I’m not saying you aren’t capable of doing it yourself just to understand what is required and to do it all right. With this being the Internet I’m sure you could find instructions and also look up the nec code for spas. That being said if you don’t feel confident you shouldn’t do it, that’s a choice left up to you though.
Tub procedure given to me - Bromine - opinions?
- Thread starter GCS
- Start date
Also search up the UF-B in a conduit. It needs 18 inches of ground cover from what I’ve seen.
Well we won't be burying it based on what I know. It would be attached to conduit on my deck unless that is a no-no. Guess I need to figure that out asap.
Basically it would come out the house in conduit and down about 2 feet make a 90 degree turn and go 20 feet to the deck where the cutoff box would be make a 90 degree turn and then run along the deck another 18 feet to another 90 degree turn then down another 16 or so feet to where the tub is and enter the porch area. The conduit would all be below the deck boards themselves but attached to the joists.
So lots more researching, reading, video watching this evening and I am pretty sure I have a good plan now.
Will be going with 4 individual 6 gauge wires (red, white, black, green of course) from main panel to spa panel. Wire will be in rigid PVC conduit as I am going about 25-30 feet along the wall of the house (conduit will be attached to outside of house of course). I will run that under the deck into the screened porch area.
Then will come up from there (putting hole in the deck boards
and attaching to the spa panel mounted to the house inside the screened porch. Code and everything I read says that it needs to be within 10 feet, in line of sight, but not within 5 feet of the tub. This is the only way I can accomplish those guidelines.From there I will continue with rigid PVC conduit out of the spa panel to go back under the deck (yet another hole in the deck boards
) and bring the wiring across to the tub area (will be attached to the joists with clamps every 3 feet or more tbh). Will then come up with flex conduit from underneath through the recommended by Nordic 12x20 area on the bottom of the tub and attach the wires to the appropriate spots on control board (through yet another hole in the deck boards).While I would prefer not to put holes in the deck boards this seems to be the only way to accomplish line of sight for the cutoff and maintain the distance values needed.
Definitely learned a lot tonight and feel like I am headed in the right direction wiring wise.
With individual wires you could probably easily use 3/4 pvc cutting down on the size of the deck hole. Using an online calculator you are within the nec max fill guidelines with 4 6 gauge conductors in a 3/4 pvc.
Also keep in mind you don’t need a 6 gauge green (or bare). Double check this but I think it just needs to be 10 gauge. Will save you some money. Also don’t quote me on this because I haven’t gone this route before, I think emt(metal) conduit can count as your ground but I’m really not sure of that. That would probably be more than a 10 gauge bare wire and pvc though.
Your plan sounds good to me. I believe the code for the spa disconnect distances is specially for commercial use, for emergencies. I think residential use just falls under needing to put it a safe distance away from the body of water. It sounds like your planning would do this and it makes servicing the tub easier if the disconnect is close.
Also keep in mind you don’t need a 6 gauge green (or bare). Double check this but I think it just needs to be 10 gauge. Will save you some money. Also don’t quote me on this because I haven’t gone this route before, I think emt(metal) conduit can count as your ground but I’m really not sure of that. That would probably be more than a 10 gauge bare wire and pvc though.
Your plan sounds good to me. I believe the code for the spa disconnect distances is specially for commercial use, for emergencies. I think residential use just falls under needing to put it a safe distance away from the body of water. It sounds like your planning would do this and it makes servicing the tub easier if the disconnect is close.
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https://twphamilton.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/doc033548.pdf
here’s the code for pools and spas. 680.12 is the pertaining one. I’m almost sure what you read before is a misunderstanding of emergency stop button placement for multi dwelling or commercial use spa.
here’s the code for pools and spas. 680.12 is the pertaining one. I’m almost sure what you read before is a misunderstanding of emergency stop button placement for multi dwelling or commercial use spa.
One more thing I just thought of. You needed THWN wire as it is rated for wet use, problem is that it will have a hard time finding that specifically when searching. I think all THHN wire is cross rated to THWN wire. So just assume that and double check in the store that it carries the wet rating.
Probably as this was information from a residential rental so perhaps that required commercial based install procedures
Thanks for the info it did help. Also it seems I can use flex conduit if I want whereas what I read last night said only flex for runs 6 feet or less.
3 6 GA wires, 2 hots, 1 Neutral, 8 GA for the ground is to code. You certainly go 4 6 GA but you don't have to.
You can use seal tight/liquid tight conduit the entire length from the disconnect to the spa. Just needs to be clamped per NEC, which is no less than 12" from either termination point (boxes) and every 3' between termination points.
You can use seal tight/liquid tight conduit the entire length from the disconnect to the spa. Just needs to be clamped per NEC, which is no less than 12" from either termination point (boxes) and every 3' between termination points.
Sounds good. I think we are going to go with rigid pvc for attaching to the house and deck and then move to flex when we need to come up from under the deck to the tub - just easier. And definitely will clamp/attach it every 3 feet at a minimum.
Would prefer to use 3/4" conduit too but my guy is whining about how hard it will be to fish it through and wants to go 1" which is not readily available around here but I'll find it somehow.
Thx for the advice guys.
maybe I will get 3/4 and see how it goes can always go back for 1" (if I can find it sold out at the 5 stores I went to last night)
Electric won't get done until next week anyway so we will just bring the tub home Sat and get it on the porch at least which is big enough task. No worries.
With a shorter run like you have you could always push the wires through each piece before gluing them together. (Like a kids macaroni necklace).
Which technically isn’t code approved but it’s very valid. Also a cheap fish tape and maybe some wire lube will make the pull easy. Individual wires at like a stranded wire. They bend much much much easier than romex and especially uf wire. It shouldn’t be a hard pull. Just pre straighten the wires and use a fish tape from the end. Have one person pulling the tape and the other feeding the wires. It won’t be bad.
Truthfully I don't think it will be too bad. I think my guy is just whining to whine tbh. Heck I will get out there fish the wire if need be. Its been stupidly hot here the last few days and I think he is just in a bad mood so when discussing things this AM he was kind of being a 2 year old about it. Besides with the exception of a I think 3 90 degree elbows its just going through straight PVC conduit until the last little bit will be in flex. As ESPN NFL would say "Come on Man"
I ran 3/4" when I did my electrical, it's legal. It fits. I won't lie, it was a bit difficult in the seal tight but a bit of wire lube helped greatly. In the straight 3/4" it was fine. I uses 6-3 romex for the run from the main panel to the spa panel (3/4" PVC for the drop from the attic to the spa panel), then stripped the jacket off the romex and ran it into the seal tight to go from the spa panel to the spa pack.
Cheap fish tape at Harbor Freight is your friend.
Cheap fish tape at Harbor Freight is your friend.
Or wad up a small baggie and attach to a string. Then shop vac the pull string through the conduit.
Also I did my stuff my self and made the choices on how I was doing it. Romex nm-b is assumed to be thwn wire but when you strip the jacket off there’s no individual wire ratings on it which makes it against code to do this way. I thought about doing that but I ended up finding a good deal on a remanent length of wiring at lowes.
Have an electrician stopping by this evening says he can do the work this weekend which would be great. If his price isn't too bad then he gets the job and I will just move on, its only $$.
I did find the wire locally and can pick it up tomorrow. Not cheap but not as bad as some of the other prices I was getting.
I did find the wire locally and can pick it up tomorrow. Not cheap but not as bad as some of the other prices I was getting.