Is the entire pool made of non-metalic parts?
Did the inspector give you a specific code and section he is failing the installation for?
What NEC code cycle is your town/county on?
Inspectors can and have been wrong. Successfully arguing with them takes a lot of knowledge and a willingness to fight the battle. You have to ask yourself it worth the time and effort?
What is the scope of work for the electrician? Did it include bonding? Did it state “all electrical components for a pool installation”?
There are a lot of variables here and the NEC is not easy to interpret.
The electrician pulled the permit and did the wiring. It is his license on the line. You, the inspector, and the electrician need to be aligned.
My guess is that the electrician thinks this is “storable pool” with “42 inches or less of water” and the inspector considers this a “permanent pool”. The 2017 NEC has this weird gray area in its definition of a permanent pool and storable pool. For a permanent pool it states “in the ground” or “partially in the ground”. For a storable pool, it states it comes as a package and can be broken down for winter storage.
For the 2011 NEC, the following definition:
Storable Swimming, Wading, or Immersion Pool. Those
that are constructed on or above the ground and are capable
of holding water to a maximum depth of 1.0 m (42 in.), or a
pool with nonmetallic, molded polymeric walls or inflatable
fabric walls regardless of dimension.
From the 2014 NEC handbook:
“Storable pools are intended to be temporary structures, without
the need for special wiring or modification to the pool site. They
are usually sold as a complete package, consisting of the pool
walls, vinyl liner, plumbing kit, and pump/filter device. A storable
pool is often disassembled and stored during the winter months.
The main difference between a storable and permanent pool
is wall height. Generally, pools intended to be disassembled at
season’s end have wall heights of 42 inches or less, while those
not intended for disassembly have wall heights of 48 inches or
more. The surface area of the pool is not a factor. Inflatable pools
are treated as storable pools regardless of their wall height.
Storable pools are supplied as two distinct types. One type is
intended to be disassembled at the end of each swimming sea-
son. The second type, by the nature of its construction, can be
disassembled, but manufacturers recommend leaving it assem-
bled. The pools in the latter category frequently require special
modification to and preparation of the pool site, making them
impractical to disassemble.”
Bottom line is the 42 vs 48 pool height and the construction of the pool (non-metallic).
