Supplies Needed to Wire a Hot Tub

Feb - 01
2020

Supplies Needed to Wire a Hot Tub

Electricity and water are a potentially lethal combination. Because of this, one of the most important security measures you can take for your hot tub is paying strict attention to construction code requirements during the installation process. Exact requirements for electrical wiring change slightly among regulatory jurisdictions, however you’ll generally follow the guidelines of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Consult the regional code enforcement bureau before performing any electrical improvements on your home.

Service Panel

The house’s most important service panel or panel box should have room to get a 220-volt breaker and also be capable of supporting the excess demand for present. Many older homes built before 1970 provided electricity through panels ranked below 100 amps. These panels may not be effective at securely supplying the extra current demand created by a hot bathtub’s heating and flow parts. In these cases, the prudent path is to seek advice from a certified electrician before starting any work.

Circuit Breaker

The power to the hot tub ought to be provided through a dedicated circuit. A correctly sized circuit breaker must be installed in the service panel to supply power only to the hot tub.

Shut-Off Box

The NEC requires an emergency ground-fault circuit interrupt (GFCI) shutoff box at the line of sight of and at least 5 feet away in the hot tub. This box gives a speedy entry point to shut off all power to the hot tub in the event of an emergency. The GFCI circuitry is designed to instantly shut off power if a short or ground fault is detected. The manual, emergency shutoff gives a fail-safe mechanism in the event the GFCI malfunctions.

Additional Outlet

A 120-volt receptacle is required by NEC. This receptacle must be located within 10 to 20 feet of the hot tub.

Conduit

Specially rated underground cable must be used when resisting unprotected electrical wiring. In many locations, underground wiring for exterior installations have to be run through conduit. Consult the regional code enforcement agency for material and depth demands. In many instances, the use of plastic conduit is allowed. However, there’s frequently a gap in the depth requirement for steel and plastic conduit.

Wiring

Just like the circuit breaker, wiring should be sized to the hot tub’s total amp requirement. Installing smaller gauge cable than specified is dangerous and will damage the heater and pump elements. Undersized wiring also raises the chance of electrical fires.

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