I installed my SWG back when Covid first started and I didn't want to go into the store to get the material I needed to do the bonding wire. I thought it's about time to finish that job but was wondering how important is bonding for a SWG? If it is important please explain why.
Bonding wire on SWG
- Thread starter dswwpb
- Start date
- Jun 22, 2014
- 48,333
- Pool Size
- 17888
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-45 Plus
It's important because water is a great conductor for electricity. Since water is running through parts of the SWG, we need to ensure an adequate ground is available for safety to swimmers. I just installed the RJ-45+ and you can see in the pic below how I ran my #8 ground wire down from the control module. I have that ground then connected to my existing pool/pump ground using the fastener illustrated below. Hope that helps.
Thank you. I guess I just don't understand the difference between the ground wire which is hooked up and grounded in the electrical panel that the SWG is connected to and the bonding wire. Can someone explain that to me please.It's important because water is a great conductor for electricity. Since water is running through parts of the SWG, we need to ensure an adequate ground is available for safety to swimmers. I just installed the RJ-45+ and you can see in the pic below how I ran my #8 ground wire down from the control module. I have that ground then connected to my existing pool/pump ground using the fastener illustrated below. Hope that helps.
The purpose of the bonding grid is to equalize the potential (voltage) in the entire area to reduce the possibility of getting a shock due to touching two different things that have different potentials.
The voltage that goes to the plates that actually touch the pool water is about 21-22 volts. Can that really hurt you?
Ground is the reference point for your home’s electrical system and a ground wire is an alternate path for power to run through so the breaker trips and metallic parts of equipment don’t become energized in case something goes wrong. It protects against many possible faults, but something like touching a bare wire can still happen.
The bonding system serves to connect everything conductive that a swimmer could touch or that could touch the water together electrically. That includes the water, ladders, railings, pool walls, slide stands, pool equipment, lights, concrete decks or even fences around the pool if they are close enough. This is a crucial safety system because in order to be shocked, you have to touch two points that are at different voltages. If everything the swimmer can touch is wired together, then everything the swimmer can touch is at the same voltage so they can’t be shocked.
A key piece is that is doesn’t matter what that voltage is. It could be 7500V and it still wouldn’t hurt you as long as you don’t touch another point that’s at a different voltage. Because of the bonding, it doesn’t matter whether an electrical fault is part of your electrical system where GFCIs and proper grounding help minimize risk, or part of another electrical system like the power grid or your neighbors’ improperly wired garage, you are still protected.
How does the voltage get there, and what keeps the source voltage from being applied to the plates if a component fails?
Thank you John T , I think I now understand that bonding and grounding are two different animals. I'm going to get the materials I need and do that job today.
Definitely. Stick a 9V battery on your tongue. Get shocked?
Voltage doesn't kill you, current does, and it takes very few mA to kill you -- ie: a thousand times less than what comes out of an outlet.
The only thing you need the voltage for is to overcome the resistance of your skin and flesh. Your flesh is already saturated with salt water, so its pretty conductive. When you get in a swimming pool (with lots of nice ions floating around), your skin gets very conductive too.
Look at it this way. Your SWCG is conducting 6-10 AMPs (so 6000-10000 mA) at 20V.
I heeded all your warnings. Bonding wire is now installed. I remember back in 1992 when the pool was installed, it failed inspection because of a bonding wire issue and I'm almost positive they drove a copper spike in the ground then connected a wire to the spike, handrail and pump motor in order to pass inspection. Is that the correct way to bond a pool? Is there a way to check with a volt/ohm meter to see if it's bonded correctly?
Randrx2
Bronze Supporter
- Dec 13, 2018
- 436
- Pool Size
- 30000
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60