hooking up my SWG this year as well. It is an aquarite t-3 cell.

Based on my (limited) understanding of the "80% rule" I should be able to safely run it on the same circuit as long as I'm using the 12 gauge wire.

Pump = 11 amps
T-3 Cell = 1.3 to 4.5 amps
Adds up to a total max amps of 15.5 which is below the 16 amp limit for continuous load.

PLEASE poke holes in this if I'm incorrect. If I am wrong I want to know now, not after I've run the circuit with the wrong size wire.
 
You have the 80% rule down. However there is also a 50% rule for pumps.

There is a rule in the NEC that says that you must not install other loads to a motor unless that motor is rated at less than 50% of the ampacity of the branch circuit amp rating serving that motor. NEC Article 210.23.A.2.

So you would need a circuit over 22A to be able to connect the SWG according to code. That means a 30A CB and #10 wire. And the NEC prohibits convenience outlets over 20A.

I assumed you were hard wiring the pump. See the section on Pool Pumps at Electrical Requirements Concerning Above Ground Pools (NEC 2002) - Self Help and More Basically the NEC boxes you into doing dedicated outlets for pool pumps.

AGP Electrical Restrictions

AGP Electrical Restrictions

 
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ajw22 said:
You have the 80% rule down. However there is also a 50% rule for pumps.

There is a rule in the NEC that says that you must not install other loads to a motor unless that motor is rated at less than 50% of the ampacity of the branch circuit amp rating serving that motor. NEC Article 210.23.A.2.

So you would need a circuit over 22A to be able to connect the SWG according to code. That means a 30A CB and #10 wire. And the NEC prohibits convenience outlets over 20A.

I assumed you were hard wiring the pump. See the section on Pool Pumps at Electrical Requirements Concerning Above Ground Pools (NEC 2002) - Self Help and More Basically the NEC boxes you into doing dedicated outlets for pumps.

AGP Electrical Restrictions

AGP Electrical Restrictions

Click to expand...

Thanks very much for the good info. The pool won't be formally inspected as my county/town doesn't have that as a requirement (do have someone that is going to look it over for me when I'm done) but I do want to do things correctly hence the research. From the sound of things it looks like I'll need to run a second 14 gauge circuit for the SWG, ugh. Good to know but frustrating.

Is it safer to directly wire the pump instead of plugging it into an outlet?
 
airforcematt said:
Was going to use a standard circuit breaker with a GFCI outlet at the end so I appreciate you letting me know that I need it at the actual breaker.
Click to expand...

It is ok to use a gfci outlet vs breaker. But, a breaker is better because it will last longer and you will get less false trips due to moisture. Gfci outlets need to be replaced every few years usually.
 
airforcematt said:
Fantastic! I'll go with the GFCI outlet to keep the cost down then since we are only going to be here a couple years (rental house).
Click to expand...

Ok as in it would work, but not to code.

What are you trying to design to?

- Meets NEC?
- Is safe?
- It works?
 

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airforcematt said:
Want to make it safe. NEC would be a bonus but as long as my family is safe that is all that really matters to me.
Click to expand...

You think there may be safety reasons NEC does not allow that configuration?
 
ajw22 said:
That will work. It is not locking as the code requires if between 5' to 10' but I will give you a pass on that.

How far will the outlet be from the water? 10' or more?
Click to expand...

The current location I had planned would be about 6' away from the pool. Can't get further away than that without hard plumbing the pump (which I can do if push comes to shove)

Didn't realize that it had to be that far away when I put the pool together - skimmer side is near a fence.
 
ajw22 said:
That will work. It is not locking as the code requires if between 5' to 10' but I will give you a pass on that.

How far will the outlet be from the water? 10' or more?
Click to expand...

So, given the fact that we are only about 6' away the "by the book" way to do this would be to do the following, correct?

1. Buy one of these to rewire my pump with a locking cord - Amazon.com: Buying Choices: Hayward SPX1550WA1 3 Wire 3-Feet Long Cord Set with Twist-lock Cord Replacement for Hayward and Filters
2. Buy/install one of these in a weatherproof box to plug it into https://www.lowes.com/pd/Hubbell-Black-20-Amp-Round-Outlet-Industrial/3739207
 
airforcematt said:
So, given the fact that we are only about 6' away the "by the book" way to do this would be to do the following, correct?

1. Buy one of these to rewire my pump with a locking cord - Amazon.com: Buying Choices: Hayward SPX1550WA1 3 Wire 3-Feet Long Cord Set with Twist-lock Cord Replacement for Hayward and Filters
2. Buy/install one of these in a weatherproof box to plug it into https://www.lowes.com/pd/Hubbell-Black-20-Amp-Round-Outlet-Industrial/3739207
Click to expand...

That would meet the code requirement for a pool pump outlet between 5'-10' from the water.
 
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