Spa Wiring Project
 

Here is what I have:
I have a brand new Sq.D 200 amp Homeline panel installed in my garage.
I have an available 50 amp breaker.

What I plan to do is run 1" UV-resistant 41UM Rigid PVC along the foundation
above grade for a distance of 50 feet
to a Sq. D. Spa Panel using four strands of #6.
Anyone with a license see any problems with my conduit or wire sizing????
I plan to have a separate 5/8" copper ground rod just for the spa.

Silencer wrote:

Here is what I have:
I have a brand new Sq.D 200 amp Homeline panel installed in my garage.
I have an available 50 amp breaker.

What I plan to do is run 1" UV-resistant 41UM Rigid PVC along the foundation
above grade for a distance of 50 feet
to a Sq. D. Spa Panel using four strands of #6.
Anyone with a license see any problems with my conduit or wire sizing????
I plan to have a separate 5/8" copper ground rod just for the spa.


I guess I can't answer your question because I don't have a license.

Does the spa actually need a neutral wire? (maybe for a light or a
convenience outlet)

You never said how many amps the spa draws, which is important for
figuring the voltage drop.

Best regards,
Bob

zxcvbob wrote in
:

Silencer wrote:

Here is what I have:
I have a brand new Sq.D 200 amp Homeline panel installed in my
garage. I have an available 50 amp breaker.

What I plan to do is run 1" UV-resistant 41UM Rigid PVC along the
foundation above grade for a distance of 50 feet
to a Sq. D. Spa Panel using four strands of #6.
Anyone with a license see any problems with my conduit or wire
sizing???? I plan to have a separate 5/8" copper ground rod just for
the spa.


I guess I can't answer your question because I don't have a license.

Does the spa actually need a neutral wire? (maybe for a light or a
convenience outlet)

You never said how many amps the spa draws, which is important for
figuring the voltage drop.

Best regards,
Bob


It appears to me the spa needs four wires.
The unit draws 40 amps.

In article , "Silencer" wrote:
Here is what I have:
I have a brand new Sq.D 200 amp Homeline panel installed in my garage.
I have an available 50 amp breaker.

What I plan to do is run 1" UV-resistant 41UM Rigid PVC along the foundation
above grade for a distance of 50 feet
to a Sq. D. Spa Panel using four strands of #6.
Anyone with a license see any problems with my conduit or wire sizing????

You haven't provided enough information for anyone, licensed or not, to answer
that question.

Specifically, it's necessary to know the wire type (THHN, THW, RHW, etc) and
the amperage required by the spa, before you can determine if #6 wire in a 1"
conduit is appropriate.

--
Regards,
Doug Miller (alphageek at milmac dot com)

Nobody ever left footprints in the sands of time by sitting on his butt.
And who wants to leave buttprints in the sands of time?

No license either, but a couple of things I know, after installing
mine. The breaker must be at least 5 feet away from the spa, and within
sight of the spa. So if you can see the 200 amp panel from the spa, you
shouldn't need a separate box for the install, right? The breaker must
be a GFI-type. Your wire gauge seems good to go. Your conduit must be
anchored, what, every 8 feet? Could be less... Again- I am NOT
licensed! Tom

"Silencer" wrote in message
...
Here is what I have:
I have a brand new Sq.D 200 amp Homeline panel installed in my garage.
I have an available 50 amp breaker.

I used a two pole 50A GFI breaker.
Mine needed 4 wire as the heater/pumps ran on 240V but the light and control
panel ran on 120

What I plan to do is run 1" UV-resistant 41UM Rigid PVC along the
foundation
above grade for a distance of 50 feet
to a Sq. D. Spa Panel using four strands of #6.
Anyone with a license see any problems with my conduit or wire sizing????
I plan to have a separate 5/8" copper ground rod just for the spa.

I plan to have a separate 5/8" copper ground rod just for the spa.

I hope you meant an "ADDITIONAL" ground rod.

You spa ground must still be connected (bonded?) to the main service ground.

The purpose of an "additional" ground is to provide a return path to ground
for some "stray" voltages. It helps ensure that there is no significant
voltage difference between, say, your grill and the frame of the spa.

On 26 May 2005 15:37:16 -0500, "Silencer" wrote:

Here is what I have:
I have a brand new Sq.D 200 amp Homeline panel installed in my garage.
I have an available 50 amp breaker.

What I plan to do is run 1" UV-resistant 41UM Rigid PVC along the foundation
above grade for a distance of 50 feet
to a Sq. D. Spa Panel using four strands of #6.
Anyone with a license see any problems with my conduit or wire sizing????
I plan to have a separate 5/8" copper ground rod just for the spa.

Coupla points in adddition to what has already been said. I maybe
wrong (always a distinct possibility) but isn't UM41 water pipe? You
should be using schedule 80 conduit.

At least in the AZ sun, pvc conduit is going to look like a snake
after a while. I would (and did) consider burying it. The
underground part could be schedule 40 then.

If you're using THHN, the usual Home Depot stuff, then 6 AWG should do
it even when derated for temperature, assuming that your spa is like
mine, rated as a 40A load.

Conduit big enough to meet the code for the number and size of
conductors and conduit big enough to actully pull the wire through are
two different things especially if you have any bends.

On Fri, 27 May 2005 15:12:14 -0500, wrote:

Anyone that can afford to purchase and pay the electric to operate a
spa is wealthy. Use some of your wealth to hire a licensed
electrician. Feel free to run the pvc conduit yourself.

Oh, please. The purchase of a spa is one thing, but running the
electricity for the new ones really costs very little, maybe $10 a
month, certainly less than your high-speed Internet connection. Your
suggestion to hire the electrician should be based on safety
considerations, not your unfounded assumptions about someone else's
affluence.

On Fri, 27 May 2005 15:12:14 -0500, wrote:

Anyone that can afford to purchase and pay the electric to operate a
spa is wealthy. Use some of your wealth to hire a licensed
electrician. Feel free to run the pvc conduit yourself.

Well. I just installed mine so I have no bill yet to compare to. That
said, while I haven't had the heater turned on for several days, I
have it set to maintain 99F. It's currently at 101F, so if I work it
right I guess I can put juice back into the line and lower my bill.

Having an outside temperature that hit 109 on Sunday probably doesn't
hurt, until I turn on the A/C and then the spa heater goes into the
noise.

Since it just started to sprinkle about 10 minutes ago in Tucson and
the humidity is going up I guess turning off the evaporative cooling
and turning on the A/C is going to happen momentarily.




On 26 May 2005 15:37:16 -0500, "Silencer" wrote:

Here is what I have:
I have a brand new Sq.D 200 amp Homeline panel installed in my garage.
I have an available 50 amp breaker.

What I plan to do is run 1" UV-resistant 41UM Rigid PVC along the foundation
above grade for a distance of 50 feet
to a Sq. D. Spa Panel using four strands of #6.
Anyone with a license see any problems with my conduit or wire sizing????
I plan to have a separate 5/8" copper ground rod just for the spa.