Electric Planning

[jseyfert3]

I’m looking to upgrade my Intex from Intex equipment to permanent pool equipment, including SWGC, VSP pump and a gas heater.

I need a permit for electrical work, and I’ll have to lay out the scope of work. What do I need/should I have? I haven’t figured out the exact equipment yet, should I do that first?

Currently there is a multi wire branch circuit to a quad outlet for the Intex. This is wired with 12 AWG. This is run with conduit so I can easily add to this and/or replace it with whatever I need for this project.

Planning to do this work myself.

 

[Mdragger88]

I’m looking to upgrade my Intex from Intex equipment to permanent pool equipment, including SWGC, VSP pump and a gas heater.

I need a permit for electrical work, and I’ll have to lay out the scope of work. What do I need/should I have? I haven’t figured out the exact equipment yet, should I do that first?

Currently there is a multi wire branch circuit to a quad outlet for the Intex. This is wired with 12 AWG. This is run with conduit so I can easily add to this and/or replace it with whatever I need for this project.

Planning to do this work myself.

When u say multi wire- do you mean u have 2 circuits but only one on the quad? If so you should be good for most future plans like a permanent pool as they require a dedicated circuit for the pump & also a general purpose receptacle near the pool. You may need to move the location if you were to go permanent but right now it seems to be good. Unless you’re vsp is 220v only.

 

[jseyfert3]

A multiwire branch circuit is a circuit that consists of two hot wires from different sides of the panel and a single shared neutral wire. So essentially you get two 20 A, 120 V circuits with three wires instead of 4. I instructed the electrician to install it with one circuit on each duplex inside the quad.

The other thing this allows is you can re-wire and have a single 20 A, 240 V circuit as well. But now you wouldn’t have 120 volts.

 

[Mdragger88]

“Multi- wire” must be northern terminology-
So u have 2 hots, a neutral & a ground- “southern terminology” yes if u wish to add another circuit to the mix to allow a 240v & a 120v you will need to pull another hot & neutral.
Have u picked out your vsp? That’s going to decide whether or not u need to pull more wire.
Although I believe most now can be wired 240 or 120. Also not sure about heaters - there are obviously some controls necessary for a gas one. I would imagine you would be fine to have the 120v power for the heater & the swg on the same circuit & then the (120v) pump on the other as most swg’s don’t pull many amps & the same with the heater control circuit.
The specs for all your new equipment should be your guide here. As well as your layout- most have their heater near their house so you may plug/ wire it in somewhere else aside from your current set up.

 

[cowboycasey]

Is this the last upgrade or the first? Are you going to do what I have done after 8 years and have an in ground pool put in?

I went full blown and ran 60 AMP 240V breaker box and had them wire a 120V off of it at my pump area, I should have done 100 AMP but I did not have the juice in my main box as I had my hot tub but I am still good..

I think this would be a better setup as you would have the breakers at your pump area..

 

[mguzzy]

The cowboy' is thinkin' ahead! I agree, if you think there will be more expansion, go overkill and put in a full sub panel. I imagine most stuff for an AGP will run just fine with 120, all my pool equip is running on 240, the Spa heater, main pump, and SWG. I was always under the impression that big appliances are more efficient at 240V than 120V, even if they can accommodate the 120 option. I know that was the case with my single speed beast when I wired it for 120 for some temp pumping before I completely installed it. I have no idea how efficient the newer VSP would be in the same configuration.

 

[jseyfert3]

Is this the last upgrade or the first? Are you going to do what I have done after 8 years and have an in ground pool put in?

First upgrade. I really don’t see the cost/benefit working out for an in-ground pool up here in Wisconsin, but I’m almost certain after the Intex runs it’s course we’ll replace it with a hard-walled pool, probably a resin one.

A sub-panel is the most flexible option...

 

[cowboycasey]

everything runs better at 240 Well lower amps at least

 

[mguzzy]

everything runs better at 240 Well lower amps at least

I can't stand waiting for my coffee in the morning.. If I wire the coffee maker at 240 will it go faster?!

 

[cowboycasey]

Funny story, YES IT DOES... we lived in Germany for 3 years and everything is 220V and coffee makers work FAST

 

[jseyfert3]

Funny story, YES IT DOES... we lived in Germany for 3 years and everything is 220V and coffee makers work FAST

230 if you like splitting hairs like I do. Yeah unlike the US which uses the somewhat funky split-phase power for residential, over there they use 3-phase 400 everywhere. Residential is just a single phase, as phase-neutral on 400 VAC 3-phase is 230 V.

Higher voltage means less current. With a 15 A 120 V circuit you’re limited to 1800 watts max (though most coffee makers are around 1000 watts). With 230 and same 15 amps all the wire gauge is the same but you can now pull 3450 watts. Higher voltage doesn’t make (most) things more efficient, but it lets you pull more power with the same wire size.

 

[mguzzy]

Yeah.. but if I put all that stuff in my post.. it ruins the joke