In ground pool electrical work

[F16CrewChief]

So I bought a house, a second northwest Florida home. It has a single garage shop that was half converted into a grow room, which has now been gutted, but their electrical work is a nightmare. There is a poorly built pole barn with plywood for flooring also. The shop was fed by #6 wire from a 200amp service panel at the house, which the wires for the 100amp service into the house look like they were overloaded at one time. We are looking to have to upgrade some of the electrical. However, we do plan on installing an in ground pool later on. So heres the question:

On a standard inground pool, nothing over the top, what power needs to be fed for a salt water type pump? 110v or 220v? This is to give us an idea of how to proceed with redoing the electrical while allowing for expansion later on.

Another question: Is it possible to pull #4 wire through 1" conduit pipe to redo the #6 wire to the shop so that I can wire in for future expansion of
220v outlets for welder and plenty of 110v outlets?

 

[p_mori7]

My inground pool has 240V for the pump, and for the heater. The salt water chlorine generator runs on 120V.

I ran 100A to the garage, and the pool doodads are powered from the garage subpanel.

I used direct bury Teck copper wire (armored mining wire) from the house to the garage.

 

[zmaxmotorsports]

I wouldn't mess with 1" pipe to feed it,Id run 2" pipe out there and be done with it.Its not that much more expensive,and a whole lot easier to pull wire through.

 

[Norcal]

Pools need to be done by qualified people, lives depend on it.

 

[Stuart in MN]

There is a whole section of the NEC regarding swimming pools - there are a bunch of specific grounding issues you need to deal with.

 

[wyliesdiesels]

My inground pool has 240V for the pump, and for the heater. The salt water chlorine generator runs on 120V.

I ran 100A to the garage, and the pool doodads are powered from the garage subpanel.

I used direct bury Teck copper wire (armored mining wire) from the house to the garage.

That cable is only sold in canada...OP is in the US...

 

[Norcal]

That cable is only sold in canada...OP is in the US...

Not recognized by the NEC for underground use w/ pools either, TECK is a jacketed metal clad cable I believe.

 

[chops101]

Standard pool for your area? Size?

I have 1.5hp Hayward for the pool and it can be easily wired for 120v or 240v.
Unfortunately mine was wired initially @ 120 so that's where I am. Works fine, it has a dedicated circuit.
20 x 42 , 21k gal capacity

 

[C96]

I would provide for a small outdoor sub-panel adjacent to where the swimming pool equipment will be located. This way you will be covered for whatever equipment you decide on, lighting etc.

 

[Aceman]

Pools aren't for diy'ers. Hire an electrician that's done pools before.

 

[traumadoc2b]

If I'm correct, I think his original question wasn't about DIY, but about what he might need to think about while planning his current electrical service, to allow for future expansion, including a pool (F16, please correct me if I'm wrong).

For information on wire fill, check here: http://sparkyjohn.com/pipefill/pipefill.pdf
Of course, NEC will have the official and most up to date info.

If the run will be outside or underground, you can't use NM cable, which is what it sounded like you might be considering. I don't think you should really be running NM in conduit either.

 

[Falcon67]

Personally, I wouldn't run any power to a pool that didn't or couldn't have GFCI protection on it.

I don't think the pump has much to do with it, other than how big a pump you'll need. You'll have more issues picking a spot for the equipment since you'll need to allow for access to service and discharge from backwashing, pump down and whatnot. It'd have to be a pretty big pool to get more than a 2HP pump I'd think. You can go 3 HP on 12 gauge wire at 240V, so at most you'd need two spaces in a panel for the breaker(s) plus breaker space for any ancillary equipment besides the pump motor.

 

[chops101]

Hopefully for everyone's sake, no one is "running power to the pool"
Most FL pool installations, the pool equipment is mounted at a side exterior house wall, well away from any pool water. The motor is grounded. It is treated the same way a well pump, irrigation pump, or AC unit is handled.
As in my installation, the vacuum and return lines are at least 100' PVC runs each from pool to motor. The cause for concern is that every external house receptacle be GFCI that is within any proximity to the water. GFCI's stop working after several years in this environment.

The internal pool lights are 12v DC by code.

 

[Professur]

So when's the mother in law due?

 

[Falcon67]

Our above ground runs off the exterior GFCI on a plug-and-cord. It does trip the GFCI off if it rains and the cord gets wet and the pump timer has the pump running. There is no metal connection anywhere between the pump unit and the pool, it's all PVC or plastic hose.

 

[offroadsteve]

If I'm correct, I think his original question wasn't about DIY, but about what he might need to think about while planning his current electrical service, to allow for future expansion, including a pool (F16, please correct me if I'm wrong).

For information on wire fill, check here: http://sparkyjohn.com/pipefill/pipefill.pdf
Of course, NEC will have the official and most up to date info.

If the run will be outside or underground, you can't use NM cable, which is what it sounded like you might be considering. I don't think you should really be running NM in conduit either.

This ^^^^... He didn't say he's going to wire the pool himself, just planning for the future.

As usual... it depends. just a standard residential size pool with a pump for the filters and such will need a 20A, 120V dedicated circuit for the pump, another 15A, 120V accessory circuit for other stuff (chlorinator, lights, etc), and i'd have another 15A, 120V circuit for the heater, assuming gas heat (which is really the only option for a pool heater). As pmori said, the large pumps can be wired for 240V, but they can also be run on 120V.

What I would do is wire for a 40A, 240V subpanel that will be dedicated to the pool "stuff", and that should cover anyhting you could possibly need, unless you install a water park in your backyard!

 

[alfredeneuman]

If you're just in the planning stage, run a conduit to the proposed location, and install a pull rope in it.

That way, you can just pull in whatever wire you want when the times comes.

There are Code requirements even for underground electrical when it comes to pools, so get someone qualified to do the work.