Above ground electrical

[Mentat]

Good day, been working in industrial automation for the last decade and regularly work with 480v to 110v stuff. I understand all about the bonding the electrical. My question is that i see a lot of people running a trench from the house to a 4x4 and plugging the pool into a disconnect with GFCI there. I have consulted the NEC and I cant determine if can just wire the motor directly thru the trench with underground rated conduit to a disconnect and GFCI outlet I already have on my house. with out having an unsightly 4x4 in the yard.

Thoughts?

Thanks

 

[YippeeSkippy]

Hello! Welcome to TFP!
I know some smart pool guys who know the electrical stuff... Let me page them for help.
@Bama Rambler @JohnT

Maddie

 

[ajw22]

I have consulted the NEC and I cant determine if can just wire the motor directly thru the trench with underground rated conduit to a disconnect and GFCI outlet I already have on my house. with out having an unsightly 4x4 in the yard.

Thoughts?

See 680.21(A)(3) - Pool motors shall be permitted to employ cord and plug connections. The flexible cord shall not exceed 3 feet in length.

You can trench to connect the motor directly to a GFCI CB in the house.

However connecting to a GFCI outlet in the house would give you a cord over 3' and not conform to 680.21(A)(3)

 

[Mentat]

See 680.21(A)(3) - Pool motors shall be permitted to employ cord and plug connections. The flexible cord shall not exceed 3 feet in length.

You can trench to connect the motor directly to a GFCI CB in the house.

However connecting to a GFCI outlet in the house would give you a cord over 3' and not conform to 680.21(A)(3)

what if the breaker has built in GFCI?

 

[ajw22]

what if the breaker has built in GFCI?

GFCI CB is required for pool pumps.

 

[Mentat]

Never mind i can trench directly to breaker if so desired, only need to worry about the plug if I intended to use an actual plug. right? and it cant be over 3 ft. gotcha

 

[ajw22]

Note that 680.22 requires at least one 15A or 20A, 125V receptacle must be located not less than 6 ft and not more than 20 ft from the inside wall of a permanently installed pool. This receptacle must be located not more than 6½ ft above the floor, platform, or grade level serving the permanently installed pool.

So NEC requires you to put some electrical service near the pool.

 

[magiteck]

In addition to the pump itself, I was required to have a separate 120v “accessory” outlet within something like 20 feet of the pool.

If you direct wire the pump, just make sure you’ve got any other requirements like this accounted for.

In my case I had nothing, so I just installed both the pump outlet and accessory outlet on a 4x6 post.

 

[Mdragger88]

The idea is that you need a disconnecting means within reach of the pool equipment for safety reasons - a gfci breaker inside your house (while a good addition) would not fully serve this purpose. If u are concerned about looks use the opportunity to build a small shelter or wall for your pool equipment pad since the equipment will already be visible in the yard. There are lots of threads here of examples.