wiring a 1 1/2 hp 15 amp pump for an above ground pool.

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J

JayH

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Jun 3, 2018
40
Bucks County, Pa
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Let me begin by saying thanks to all who reply.

I am going to have a Doughboy 18' x 33' above ground pool installed probably this week and I am thinking about running the wire to the pump myself. The pump is a Powerlink XP 1. Model number 0-3297-306 it's 1.5 Horsepower and 15.0 amps.

I am not an electrician by trade but I was issued a permit to do it and I have to get it inspected.

My question is pertaining to the gauge of the wire.

I need to run about 115' of wire from a sub panel in my garage to a Hubble HBLPKL520 Pool Pump Kit which has a switch and a 20 amp twist lock.

To do this I was going to run 60' of 1/2" pvc schedule 80 conduit 12" deep from the Hubble to an LB. The total bends would be 180 degrees. Then in my basement it would be 50' to get it through a wall and into a sub panel in my garage. (Plus another 5' here or there.) I assume all that is good.

But, inside the conduit, I was thinking of using 12 gauge THWN wire and, once through the LB, connect it to 12/2 and ultimately connect it to a 20 amp gfci breaker in my subpanel. Does this sound good?
Thanks!
 
Hi, welcome to TFP! I admire a DIY spirit, but if you have never run electrical before, a pool is not the place to learn. There is more to it than running the correct size wire, you need to make sure the pool is properly bonded for it to be safe. I will let those who know more about electrical work than I advise you from here. I truly wish you all the best and congratulations on the new pool!
 
For the most part, you are correct on what you want to do. From the panel, as long as you are inside the structure, you can use regular Nmb Romex to a junction box where the power will be leaving the building. Once you are outside the building and underground you will need to be in conduit with the THWN you mentioned. You will also need to supply an insulated (green) ground wire as the NEC code for pools requires this. So, in the conduit you will have one green, black and white wire. The problem you may run into is the distance you are running. Without looking at the tables, I would probably go up one size and run #10 wire to overcome any voltage drops you may see. If the pump can be wired as a 240 volt I would switch to that.
Dan
 
If you are going to wire the pump as a 240 circuit, you will need 4 wires: black (leg), red (leg), white (neutral or grounded conductor) and green (ground). Alternatively you have have 2 blacks instead of red and black. Do not use Romex (NM) wire. It will be better if you run a 240 circuit if your pump is capable, it cuts the amps in half which will reduce your voltage drop. 20 gauge wire will be fine for your 240V circuit and will easily handle 7.5 amps at that distance. You will need to bury the conduit 18" to meet the code. Underground wire can be used without conduit but has to be 24" and you will have to have conduit from your box down to 24". You would have to use 12/3 UF-B wire for underground. Conduit is better. If you are ever going to have a heat pump for your pool, run a larger circuit now and put in a small subpanel for your equipment. Should you run the circuit as 240V, you will have to change the receptacle and plug to 240V as well.

As danpik said, you can use Romex wire from your panel to an outside box, but once you head underground, no Romex. Seems easier to run undergound wire the whole way with no splice.
 
gfci breakers are crazy expensive. In all the years, all my projects and houses I have never bought one. in Canada they are around $200.

This is what I would do. Regular breaker. 12 gauge Romex to the outside of the house. (Outdoor receptacle box) to the line side of a 20amp gfci receptacle, then the load side of the receptacle to the pump via direct bury 12 gauge.
 
Wow, thank you for all the replies.

Where I live the ground is very, very, rocky. It would be worth my while to dig less and put the wire in conduit. I can't find any schedule 80 so I'm going with EMT. It's my understanding that I can bury that 6". Although I betcha I'm going to be corrected on that!

Just to note I don't think I can convert my pump to 240.

But, if I have this straight, I have three choices.

1) GFCI breaker ($45) and 12/3 UF-B wire for underground wire the whole way. Or,

2) Use a regular breaker ($4) then run 12/3 romex to a junction box having a 20 amp GFCI receptacle ($15) then switch to 12/3 gauge THWN wire or 12/3 Gray Solid CU UF-B W/G to the load side and run that either through conduit or not. Or,

3) the way in my original post. But if I don't go with 240, which I don't think I can/will, should I use 10/3 or 12/3?

Again, thank you I really didn't expect so many replies!
 

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Well, a change of coarse here. After pricing the Rigid I'm going to rent a ditch witch for 4 hours, install schedule 40 and bury it 18". I guess I could go another 6" and just direct bury it but I'd just prefer the conduit. Partially because of all the rock but also because I'd have a chase if I want to pull some 14/2 through it later and it's also how I like to do things.
I still have not decided on the gauge but this will keep me going for now.
Thanks again to everybody who commented.
 
With the distance you are running, I would use at least #10 wire on a 20 amp breaker. You have no choice but to use conduit as direct bury (UF) is not code legal for pools.

You mentioned possibly running a second circuit out there...I would look into running a 30 amp sub panel out there to allow for additional circuits. Depending on how your inspector reads the code, he may consider this a separate structure and with that you are only allowed to run one circuit out there (two hots and one neutral)

Dan
 
Dan, Thanks for the clarification in the conduit. That was close... For the inspection I will only have the one, well three, wires in there. I don't know if I'll ever have anything else inside the conduit but thanks for the heads up.
I agree with your assessment of the sub panel. I definitely wish I had a sub panel in place now, but in my basement, and I will probably have someone install one over the next 4 months. But I have water coming tomorrow and the Ditch Witch on Saturday.
I'll use number 10 wire and after the sub panel is in I'll shorten the distance.
Thank you.
 
I agree with Dan,

1" or at the bare minimum 3/4.

I don't know your situation, you may need a second circuit for the convenience outlet >6 not more than 20. Don't forget your bonding inspection will take place with this permit.

Can you confirm the nema configuration of the plug shipping on the pool motor? What is the AMP draw? (i just don't want you to buy all this stuff and have to change to 240v)
 
Hi Chris thanks for your contribution. I did buy 1" conduit and I called the folks who sold me the pump and they told me that I cannot switch it over to 240v. I wish I could with the distance.

I can tell you if I do put in a convenience outlet I will use a different circuit and I would like to do that in the not too distant future.

I will keep my post between 6' and 7' away from the pool wall.

I don't know what a nema configuration is so I can't comment on that but the pump is 15 amps and 1 1/2 hp.

In the owners guide it reads that the pump is double insulated and grounded and that dead metal parts are not in contact with pool water. But thank you for mentioning the bonding.

Thank you Chris.
 

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