Will Your Pool Pass An Inspection?
If the safety of your family is important, you owe it to them to have it annually inspected by a proven Article 680 NEC code compliant Professional Pool and Spa Electrician. At Wesco we are a Shock Alert Testing and Article 680 NEC Code Compliant Inspection Company, with over 37 years of experience. Book your Inspection - Today
Is your Pool Safe From Electrical Shock?
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Have your Pool Professionally Inspected and Tested by Wesco Per the NEC Article 680 Electrical Codes
Ensure that the following items are Bonded:
- Perimeter Surface Bonding
- Equipment and Metal Parts Bonding
- Pool Water Bonding
- Pool Grid Shell Bonding
Ensure the following items are in accordance with the NEC:
- Service Disconnect - Sub Panels - GFCI Breakers
- Pool Equipment Like Time Clocks, Pool Lights & Transformers, Pool light junction boxes, Switch boxes, Pool motors, Heat pumps, Salt generators, Gas Pool Heaters, Etc.
What is grounding and bonding?
Swimming Pools - Hot Tubs - Spas
The average swimmer probably doesn’t really think too much about the electrical components that make a swimming pool work. But the fact is that without the water pump, filtration system, heater, etc. Swimming wouldn’t be very pleasant. But with all these electrical components combined with the conductive metal parts of the swimming pool, Also comes the potential for great danger. Swimming pools Must be properly Grounded and Bonded to prevent this danger.
What is Grounding ?
Grounding is a way to direct the flow of electrical current towards the earth rather than through the pool users. This is accomplished through proper equipment ground wiring and GFCI (ground fault circuit interrupter) breakers. The correct ground wiring is a low impedance path for the breaker to detect a fault in the electrical current, then it can shut down the electrical equipment exhibiting the fault and help ensure no one receives a shock. A fault is defined as an abnormal electrical current. In the case of a swimming pool, an abnormal electrical current can create a dangerous situation for swimmers. Grounding a swimming pool will help protect swimmers from being shocked or electrocuted, If a fault occurs in the electrical system.
What is Bonding?
Bonding is another process which reduces the possibility of electrical shock by connecting the pool and all of the conductive elements in a swimming pool to a single network. This includes the pool water, pool walls, post and rails, the water pump, heater, the deck area around the pool and any other metal parts like ladders, slides or handrails, etc. By connecting all these these items together it creates what is know as a equipotential bonding. A equipotential bonding grid is Necessary to prevent the flow of electricity due to different voltage gradients. When there is a differential in voltage or stray voltage, and that electrical current is allowed to freely flow it can potentially cause a shock or electrocution. The bonding grid system equalizes the voltage gradients and helps reduce the potential for an electrical shock.
Grounding and Bonding are Totally Different, But Work Together
Grounding and Bonding work together to prevent electrical shocks or electrocution. Grounding your swimming pool can shut down the electrical equipment if there is a fault in the electrical system. Creating a bonding grid equalizes the voltage differential between the pool and various metal components of the swimming pool and thereby helps to prevent electrical shocks. BOTH of these are Absolutely Necessary to help ensure your swimming pool is Safe.
Why Hire a Pool and Hot Tub Electrical Specialist?
To Insure your swimming pool is Properly Wired, Grounded and Bonded per the 680 NEC Code. You should Never allow this job to be performed by anybody other than a Licensed Electrican that is an Expert on the 680 National Electrical Code for Swimming Pools, Spas, and Hot Tubs. Even most good electricians don’t understand the difference in the way Swimming Pools and Hot Tubs are required to be wired, bonded and grounded differently than regular home wiring, Keep in mind, Just because it works doesn’t mean it was done right, If it doesn’t meet the 680 NEC Code, It could be putting your Family at Risk At Wesco we don’t take Pool and Hot Tub wiring lightly or skimp on the Installation process in any way. At Wesco We are Swimming Pool and Hot Tub Electrical Specialists, with over 37 of Electrical Experience and Preform each and every job with Superior Quality and Always meet or exceed the 680 NEC Code for Pools, Spas, and Hot Tubs. If Superior Quality and the peace of mind in knowing the job was done right the first time. Is important to you,
Give Wesco a call 865-603-4084
Stray Voltage and EPRI field reports
Stray Voltage and Contact Shocks are on the rise, ranging 500 to over a 1000 per YEAR that are being investigated for complaints of shocks around their pools and spas, this is just an estimation, because most are not publicly reported, the actual number will be a lot more. “The Real Problem is Every in-ground pool and spa built under the old 2008 - 2017 National Electrical Code that allowed the single wire halo ( option ) is a pool or spa at Risk of becoming a shock hazard for the pool and spa users.’’
Stray voltage is dangerous!
There are 200 to 400 Pools and Spas built annually in our area and a Disturbing amount have either electrical or bonding issues or both and are Not safe in the event of stray voltage, contact voltage, or equipment failure that causes electrical current to go into the pool or the area around the pool or spa, As a Shock Alert Testing and Article 680 National Electrical Code Inspection Company. We are seeing a disturbing amount of people getting Shocked every year in their Pools and Spas. Due to improper Electrical and Bonding by Regular Licensed Electricians with little to No experience in the Article 680 National Electrical Codes. We are also seeing and repairing BRAND NEW Pools and Spas that have passed their 2017 NEC Inspections, but the Single Wire Halo was NOT Adequate to reduce the Stray Voltage in the Pool and Spa, and the ONLY way to fix it is to Remove the concrete, pavers or travertine all the way around the Pool and Spa and install the 3’ Copper Grid System - This gets very expensive and the pool contractor will Not pay for it, and Say the single wire halo passed an Inspection - it’s your problem now, even though the 3' Copper Grid System was also an option that could have been used originally.
Basic Bonding is NOT Adequate
One Single Perimeter Bond Wire Halo ( option ) is the minimum option that everyone uses, because it is cheaper and is still approved by the 2017 NEC Article 680 Code that East Tennessee is under at this Present Time in our area, However Testing from NEETRAC, EPRI, ENERNEX, has stated for over 8 years that a Single Bond Wire / Halo - Does NOT Adequately Protect a Person Sitting or Standing on the Pool or Spa Deck from fatal electrical faults or Stray Voltage. A few years ago EPRI and Duke Energy verified a study on 2 brand new residential pools in North Carolina that passed their 2017 NEC Code inspections with the single wire halo option, but they were getting Stray Voltage in the pool. So the concrete/pavers were removed and the 3’ copper grid was installed and concrete/pavers were then replaced. The 3’ copper grid fixed the Stray Voltage issues. Even our local TVA reports use the EPRI report to state the Single Wire Halo option is not adequate when investigating a Stray Voltage issue in a Pool or Spa.
Update - On April 10th 2023 - NFPA - Issued an Emergency - Tentative Interim Amendment - TIA 23-9 ( Log # 1687 ) Which Finally changed and Restructured the Article 680 NEC code to Eliminate the in-adequate Single Bond Wire / Halo option and it is No longer allowed to be used to Bond the Perimeter Surface Area around a Pool or Spa. All Perimeter surfaces Must Now have a equipotential bonding grid that extends out 3’ and consist of a 12’’x 12’’ pattern of welded # 8 copper grid or a # 3 steel rebar grid that follows the contour around the pool or spa. The single wire / halo is Now Only allowed in non paved walkways, etc. that are NOT in Direct Contact with the Pool or Spa’s Water and the Swimmers, it must also be connected to the new 3’ Copper Grid System to achieve Safety compliance.
But Sadly, Nothing Will Change Until East Tennessee / Knoxville Adopts the new 2023 or the 2026 National Electrical Codes !!!
At Wesco, we have always insisted that the single wire / halo bond option was Not Safe and therefore we have Only used the Copper Conductor Grid System option for many many years. Because your Safety is our # 1 Priority, But sadly even though it’s 2026, East Tennessee is still under the old 2017 NEC Article 680 Code which Still Allows the Single Wire / Halo as an option and it is installed every day on New Pools and Spas because it is Cheaper !!! - Just Say NO to the cheap Single Wire Halo option !!! Demand Your Pool Builder allows you to hire your own Pool and Spa Electrical Specialist that will ONLY use the 3’ Copper Grid System option, which is also an option the inspector will definitely approve and would prefer to be used, Because this option ensures protection for your family !!!
Notice to all Pool Customers - Please, Please, DO NOT ALLOW anyone to use the Unsafe Single Wire / Halo Bond as the cheap option, on your New Pool or Spa !!! - Think about it - Just ONE single wire to protect the 3’ area around your Pool or Spa or a 3’ wide Copper Grid System - It’s just common sense !!! - Please petition the Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance to adopt the 2023 NEC with the Emergency TIA 23-9 (Log # 1687) or the New 2026 NEC codes for Pools, Spas. A new code change is the ONLY way our amazing East Tennessee Electrical Inspectors can legally enforce this VITAL Safety Change. While we are still under the 2017 NEC Code they have No choice, but to approve the Single Wire Halo as an option. But Your family's Safety depends on using the 3' Copper Grid System !!!
