mrVanagon
Well-known member
Greetings all!
A bit of quick info so this makes sense. I am not an electrician. I have a small biz installing and repairing low voltage landscape lighting systems. Most of our customers have mid-sized to large homes, often with pools. In the three years I have been doing this, I have repaired many existing systems near water features and pools but I have not installed a new system that required a pool/spa transformer. I have a customer with an old lighting system that is clearly unsafe- several path lights are too close to the water and the transformer is an old transformer that is not intended for pool-area use, plugged into an outlet on the side of the pool panel. I have been hired to add a light or two to this system. I have already told the customer that I will not do anything with this system unless the transformer is replaced and the lights are moved to a safe distance from the pool. She was unaware of the hazard and is happy to have me make the safety upgrades.
My question: is there any reason I cannot (or should not) add a cord set to the new pool-rated transformer to simply plug into the pool panel outlet? I have read everything I can find in the NEC about pools and I haven't seen anything that says the supply for a transformer for LV lighting has to be hard-wired for use in the pool area. I know it has to have a GFCI and correct OCPD and I have to comply with AHJ (they don't permit or inspect low voltage work).
Am I missing something?
A bit of quick info so this makes sense. I am not an electrician. I have a small biz installing and repairing low voltage landscape lighting systems. Most of our customers have mid-sized to large homes, often with pools. In the three years I have been doing this, I have repaired many existing systems near water features and pools but I have not installed a new system that required a pool/spa transformer. I have a customer with an old lighting system that is clearly unsafe- several path lights are too close to the water and the transformer is an old transformer that is not intended for pool-area use, plugged into an outlet on the side of the pool panel. I have been hired to add a light or two to this system. I have already told the customer that I will not do anything with this system unless the transformer is replaced and the lights are moved to a safe distance from the pool. She was unaware of the hazard and is happy to have me make the safety upgrades.
My question: is there any reason I cannot (or should not) add a cord set to the new pool-rated transformer to simply plug into the pool panel outlet? I have read everything I can find in the NEC about pools and I haven't seen anything that says the supply for a transformer for LV lighting has to be hard-wired for use in the pool area. I know it has to have a GFCI and correct OCPD and I have to comply with AHJ (they don't permit or inspect low voltage work).
Am I missing something?
