GFCI Outlet on GFCI Breaker for Above Ground Pool

[nycelitemaster]

Hi Guys, I just got my electrical work done for my above ground pool. While I am not certified electrician, I know some of the electrical work.

The electrician installed Siemens GFCI breaker in the panel and then ran wire to pool timer (approx 40ft away) then fed the wire to GFCI outlet and a standard outlet right underneath in a 2 gang box.

Pool Pump is connected to the GFCI Outlet which in on GFCI breaker

I have a led light that mounts on Skimmer. The led is 12v low voltage. In the led manual, it said I should connect the wire to GFCI outlet.

My questions are
A) why did the electrician added a GFCI outlet which is on the GFCI breaker.
B) can this light be connected to Standard outlet since it on the GFCI breaker/circuit.

 

[Newdude]

Hey NEM and belated welcome !!!

A) why did the electrician added a GFCI outlet which is on the GFCI breaker

Any chance he ran 2 feeds, hence the 2 gang box ? One protected at the panel and one at the pad ? That’s the way my above ground was set up when we moved in.

B) can this light be connected to Standard outlet since it on the GFCI breaker/circuit.

As long as it’s protected the light should be safe.

 

[ajw22]

Stick a GFCI electrical tester in that standard outlet and press the GFCI test button and confirm the breaker trips. I would test all the outlets with an electrical outlet tester to confirm the way you think it is wired.

 

[ImpalaSS]

You do not need both a GFCI outlet and GFCI breaker on the same circuit if that is how the electrician wired it. You need to confirm that is how its wired.

 

[nycelitemaster]

So I turned off the GFCI Breaker, both outlets shuts-off.

My LED Light only stay lit when the pump was on. Then out of curiosity, I opened everything.

The way the electrician wired it as follows; GFCI Breaker to Pool Timer, then to GFCI Outlet (Pump is Connected here). Then he took load wire from GFCI Outlet and connected it to the Standard Outlet.

Odd - Now I am thinking of reversing the order. Please let me know if this is safe? GFCI Breaker to Standard Outlet, Load Wire to Timer, then to GFCI Outlet.
Then I'll connect the LED to the standard outlet the Pump will stay intact on GFCI.

 

[Newdude]

I was under the impression that multiple GFCIs did not play well together. Like at all. In my old house I thought it was a good idea to put a GFCI in the bathroom and rewired it a dozen times, probably verifying the incoming voltage 2 dozen times. I could not get it to work for the life of me. Until I realized that it had a GFCI breaker and that was why it was a standard outlet.

When I moved into this house I noticed one bathroom had a GFCI outlet and the other 2 didn’t. So I tripped it and watched the other 2 go dark. Kewl !! They’re daisy chained. This time took 2 mins and no tools. Lol.

 

[ajw22]

Show us pics of the GFCI breaker, the two outlets, and the pump motor data plate.

I want to see what amperage you are running through with the pump.

As the electrician wired it both outlets were protected by the outlet GFCI.

There should be no reason for the GFCI outlet if you have a GFCI breaker. Can you ask the electrician what he was thinking with that setup?

If you do rewire it as described you need to get your neutrals correct for the GFCI to work.

 

[jseyfert3]

I was under the impression that multiple GFCIs did not play well together. Like at all. In my old house I thought it was a good idea to put a GFCI in the bathroom and rewired it a dozen times, probably verifying the incoming voltage 2 dozen times. I could not get it to work for the life of me. Until I realized that it had a GFCI breaker and that was why it was a standard outlet.

I'm under the opposite impression. My Intex pool has a GFCI built into the plug, which is connected to a GFCI outlet. No issues in over a year. Hair dryers are required to have GFCI plugs, and the majority of the time they are plugged into GFCIs since bathroom outlets have been required to be GFCI protected since 1975. No issues with that either.

 

[nycelitemaster]

Show us pics of the GFCI breaker, the two outlets, and the pump motor data plate.

I want to see what amperage you are running through with the pump.

As the electrician wired it both outlets were protected by the outlet GFCI.

There should be no reason for the GFCI outlet if you have a GFCI breaker. Can you ask the electrician what he was thinking with that setup?

If you do rewire it as described you need to get your neutrals correct for the GFCI to work.

neutrals are there at the plugs.

so i can def take the wire coming from 20amp gfci breaker and connect it to the outlet. This puts standard 20amps on gfci . i can then take both neutral and hot wires feed to the timer and then return them both to the gfci 20amp outlet. Regardless od the 20amp gfci outlet at the pump. The entire circuit is gfci already.

Electrician is basically telling me he will charge me $150 to come and wire it the way i described early. Such a dude. I paid him $3K for wire run which is overly expensive for 75 ft sire run. i did the labor for trenching.

 

[koffey]

Yeah, you don't need a gfic outlet on a gfic breaker. That's just silly and an easy way to make money if that was what was done.

 

[nycelitemaster]

Looks like the electrician goofed up. The Pool Pump was supposed to connect to GFCI Breaker per my town Code. The accessory outlet on the other side of the pool was supposed to be GFCI Outlet on standard Breaker.

The electrician basically connected the Pool Pump to the Timer and GFCI Outlet which is then connected load and neutral to the standard Outlet.
Second accessory outlet on GFCI Breaker with GFCI Outlet. Time to call the electrician.

 

[ajw22]

Looks like the electrician goofed up. The Pool Pump was supposed to connect to GFCI Breaker per my town Code. The accessory outlet on the other side of the pool was supposed to be GFCI Outlet on standard Breaker.

The electrician basically connected the Pool Pump to the Timer and GFCI Outlet which is then connected load and neutral to the standard Outlet.
Second accessory outlet on GFCI Breaker with GFCI Outlet. Time to call the electrician.

That is what the NEC requires

A good reference is from Mike Holt Enterprises on Article 680—Swimming Pools, Spas, Hot Tubs, Fountains, and Similar Installations.

680,21 covers the pump outlet.

680.22 requries 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.

 

[nycelitemaster]

So back here for an update. The electrician did incorrect wiring. Pool pump was supposed to be connected to GFCI Breaker, which he did connect it wrong LOL.

When I asked why he added GFCI Outlet on the GFCI Breaker, he said because my town requires GFCI Breaker and a GFCI Outlet. Which still doesn't make sense. But I didn't press him too much.