Power run to my pool

[mike93lx]

We have a pool going in this winter that will have a heat pump, pump, lighting, automatic cover and any other ancillary stuff. I will be building a small pool house and do want a panel in it to allow for some expansion.

With that said, the power and pool equipment will be going in before I can build the shed as it isn't practical to get it in first due to the site work required. The pool company's default is to place a panel outdoors on a post, right at the equipment. If I don't do that and want it inside the shed instead, they will probably have to install disconnects anyway.

So I guess the easiest approach is to let them do their thing and then feed a subpanel in the pool shed from their panel. I just need to have their electrician run enough of a feeder from the house (#2 AL feels like a simple answer to that as the run is under 100' end to end and I really don't need more than 40-50a anyway)

Anything I am missing or need to think about?

 

[Terry D]

would you rather have just one panel in the shed plus the equipment. Is this going to be a pump house. I would want my panel and as much equipment as I could to be inside. Can you just pour the footings/floor now and build the walls around it. I have done that before, built a Unistrut rack. I understand that it is a PITA, and more work, I would go with the 90 amp sub, doesn't cost that much more

 

[mike93lx]

would you rather have just one panel in the shed plus the equipment. Is this going to be a pump house. I would want my panel and as much equipment as I could to be inside. Can you just pour the footings/floor now and build the walls around it. I have done that before, built a Unistrut rack. I understand that it is a PITA, and more work, I would go with the 90 amp sub, doesn't cost that much more

The site is a mess. We cut down 24 trees and all the stumps have to be pulled, plus all the excavating for the pool and patio area. I have no idea what final grade will be, so putting a pad in for a shed now won't be happening.

The equipment will be outdoors, the shed is for storing stuff, a changing room and maybe a cassette toilet.

The #2 is to allow 90a, I just won't need that much and a 60a breaker is more readily available, plus cheaper. Which gets used will be determined later, but I gain nothing useful by running a 90 instead of a 60.

I could always have them put a 12 space panel on a post and then move it all indoors once the shed is built, but that isn't an insignificant task. Not insurmountable either.

If this was a flat, grassy area, I agree, the shed would go in early.

 

[Max]

You need to add up all of your current draws before you conclude that 40-50A is ok. As an example, my old pool had a 1.5HP filter pump, a 1 HP pump for the spa part of the pool, and a .75 HP pump for the pool sweep. They could all be running at the same time and that was a lot of current. If you let the pool guys size your feed it’s likely to be just what the pool needs. So get the numbers and size the feed right, or let your pool guys do it but tell them you need plus so many amps in addition to what their equipment needs.

Having your pumps and electrical exposed to the weather will work, but longer term things will not last as long. If I was to do a new pool for myself I would put all of the equipment in a pump house to both control noise and to get a longer life out of the equipment.

 

[Terry D]

Since you planned on the equipment being outdoors anyway, just have the sub outside and when you build the shed, run a circuit or two from the sub into the shed. A multiwire branch circuit is still considered one feed, so it is allowable by code. But if you are planning on heat or AC in there, then you would need another sub. I would still do the 90 amps, but thats me. I would always want to have more power than needed for the future.

 

[mike93lx]

You need to add up all of your current draws before you conclude that 40-50A is ok. As an example, my old pool had a 1.5HP filter pump, a 1 HP pump for the spa part of the pool, and a .75 HP pump for the pool sweep. They could all be running at the same time and that was a lot of current. If you let the pool guys size your feed it’s likely to be just what the pool needs. So get the numbers and size the feed right, or let your pool guys do it but tell them you need plus so many amps in addition to what their equipment needs.

Having your pumps and electrical exposed to the weather will work, but longer term things will not last as long. If I was to do a new pool for myself I would put all of the equipment in a pump house to both control noise and to get a longer life out of the equipment.

I can put the pump in the shed, but not the heat pump.

Why would you assume I am pulling that number out of thin air? I already had the power draw conversation with my pool guy.

I will have a single pump, the heat pump, the cover and lighting. Nothing complex here.

 

[mike93lx]

Since you planned on the equipment being outdoors anyway, just have the sub outside and when you build the shed, run a circuit or two from the sub into the shed. A multiwire branch circuit is still considered one feed, so it is allowable by code. But if you are planning on heat or AC in there, then you would need another sub. I would still do the 90 amps, but thats me.

No a/c, just a 8x12 ish shed. People won't be in there long.

Mini fridge, lighting, a receptacle, maybe a ceiling fan if I build a gazebo and some landscape lighting. Two 20a circuits would be plenty to cover anything above and beyond the pool equipment

 

[Max]

Why would you assume I am pulling that number out of thin air? I already had the power draw conversation with my pool guy.

Because you didn’t tell us that you had that conversation? 40-50 amps sounds rather casual with no data behind it…

It seems like you pretty much know it all already. But just in case you’re still open to input, realize that most pool installers just want to get stuff in and working so they get paid. Setting things up so they can be maintained longer term is not a priority. Some examples - enough room around equipment to redo wiring or piping when you replace your pump and the exact model is no longer available, shut off valves at key places (particularly important if your equip is below the pool water level like mine), no elec conduit coming from under a poured slab so when the conduit rusts you are screwed, etc.