Doing a free webinar on Article 680 next Saturday. While it is not dedicated to HI’s you will learn the basics of Article 680. More details will be posted in the private area for members only.
Grounding and bonding are not synonymous. A ground rod is NOT required for proper bonding of pool & spa equipment. Furthermore, installation of a ground rod does nothing to enhance nor to establish effective bonding.
But does enhance effective earth grounding. Correct?
Greetings Michael,
I applaud your efforts to better understand the interesting aspects of Article 680, most specifically section 680.26 and Equipotential Bonding concepts. As a member of NFPA CMP 17 I can personally appreciate your interests.
To directly answer your questions and not get misdirected, I will relate to your question directly in your quote with RED responses. They will be very brief and generalized. However, I am doing a free webinar on Article 680 next week and it will be recorded. I won’t be going into deep concepts as it is geared more to codes…however I am sure I will touch on it.
Again I applaud your efforts…continue the desire to learn.
Sorry, but that is not correct. Please see Jeff P’s comments for the corrections.
A ground rod is for high voltage events like lightning strikes.
I guess you could argue that any connection to earth would “enhance” earth-grounding, but it’s effectiveness would be (IMHO) negligible. It’s pretty unlikely that the equipment would be subject to a high voltage event.
GFI protection for the 120 volts circuits is required.
I’m in Florida…
In addition, an extra class amateur radio operator. And have had a few towers at 100 feet and several below that, and I’m positive an earth grounding array has been beneficial as to prevent a lightning strike.
Important stuff that helps protect life.**
http://miami.cbslocal.com/2014/06/24/wrongful-death-lawsuit-filed-in-calder-sloans-pool-electrocution/**
The wrongful death complaint claims he was electrocuted due to a
faulty pool light and electrical grounding and bonding on the pool’s lighting system.
Also listed in the lawsuit is JP, or Jorge Perez Enterprises Inspection Company,
who inspected the home when it was purchased
Lots of finger pointing, but no facts as to the cause in that article.
You know how it goes, the big lawsuit dragnet including all.
Bottom line the kid is dead.
A couple things…
Earth grounding does not prevent lightning strikes. It simply helps to direct the discharge energy into the earth. Towers need this type of grounding because they are sticking up into the sky, where the lightning originates. Pool equipment, being much closer to the ground, is far less likely to be a “magnet” for lightning strikes.
So if the pool pump is 120v it needs to be gfci protected, correct? Does the same apply for all 120v pool related Electrical components (heater, light)? And why not gfci protect the 240v equipment?
A 1Ø, 240 volt pool pump requires GFCI protection even when hardwired. GFCI protection may be required for the underwater light as well.
At the CN Tower, lightning strikes twice — and again, and again
Forget the old adage when it comes to Toronto’s most famous landmark, which gets hit 75 to 80 times a year with no ill effects.
Got it!
680.23 Underwater Luminaires.
(3) GFCI Protection. Branch circuits supplying underwater luminaires that operate at more than 15V shall be GFCI protected.
I went to high school in a rural small town in central Ohio. There was a curve nearby that was called Deadman’s Curve by everybody as so many people had died at the 90 degree curve at the end of a 15 to 20 mile straight as an arrow stretch. There was row of trees directly in line with 90 turn which claimed many victims, also many wrecks at that curve that the drivers luckily avoided the tree line and wrecked into the fields on either side of the tree line, most of which survived. Well the years went by and finally the son, daughter, or loved one of somebody who had some power with the local or state authorities was injured or killed on that curve and low and behold The curve was reworked to a gradual curve with rumble strips and bright signage. Guess what! Wrecks were diminished to nearly nothing!
I imagine the same thing happened with GFCI protection (I don’t know, hopefully one of the old timers or electrical experts will expound, I was just entering grade school in the early 70’s) in the early 70’s people were being killed by electrocution using power equipment outdoors … The NEC(?) starts requiring exterior outlets to be GFCI protected in 1973… 1974 Sen. Joe Bob Smith’s 3rd cousins gets electrocuted after she drops her hair drier into the bath tub… low and behold… GFCI required by NEC 1975 in bathrooms… 1976 Sen. Joe Bob Jones Uncle Harry dies a terrible death by electrocution in his garage… low and behold two years later 1978 (we all know the speed of goberment:roll::eek:) the NEC requires GFCI protection in garages… then in 1982 Gov. Jimmy Joe Johnson’s niece gets electrocuted while washing dishes and the coffee maker falls into the kitchen sink… (takes 5 years now:roll: but low and behold… the NEC requires GFCI protection in kitchens in 1987…
The list goes on…
Crawl Spaces 1990
Wet bars 1993 (I can just imagine the story behind this one:p)
Laundry and utility sinks 2005
Dishwashers 2014
My question is… How many people have to be electrocuted in swimming pools before all circuits associated with swimming pools are required to have GFCI protection?
What type of pool?
Permanently installed pools must have a EGC no smaller than 12 AWG.
How much current/voltage?
Table 250.122.Minimum Size Equipment Grounding (Bonding) Conductor
Protection Rating…CopperConductor
15A…14 AWG
20A…12 AWG
30.60A…10 AWG
70.100A…8 AWG
110.200A…6 AWG
225.300A…4 AWG
350.400A…3 AWG
450.500A…2 AWG
600A…1 AWG
700.800A…1/0 AWG
1,000A…2/0 AWG
1,200A…3/0 AWG
GFCI protection:
Pool motors to have GFCI protection whenever they’re rated 120V or 240V, 15A or 20A.
Is there a luminary?
680.23(A)
Hope that helps.
Grounding requirements and bonding requirements are different. Your post references equipment grounding. The original post is asking about equipment bonding.
As I stated previously, bonding and grounding are not synonymous. Equipotential bonding is the act of connecting (i.e. bonding) components in order to prevent an external transfer of electricity between components.
As an example, picture rubbing your feet on the carpet and touching a door knob. The result is a static shock. If you “bond” yourself to the door knob by grasping it, then rub your feet on the carpet and touch the door knob with your other hand, there will be no static shock because you are “bonded” to the door knob.