Confused about bonding pool and pool pump/heater

[SpaceCoast]

The heater (which does not work) has a green ground wire connected to it...

that wire was connected to my old pool pump before i removed it however from there it goes nowhere or looks like it could have been cutoff if it was headed underground.

And this is the pool cage with a ground wire headed underground, this is where the light is at.

If I connect that ground wire the connects the pump/heater to the pool cage, does that bond the pool? and how do I bond the water?

I have seen youtube videos on how to test bonding by looking for continuity, but how do you test if the water is bonded? do you stick a wire into the water?

 

[gwegan]

As a general rule you should have an experienced electrician test your pool for bonding.

The bonding lug of your pool pump should be connected to a solid copper #8 wire which should also connect to your cage, the deck bonding wire or grid and the pool rebar or wall bonding. The water should be bonded. It is usually bonded with a metal plate in the light but a plate in the skimmer works as do several other appliances for water bonding. The heater should be attached to the bonding system according to the manufacturers instructions.

You may want to read this: Pool School - Bonding vs Grounding

If you feel you have a good understand of your pool and its electrical systems than this may be helpful:

As a general rule you should have an experienced electrician test your pool for bonding.

The bonding lug of your pool pump should be connected to a solid copper #8 wire which should also connect to your cage, the deck bonding wire or grid and the pool rebar or wall bonding. The water should be bonded. It is usually bonded with a metal plate in the light but a plate in the skimmer works as do several other appliances for water bonding. The heater should be attached to the bonding system according to the manufacturers instructions.

You may want to read this: Pool School - Bonding vs Grounding

If you feel you have a good understand of your pool and its electrical systems than this may be helpful:

http://www.mikeholt.com/download.php?file=PDF/Swimming_Pools_and_Spas_2014NEC.pdf

 

[SpaceCoast]

So do you think that the wire in the photo was headed underground and someone cut it off?

 

[gwegan]

Yes.

Most bonding systems use bare wire. But that is clearly a bonding wire. As I said above pump and heater need to be connected to the pool bonding system and that is the wire.

 

[SpaceCoast]

Thanks, I have no problem calling an electrician but I would like to educate myself about it as much as possible. Do you think most electricians are experienced and knowledgeable about pool bonding?
So I would expect them to conduct testing similar to this? Swimming Pool Equipotential Bonding [Part 3 of 3, Testing], (28min:39sec) - YouTube

Also, since that wire was cutoff before going underground, how should I tie it back in? Should I run it back to the wire in the pool cage photo? Do you think that wire in the pool cage photo is a bonding wire as well or is that for the ground? should the bond wire go to multiple places around the pool?

 

[gwegan]

None of these are ground wires. Terminology is confusing here.

A ground wire (the "equipment grounding conductor")is an alternative current path back to the source of the current, in your case a nearby power company transformer. It serves several functions designed to protect you and the equipment.

A bond wire (as it relates to a pool) bonds or joins together conductive elements of the pool and equipment so they have equal electrical potential. In other words so if you touch two bonded elements at the same time you don't get a shock. So if you are standing on the wet deck and touch the cage you don't get shocked because they are bonded.

Because the heater and the pump (and a SWCG) are part of the circulatory system they are bonded to the pool also.

If you can find an electrician who understands pools he should be able to do the test outlined by Mike Holt and determine if your pool is sufficiently bonded.

I would call several large pool builders and ask who they use for electrical trouble shooting.

Yes you should tie the wire back in to the cage wire. Use a listed split bolt. Ask the electrical guy at HD or Lowes they will find one for you.

The cage picture is a bonding wire not a ground.

How the bond wire attaches to your pool depends on pool construction. If its a gunite pool then the rebar must be tied to the rebar in the deck in four different locations. There are alternative ways to do that but the concrete pool and the deck must be connected as should the water and the pool light junction box.

Above ground pools are much the same but the application is different.