Donald Hester
Washington State Licensed Home Inspector #647
WSDA#80050
InterNachi Member #NACHI10022401
509-670-9572
Contact Us
Washington State Licensed Home Inspector #647
WSDA#80050
InterNachi Member #NACHI10022401
509-670-9572
Contact Us
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Shocking... GFCI protection for pool pumps and more.
Submitted by DonHester on Mon, 10/06/2014 - 07:21.
Shocking... GFCI protection for pool pumps and more. East Wenatchee Home Inspection
We are moving towards GFCI (ground fault circuit interrupter) protection for almost any location that could be remotely associated with water and electrical outlets and equipment.
One area seems to be a no brainer is receptacles, outlets and equipment associated with swimming pools, and to be a little more specific I am focusing on in ground pools.
Now any receptacle for circulation and sanitation equipment need to be GFCI protected. Also any circuit to a motorized pool cover needs to be GFCI protected.
Pool cover circuit needs GFCI protection
But one area I want to focus on is the pool pump itself. There have been some changes in recent codes in regards to when GFCI protection needs to be provided. As a home inspector in Wenatchee and Eastern Washington I see my share of pools. Though pools are outside the State SOP’s I feel electrical safety is just too important to not be part of the home inspection.
So lets jump into the water so to speak. The code started picking up pool motor protection in section 680.22.
680.22 Area Lighting, Receptacles, and Equipment.
(A) Receptacles.
(5) GFCI Protection.
The 2002 NEC required that all 125 volt receptacles located within 20 feet of the inside walls of pool or fountain be GFCI protected. Receptacles supplying pool pump motors rated 15 or 20 amperes, 120V through 240V, single phase, be provided with GFCI protection. But there was a slight problem, there are some receptacles that are rated for 250v.
The 2005 NEC cleaned this up and changed the section to read that GFCI protection is required for receptacles that supply pool pump motors rated 15A or 20A, 125V through 250V, single phase.
In the 2008 NEC Section 680.22 a new section was added.
680.22 (B) GFCI Protection
Outlets supplying pool pump motor from branch circuits with short-circuit and ground fault protection rate 15 or 20 ampere, 125 volt or 240 volt, single phase, whether by receptacle or direct connection, shall be provided with ground fault circuit-interrupter protection for personnel.
In the 2011 NEC GFCI protection was added to section 680.21 for motors under article 680.
Article 680 II Permanently Installed Pools
680.21 Motors
(C) GFCI Protection.
Outlets supplying pool pump motors connected to single-phase, 120-volt through 240-volt branch circuits, whether by receptacle or by direct connection, shall be provided with ground-fault circuit-interrupter protection for personnel.
Now remember that per code an “Outlet” is a point on the wiring system at which current is taken to supply utilization equipment. This term is frequently misused to refer to receptacles. Although receptacle outlets are outlets, not all outlets are receptacle outlets.
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NCW Home Inspections, LLC is a Licensed Washington State Home Inspection service located in Wenatchee Washington serving Chelan County, Douglas County, Kittitas County, Okanogan County and Grant County Washington and the cities of Wenatchee, Leavenworth, Cashmere, Oroville, Cle Elum, East Wenatchee, Quincy and many more…
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