Looking for an electrician to answer questions.

[Owner/Builder]

In an effort to make my pool build more affordable, I am thinking about doing my own electrical. I did owner builder on my last pool but I hired everything out. I wanted to do my own electrical then, but I was intimidated and hired somebody for that as well. To give you some background, I have been tinkering with electricity for over 25 years. As an electricians apprentice for 2 years in my twenties, and avionics during my time in the military. I am easily taught and can think for myself, so I am hoping to find an electrician mentor who can walk me through doing it myself. I shouldn't need any help with configuring my automation since I am using the Jandy Aqualink system and I already have extension knowledge of this system. I will be hiring an electrician to inspect everything and to do the final connection as I believe that is what the county requires.
Any takers?

 

[gwegan]

We have very few electricians on here and none that I know of that will give you that kind of advice. You need to know what Las Vegas inspectors want. For example I strongly suspect you will be required to have a bonding grind under your deck, not just a #8 wire running around the pool. That will work most places but doubtful in Vegas.

I strongly suggest you read and get a good understanding of NEC 680 and read and study the following PDF:

http://windsorlocksct.org/site/Swimming_Pools_and_Spas_2014NEC.pdf


I further suggest you go and inspect several pools built in the last year in Las Vegas preferably with Jandy equipment and observe the local trade customs. (like running all the pool off a subpanel rather than from the main panel) A talk with a Las Vegas pool electrician would be good. There are also a couple of Las Vegas DYI threads that you should read.

Speak with the local inspectors and get the inspection cycle down cold. This isn't like a residential job, for some work, bonding the shell, the first inspection is the final because its covered up. Other items are unique to pool, like insulated grounds, everything in conduit, GFCIs required (or not), and flooded conduit. All the equipment must be listed.

This site is dated but give a good chronology that is very useful. Build Your Own Pool | How I Built My Own Swimming Pool | How To Build Your Own Swimming Pool

So study, hang around, ask questions, post a bunch of pictures.

Have fun!!!!

 

[daddymack]

In an effort to make my pool build more affordable, I am thinking about doing my own electrical. I did owner builder on my last pool but I hired everything out. I wanted to do my own electrical then, but I was intimidated and hired somebody for that as well. To give you some background, I have been tinkering with electricity for over 25 years. As an electricians apprentice for 2 years in my twenties, and avionics during my time in the military. I am easily taught and can think for myself, so I am hoping to find an electrician mentor who can walk me through doing it myself. I shouldn't need any help with configuring my automation since I am using the Jandy Aqualink system and I already have extension knowledge of this system. I will be hiring an electrician to inspect everything and to do the final connection as I believe that is what the county requires.
Any takers?

I'm in Vegas, and frankly .. I'm not sure its worth your time.. If I stuck with the basics my quote was less than 2K for the electrical, to be done correctly. I added all kinds of LED lights and runs so it cost a little more... but I passed the electrical inspections without a single issue.. everything looked good. That was actually one of the less expensive portions of the build.. the most expensive in my case (mainly because of quantity and product) was my decking, then Equipment (by the way, using the electrician, I could use their account and get wholesale(ish) pricing with 3 year warranty on all equipment), and then Gunite... the least expensive was the steel install..

 

[Pwrgeek]

I'm in the electrical business (engineer) and all I can tell you is find something else to save money on. The electrical is a very small portion of the overall cost, you'll save even less doing it yourself, and is one of the few pool related systems that will kill you if you do it wrong. You're putting electrical circuits in proximity to water you're going to immerse your whole body in. Not the time to skimp.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[domct203]

I'm in the electrical business (engineer) and all I can tell you is find something else to save money on. The electrical is a very small portion of the overall cost, you'll save even less doing it yourself, and is one of the few pool related systems that will kill you if you do it wrong. You're putting electrical circuits in proximity to water you're going to immerse your whole body in. Not the time to skimp.

 

[Owner/Builder]

My Aqualink power center already has many of the knockouts removed but they aren't necessarily the size I need for the conduits I am using. So I need to reduce a few of them. I can't find anything in the NEC that states if it's ok to use reducers on a subpanel or not. I am using pvc conduit so I will have a male threaded end on each one, but I am not sure if it's better to use the metal washer reducers or if I should use the pvc bushing reducers. The bushings seem like they would be more secure than the washers, plus it would have a cleaner look. Is there a limit to how many reducers and/or knockout plugs can be in a panel? It looks like I will have to reduce 3 or 4 of them and plug a couple.

 

[daddymack]

Here are some pics I took for you...

This passed city inspection..

 

[tcrote5516]

Here are some pics I took for you...

This passed city inspection..

What's wrong with that? He braided the conduit to add structural integrity to the panel for when the .5c over sized washers holding the panel to the wall corrode around the zinc door hinge screws. The exposed wire nut's are a flood sensor, the GFCI will trip when that area reaches flood stage so you know not to open the door...duh...

 

[Owner/Builder]

Thanks DaddyMack, your pics helped. Thankfully I was able to pass first inspection this morning.

 

[daddymack]

Thanks DaddyMack, your pics helped. Thankfully I was able to pass first inspection this morning.

No problem... If you want to come by and take a look at anything.. just let me know.