im just trying to understand the way to do this....there are so many videos each doing things differently ..its a 12 foot round pool...the top is resin but the sides are steel.....so my understanding is to ground and bond the whole pool including the water as well.....so.....where to start first...do i start at skimmer with grounding plate...then go around pool bottom and attach to 4 different points..then go to the pump last........but then its not really attached together in a complete circle......sorry if this sounds wrong...just need a simple explanation of best way to do this myself............
pool bonding
- Thread starter gonzo64
- Start date
There are a ton of posts here explaining how to bond. If you do a forum search you can find some good info, and here’s a wiki explaining it as well.
- Jul 21, 2013
- 66,445
- Pool Size
- 35000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
Electrically it does not matter what pattern everything is bonded together as long as it is all connected to the same #8 bare bonding wire.
www.troublefreepool.com
Electrical Bonding - Further Reading
www.troublefreepool.com
soooooo the question is if i start with the wire at the pump go around the pool connect to 4 different spots and then go to the skimmer ..do i stop there or do i come back down to the pump...thanks for any info
- Jul 21, 2013
- 66,445
- Pool Size
- 35000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
I used a mix of these bonding lugs and split bolt connectors. Make sure whatever you buy is copper and rated to be buried (will have DB stamped on the connector). I used a plate in my skimmer connected to a copper lug > ran copper down to one of the bolts where the wall came together then from there went around my pool then also ran a wire to the bonding screw on my pump and connected all the wire together making a bonding grid. The inspector was fine with that - complained that newer pools don't have 4 points to bond around the pool as I did not do that - only tied into where the wall comes together. I would reach out to your local building department for their interpretation of the building code. Also I used a landscape edger to go around the pool and push the copper wire down so I didn't have to dig a trench.
thanks for the reply...my pool is mostly metal so i can tie in at 4 different points...so you never closed the loop.. you just ended at the pump..??? as like ajw22 suggested to me....also should i ground the pump...?..like pound in a grounding rod....thanks........
- Jul 21, 2013
- 66,445
- Pool Size
- 35000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
No, you do not ground the pump or bonding loop.
www.troublefreepool.com
Bonding vs Grounding
Electricity and water don't mix. Learn a few basic tips how to keep your family safe when dealing with electricity around your pool.
www.troublefreepool.com
- May 20, 2020
- 1,003
- Pool Size
- 13600
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Solaxx (Saltron) Reliant / Purechlor R5
Hi from another Wisconsinite!
I did mine just last Summer. I did a ring of copper around the pool. I only bonded the pool shell in one place - where the wall bolts together. A wire runs from there and connects to the circle with a db rated split bolt connector.
I used a skimmer plate, and another wire runs from there and connects to the ring with another split bolt.
A final wire runs from the bonding lug on the pump, again connecting to the ring with a split bolt.
This passed with the Neenah city inspector with flying colors. I would confirm your plan with your local inspector, but I was not required to bond the shell in four places.
thanks for the reply ...ill definitely get back to you in the spring when i try and do this ....just in case i have questions...did you ever take any pics of this?? ..thanks
- May 20, 2020
- 1,003
- Pool Size
- 13600
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Solaxx (Saltron) Reliant / Purechlor R5
I don't have pictures of the buried portion, but I can take some pictures of the above ground portion once the snow melts if you'd like to see more.
Specifically, for my 24' round pool, I used the following items:
- 2 of these from Menards: 50' 8 Gauge Solid Copper Electrical Grounding Wire [Needed about 75 feet just to circle the pool - used one of the below split bolt connectors to connect the two sections of wire.]
- One of these for the Water Bonding: Burndy BWB680AG Waterbug [Installs in the skimmer.]
- 3 2-packs of these from Home Depot: #8 SOL/STR to #16 SOL/STR Split Bolt Wire Connector [These are used to connect sections of wire together. Since you're burying the wire they need to be Direct-Burial rated to pass inspection. (Stamped DB) [Ultimately I used two of these to connect the two sections of loop wire, one to connect the wire from the pool shell to the loop, one to connect the wire from the Waterbug to the loop, and one to connect the wire from the pump to the loop.]
- 1 of these, which is what I used to connect to the pool shell. Morris Products Direct Burial Lay-In Connectors [Where the pool shell bolts together, I put one of the bolts through here. The bonding wire then runs behind the upright covering the bolts, down to the ground, and connects to the loop around the pool with one of the above split bolt connectors.
City of Neenah - Swimming Pools
Hope this helps!
Jared
Last edited:
I don't have pictures of the buried portion, but I can take some pictures of the above ground portion once the snow melts if you'd like to see more.
Specifically, for my 24' round pool, I used the following items:
This was the guide I was given from our city inspector. There's some good pictures/diagrams here that I found helpful. Bonding starts on Page 5:
- 2 of these from Menards: 50' 8 Gauge Solid Copper Electrical Grounding Wire [Needed about 75 feet just to circle the pool - used one of the below split bolt connectors to connect the two sections of wire.]
- One of these for the Water Bonding: Burndy BWB680AG Waterbug [Installs in the skimmer.]
- 3 2-packs of these from Home Depot: #8 SOL/STR to #16 SOL/STR Split Bolt Wire Connector [These are used to connect sections of wire together. Since you're burying the wire they need to be Direct-Burial rated to pass inspection. (Stamped DB) [Ultimately I used two of these to connect the two sections of loop wire, one to connect the wire from the pool shell to the loop, one to connect the wire from the Waterbug to the loop, and one to connect the wire from the pump to the loop.]
- 1 of these, which is what I used to connect to the pool shell. Morris Products Direct Burial Lay-In Connectors [Where the pool shell bolts together, I put one of the bolts through here. The bonding wire then runs behind the upright covering the bolts, down to the ground, and connects to the loop around the pool with one of the above split bolt connectors.
City of Neenah - Swimming Pools
Hope this helps!
Jared
yes this makes sense...thanks.........gary
I don't have pictures of the buried portion, but I can take some pictures of the above ground portion once the snow melts if you'd like to see more.
Specifically, for my 24' round pool, I used the following items:
This was the guide I was given from our city inspector. There's some good pictures/diagrams here that I found helpful. Bonding starts on Page 5:
- 2 of these from Menards: 50' 8 Gauge Solid Copper Electrical Grounding Wire [Needed about 75 feet just to circle the pool - used one of the below split bolt connectors to connect the two sections of wire.]
- One of these for the Water Bonding: Burndy BWB680AG Waterbug [Installs in the skimmer.]
- 3 2-packs of these from Home Depot: #8 SOL/STR to #16 SOL/STR Split Bolt Wire Connector [These are used to connect sections of wire together. Since you're burying the wire they need to be Direct-Burial rated to pass inspection. (Stamped DB) [Ultimately I used two of these to connect the two sections of loop wire, one to connect the wire from the pool shell to the loop, one to connect the wire from the Waterbug to the loop, and one to connect the wire from the pump to the loop.]
- 1 of these, which is what I used to connect to the pool shell. Morris Products Direct Burial Lay-In Connectors [Where the pool shell bolts together, I put one of the bolts through here. The bonding wire then runs behind the upright covering the bolts, down to the ground, and connects to the loop around the pool with one of the above split bolt connectors.
City of Neenah - Swimming Pools
Hope this helps!
Jared
Mag, your list was super helpful to me too. Got loop around pool buried today, but had to take a break... it was super hot here! I’ll do the rest this week. I’ve got to get plumbing done tomorrow. I got the wrong size fittings today so couldn’t finish.
- May 20, 2020
- 1,003
- Pool Size
- 13600
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Solaxx (Saltron) Reliant / Purechlor R5
Kelly, I’m glad you found it helpful. Your new pool looks great by the way!
I could've bonded in 4 points also but I work for a city and the inspector there told me to not worry about it based on how the NEC code is written.
Also do not use a grounding rod. You want to ground your pump on your electric circuit which will ground it on the panel.
just a quick question...i know this was answered ..but want to know what you did....when you did the loop around the pool...did you close the loop so its one big circle with everything attached to the copper wire....so heres what im thinking...i start out at skimmer with the plate...bring wire down to the ring...ring goes around pool ill attach to couple sections of the metal frame ..then it would go to my pump...does it stop there?? or do i go from pump back to the circle completing the circle .....or am i over doing it..........thanks againI don't have pictures of the buried portion, but I can take some pictures of the above ground portion once the snow melts if you'd like to see more.
Specifically, for my 24' round pool, I used the following items:
This was the guide I was given from our city inspector. There's some good pictures/diagrams here that I found helpful. Bonding starts on Page 5:
- 2 of these from Menards: 50' 8 Gauge Solid Copper Electrical Grounding Wire [Needed about 75 feet just to circle the pool - used one of the below split bolt connectors to connect the two sections of wire.]
- One of these for the Water Bonding: Burndy BWB680AG Waterbug [Installs in the skimmer.]
- 3 2-packs of these from Home Depot: #8 SOL/STR to #16 SOL/STR Split Bolt Wire Connector [These are used to connect sections of wire together. Since you're burying the wire they need to be Direct-Burial rated to pass inspection. (Stamped DB) [Ultimately I used two of these to connect the two sections of loop wire, one to connect the wire from the pool shell to the loop, one to connect the wire from the Waterbug to the loop, and one to connect the wire from the pump to the loop.]
- 1 of these, which is what I used to connect to the pool shell. Morris Products Direct Burial Lay-In Connectors [Where the pool shell bolts together, I put one of the bolts through here. The bonding wire then runs behind the upright covering the bolts, down to the ground, and connects to the loop around the pool with one of the above split bolt connectors.
City of Neenah - Swimming Pools
Hope this helps!
Jared
- May 20, 2020
- 1,003
- Pool Size
- 13600
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Solaxx (Saltron) Reliant / Purechlor R5
The loop around the pool is a closed circle. The connections to the skimmer plate and the pump bonding lug are just branches off of that circle wire. So there’s a closed loop around the pool, but the wires to the skimmer and pump do stop at those locations. E.g. those items are not looped into the circle, but are connected to it.
Hopefully this makes sense!
Jared
Edit: same with the pool wall. Just a branch off the circle.
thanks man good info......also is there a formula for figuring out how much wire i need...i have a 12 foot round pool
- May 20, 2020
- 1,003
- Pool Size
- 13600
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Solaxx (Saltron) Reliant / Purechlor R5
So it should be I think 18-24 inches from the pool edge. So your 12 foot pool is going to have a ~ 16 foot diameter circle. (12 + 2 feet on each side)
Circumference of a circle is Pi * D.
3.14159 * 16 = 50.27
so you’ll need about 50 feet for the circle, plus however much you need for the skimmer, pump, and wall.
I would probably buy ~75 feet — should leave you with some extra.
Edit: Fixed math