Swimming Pool Expert Witness Construction & Design

Expert Witness - Swimming Pools, Construction & Design
National Electrical Code - Section 680 Swimming Pools & Spas

The electrician didn't understand why I disapproved of this installation...
There were many things wrong:

• Indoor rated CAT 5 Cable was installed in underground conduits.  Underground or Direct Burial cables should be used, as they contain a silicone gel to prevent water intrusion.

• The metal gutters are not specifically designed for swimming pool lighting junction boxes, and were utilized for the underwater lighting.  These non-compliant boxes are not equipped with the required corded strain relief, grounding bar or the internal and external bonding connections.  ONLY fixtures specially designed for this purpose may be utilized for underwater fixtures [NEC 680.24(A)(1), NEC 680.24(D)], IRC4106.8.5, IRC4106.8.1].

• The metal gutters were not properly supported, protected from damage or waterproof.

• Bare #8 copper bonding wires do not connect the exterior of the box to the bonding grid [NEC 680.24].

• A stranded green #8 copper bonding wire is not contained within the PVC conduits from the Pentair Panel terminal bars to the pool light junction box terminal bars [NEC 680.24(F)].

• Stranded green #8 copper wires are not contained within the PVC conduit between the pool light niche and the gutters.  The #8 copper wire connection inside of the light niche must be encapsulated in an approved potting compound [NEC 680.23(B)] .

• All grounding and bonding connections in a swimming pool installation MUST connect to a terminal bar or equipment bonding lug – wire nut connections are not permitted on grounding or bonding wires [NEC 680.24(F)].  

      They are just TOO IMPORTANT TO COME LOOSE!

• Non-pool light circuits may not share pool lighting conduits unless they are GFCI protected [NEC 680.23(F)].

• Low voltage and high voltage wiring are contained within the same panels, conduits and junction boxes – data wiring inside of conduits with high voltage electrical conductors [NEC 800-52].

His question... "What's your problem?

Oh, only a minor detail of potentially killing people in their swimming pool.

Paolo Benedetti 
Aquatic Artist, Watershape Consultant, Expert Witness 
"Creating water as art."™ 
Aquatic Technology Pool and Spa©
www.aquatictechnology.com