I know I need a deck box to pass an inspection... but whats its purpose and how is it wired differently than a regular connection box like in an attic?? heres what I understand.... tell me if i'm wrong.... but from the underwater light the wire (back, white, ground) runs in a conduit up to the deck box, then the wires are twisted/spliced together then goes back in the ground in another conduit and goes to the GFCI then to the light switch in the house... (unless i change the breaker to a GFCI).... so whats the purpose of this box if my wire from the light is long enough to make it to the house? And where do I find a PVC one? don't really want to add anymore metal than I already have.... every pool supply store around here has no idea what a deck box is.... so they wouldn't have them.....
purpose of a deck box??
- Thread starter WhoDat?
- Start date
Can you do your own electrical work where you are and still pull a permit?
http://www.nextag.com/Pentair-3-4-x-811 ... 806714A371
check out the link above. Thats a "deck box". It has to be 4 inches above the pool deck. It's because the light niche in the pool is full of water and the conduit is full of water back to the top of the pool. The j-box is there to keep water from backing up in the conduit to the switch in case the switch is close to the pool.
I was wondering if it might be worthwhile to get an electrician. Wiring a pool is not easy and even pro's who haven't done many still scratch their head now and again. If you've never done electrical work before, a pool is sure a tough thing to start DYiI'ing for the fisrt time.
http://www.nextag.com/Pentair-3-4-x-811 ... 806714A371
check out the link above. Thats a "deck box". It has to be 4 inches above the pool deck. It's because the light niche in the pool is full of water and the conduit is full of water back to the top of the pool. The j-box is there to keep water from backing up in the conduit to the switch in case the switch is close to the pool.
I was wondering if it might be worthwhile to get an electrician. Wiring a pool is not easy and even pro's who haven't done many still scratch their head now and again. If you've never done electrical work before, a pool is sure a tough thing to start DYiI'ing for the fisrt time.
I'm not sure about the permits... I wasn't gonna get a permit.... but I want to do this right.... This isn't my first wiring project... I have done many, I built my own house and wired it all .... But I understand your concern.... I actually tried to find an electrician.... I cannot find one that knows more about it than I do.... They are all willing to come out and do the work but when I ask them questions I already know the answer to.... they really don't know what is correct.... as far as pool bonding and deck boxes.... so I called a pool installing company to get their electricians to come out and wire it.... they won't give me any phone numbers to anyone and they said they have their own electricians that only go out if they install the entire pool... so I'm just gonna do it.... I can.... I just have a few questions....
as far as what you said completly makes sense.... I did not know the conduit would be full of water.... the deck box gives it a place to break the water.... And for the wiring together in the box.. I had it right? nothing else goes inside of it?
Just curious.... what parts make experienced electricians scratch their head.....
as far as what you said completly makes sense.... I did not know the conduit would be full of water.... the deck box gives it a place to break the water.... And for the wiring together in the box.. I had it right? nothing else goes inside of it?
Just curious.... what parts make experienced electricians scratch their head.....
You got the deck box figured out.
Bonding gives some electricians fits. Also a lot of the code reads hard. It's badly written basically.
Bonding gives some electricians fits. Also a lot of the code reads hard. It's badly written basically.
Bonding is the most misunderstood thing we see asked here. Pump wiring to a timer is another, Swcg wiring, Wiring a pump and swcg together, And believe it or not, Light wiring. Then there's always heaters and solar and don't forget booster pumps. How much power do you need at the sub panel, and even, why do I need a sub panel. And then throw some GFCI questions in there. How big does the wire need to be and does the bond grid need grounding. I could go on but that'll start you thinking. 
well you sure got me thinking!! lol.... not doing the swcg now.... not doing a timer now, no booster pumps, no solar... no heaters..... so that eliminates SOME! lol... I think I got the light wiring down now..Unless anyone can think of something I'd be missing.... the deck box was messin with me.... the only question I did have was the sub panel... If someone could post some links to already discussed topics that would be awesome...
and yea... the same as you mentioned.... why do i need it? why not run 110 from my house in a conduit to a switch, to the GFCI plug.... I only will have one thing plugged in right there.... its the pump.... I will probably do my best not to do saltwater if I can help it.... my walls are metal... so thats not a good combination as far as rust goes.....
And the pump is a 1hp Pentair.... which can be wired 115 or 230... its currently setup for 115....
Dont worry about the rust issue. The salt used is really low. A lot of us have vinyl inground pools with steel walls and have no issue.
You could do what you propose, but you also need a outlet by the pool, not less than 5 feet and not more than 20 feet. That is if you want everything to code. And, I prefer to wire a pool pump up direct for an inground pool rather than a plug, and I'd wire it up at 240 volts if it's a pump that can be wired either way.
I promise you that at some point you will want more power for more "stuff".
Is your pool a vinyl inground? It would help too if you could put your proposed pool specs in your signature line.
And what are you going to use to power your pool light?
A subpanel with 60 amp capacity is a nice thing to have to run power for a pool. A convenience outlet (required by code), a pump circuit with a shut off, and a circuit for the light with a shut off is the minimum you need. You also say you dont want/need a timer. Trust me, you will want one for the pump. An intermatic timer for the pump is pretty cheap and very useful.
You could do what you propose, but you also need a outlet by the pool, not less than 5 feet and not more than 20 feet. That is if you want everything to code. And, I prefer to wire a pool pump up direct for an inground pool rather than a plug, and I'd wire it up at 240 volts if it's a pump that can be wired either way.
I promise you that at some point you will want more power for more "stuff".
Is your pool a vinyl inground? It would help too if you could put your proposed pool specs in your signature line.
And what are you going to use to power your pool light?
A subpanel with 60 amp capacity is a nice thing to have to run power for a pool. A convenience outlet (required by code), a pump circuit with a shut off, and a circuit for the light with a shut off is the minimum you need. You also say you dont want/need a timer. Trust me, you will want one for the pump. An intermatic timer for the pump is pretty cheap and very useful.
Ok great.... I'll give you some specs and plans now... then add it in my sig..20x40 vinyl liner.... (hole is dug and kit came in today).... I have a 1hp pentair pump.... either 115 or 230V... My pool is about 15 feet from my house and I have an outlet already there on the outside of my house on a different circuit than the rest..it is about 15 ft from the pool edge.... I wil change the breaker or the outlet to GFCI.... I can hardwire the pump no problem and change the breaker to GFCI as well.... AS far as the light.... I got a 500W light with a 100 ft cord attached.... it will run back to the pump area and a deck box will be installed there... then run up the wall (in conduit) to a light switch in the utility room which is the access room for the pool... I think it will also be easier to just change the breaker for that room to a gfci as well instead of trying to fit it in the line somewhere.... Am I good so far?
pump circuit with shutoff? would that just be a light switch type or breaker type switch inbetween the pump and the house?
And as far as running more outlets by the pump later I can do that whenever I choose to add something... it would be nothing to tie into another circuit in the attic... and drop another 110 down the wall outside for extra outlets....
Whatcha think?
as far as bonding... I may be missing something?? it does not seem complicated yet everyone says it is.... is it as simple as.... #8 bare wire attached everything metal around the pool (light niche, ladder, rebar, wire mesh, metal walls), and buried in the plumbing trench and headed back to the pump and ends on the pump bonding lug..... thats it right?
pump circuit with shutoff? would that just be a light switch type or breaker type switch inbetween the pump and the house?
And as far as running more outlets by the pump later I can do that whenever I choose to add something... it would be nothing to tie into another circuit in the attic... and drop another 110 down the wall outside for extra outlets....
Whatcha think?
as far as bonding... I may be missing something?? it does not seem complicated yet everyone says it is.... is it as simple as.... #8 bare wire attached everything metal around the pool (light niche, ladder, rebar, wire mesh, metal walls), and buried in the plumbing trench and headed back to the pump and ends on the pump bonding lug..... thats it right?
You appear to have a good understanding of what you need to do. Be careful about piggy-backing anything for the pool onto existing house circuits I would run separate circuits if it was possible. The disconnect for the pump can be a drawout disconnect (Like for a water heater) or a knife switch. Code doesn't actually require one but I strongly suggest installing one within easy reach of the motor.
Bonding is simple, but it's probably the most misunderstood construction item we deal with here. Since you have metal walls they need to be tied to the bonding conductor at least 4 places around the pool. If you pour concrete decking then the rebar has to be tied to the bonding conductor as well.
Bonding is simple, but it's probably the most misunderstood construction item we deal with here. Since you have metal walls they need to be tied to the bonding conductor at least 4 places around the pool. If you pour concrete decking then the rebar has to be tied to the bonding conductor as well.
I'll just follow up with what Bama said. I'm not sure that changing out a breaker to a GFCI for a whole room for the pool light is a good idea.
I really think the best way to distribute power to a pool is by a dedicated panel. For your purpose, a 60 amp panel would work well. You can have dedicated circuits for your pool pump, light, outlets, etc. That way if there are any issues, you wont have pool and house on the same circuits. A subpanel box makes it nice and neat. Hardwiring the pump in with a timer or switch (I REALLY recommend a timer) with a cutoff, wiring the pool light into a switch that runs right into the panel, and the convenience outlet is wired into the panel as well, makes it a nice and neat instalation thats very functional.
I really think the best way to distribute power to a pool is by a dedicated panel. For your purpose, a 60 amp panel would work well. You can have dedicated circuits for your pool pump, light, outlets, etc. That way if there are any issues, you wont have pool and house on the same circuits. A subpanel box makes it nice and neat. Hardwiring the pump in with a timer or switch (I REALLY recommend a timer) with a cutoff, wiring the pool light into a switch that runs right into the panel, and the convenience outlet is wired into the panel as well, makes it a nice and neat instalation thats very functional.
Ok great guys!! Thanks!! One more question about the light... The nec says I need a to run a #8 insulated wire in the conduit from the light to the deck box... I know where it connects in the light niche... (not on the outside of the niche where the bonding wire connects).... There is another lug in the niche... Where does this connect in the deck box? To the other 2 ground wires? (one from the light and the other from the power)... Or should it continue as a separate wire to the panel???