Bonding Issue (rebar concrete pool)

[Luis Rovira]

Hi all,

I have a "no-bonding wire issue" with the pool currently under construction. The contractor "forgot" to leave four connection points to the rebar cage before pouring the concrete on the walls. The only copper wire installed so far, is the one connected to the bond lug of the Pentair Gunite niche. However, the contractor still needs to pour a shallow (35 cm deep) section that will be used to put sun chairs and access the concrete steps to go inside the pool.

In this 2.00m x 2.50m section, the only rebar still exposed that comes into contact with the rest of the pool rebar cage (walls and floor), are the ones that will be used to pour the 3 (45 cm high) walls around it.

At this point, can I:

A. Still connect this section of the pool to the external wire loop... and be "OK pool rebar bonded" ?...

B. Start thinking on getting a small rotary hammer drill to find the rebar (say on the other corners of the pool) and then connect the clamps & wire to the cage, then patch it, then connect it to the bonding loop ?, or...

C. Forget about breaking concrete to find the pool reinforcement steel cage, since the pool water will not come into contact with the steel cage embeded in the concrete, and just focus on making the loop around the pool and properly bonding the niche, pump, deck (as this rebar also comes into contact with all of the pool's reinforcement steel cage)... ?

:bowdown: Thanks in advance for your help !!!

 

[JasonLion]

All of the rebar must be bonded, either by direct connection to the bonding loop or indirectly through connections to other pieces of rebar. As long as there is accessible rebar at four spots around the edge of the pool, that is connected to all of the other rebar you are fine.

I'm not completely sure what your 2.00m x 2.50m section really is, and if that extends all the way around the pool (good), or is only in one specific spot (bad).

If, as I suspect, that not yet poured area is only in one place, you will need to get access to rebar (via drilling/hammering/etc) in three other locations spread around the pool and make connections at each of those spots as well.

Is the deck really going to be connected to the pool shell? That is rare, though not unheard of. If so there must be rebar sticking out all the way around that you can connect to.

One iffy point: the inspector may take issue with the concrete being poured already, as they will not be able to confirm that all rebar is properly interconnected. I doubt this will come up, but it is conceivable.

 

[danpik]

Hi all,

since the pool water will not come into contact with the steel cage embeded in the concrete, and just focus on making the loop around the pool and properly bonding the niche, pump, deck (as this rebar also comes into contact with all of the pool's reinforcement steel cage)... ?

First thing you need to understand about the bonding...It is not necessarily the reinforcing steel you are bonding but, it is the entire concrete structure itself. The steel is simply the best way to even out voltage gradients in the concrete. Concrete, especially when wet, is conductive and can hold a large voltage potential.

If you can get to 4 or more points around the deck where you can access the rebar and the deck rebar is connected to the pool rebar then you can make the connections there and you should be good. I am not familiar with electrical code requirements in Panama and what they may want you to do to fix this but I do understand bonding and the physics do not change from area to area like codes do