Article 680 of the National electrical law (NEC) governs the installation of electrical systems for swimming pools, fountains, hot basins, resorts, gathering bathrooms, ornate swimming pools, artificial waterfalls, treatment tanks, and similar water bodies. Its main focus is on preventing the risk of electric shock and fire risk near water.
The article covers the electrical facilities associated with:
Bathrooms (permanently and strong)
Hot resorts and hot ponds
Fountains
Hydromas bathtub
Therapeutic tanks
Polytles, lakes and similar fixtures
Below is an overview of everything important mentioned in this article:
General requirements for water -based installations
Equipment must be installed for all the manufacturer’s instructions and all applied menu and signs.
GFCI (Earth’s Fear Circle clips) Protection is required for all circuits related to the swimming and spa race, including pumps, electrical heaters, lighting and amenities near the water.
The interconnection between all parts connected to 5 feet of water is mandatory to prevent shock – it must be used No. 8 AWG Steel copper (Aluminum is not permitted to interconnected).
All metal parts of the equipment should be focused on copper or isolated, aluminum resistant aluminum conductors properly, safely connected to grounding ends or bars, and protected from physical damage.
The voltage should not exceed the ground 150 volts For any circle inside 5 feet From water (or under water).
Equipment listed and named only (Pumps, lights, transformers, heaters, controls, etc.) It must be used and must be distinguished for the use of billiards, spa or fountain.
Wiring wires with wet classification (for example, Thwn, xhw, MC runwayThe attachments are required for all outdoor or near water installations.
No NM-B (Romex), BX or Killisted MC cable It is allowed near swimming pools, resorts or fountains.
Cutting cuts should be easily available, in view of the equipment they control, and at least fall 5 feet from the inner wall of the pool or the spa.
Underground wires should keep at least 5 feet from the inner pool wall unless they are installed in a solid channel (RMC, IMC, or PVC listedIn the depth of the appropriate burial (at least 6 inches for RMC and IMC, at least 18 inches for PVC 80). Underground wires are strictly blocked without the canal, even if they are classified for direct burial.
Only qualified employees should perform billiards, spa or electrical installation of water.
The upper power lines should maintain the minimum clearance 22.5 feet above the water and 10 feet horizontally from the edge of the pool, while the communications lines should be at least 10 feet above the water.
Billiards and Health Resort
Interconnection
Specific cable types are allowed
Here are the types of cables that are commonly acceptable If wet sites are marked and Used as allowed:
Thwn or Thwn-2 The conductors in the channel
Xhhw/xhw-2 In the channel
Write MC cable – It should be listed for wet sites and corrosion resistance
Write UF cable – It is only allowed to Harsh swimming pools And limited use of the open air
Flexible rope is difficult to use (For example , Type S, so, SJ) – Only it is explicitly allowed (such as the pump pump ropes and lights). Using is limited to short lengths of about 3 feet. #12 AWG Minand Difficult to classifyand ≤3 feetand GFCI is protected.
Types of prohibited cables
NM-B (romex): Never allows wet or external environments
any Cable
Unforished mc For wet sites
AC cables
Service entrance cablesBecause it is not listed under the ground or swimming pools.
The stairs are not allowed unless a part of a system running for billiards applications is approved.
Copper conductors versus aluminum in water facilities
Article 680 NEC is not explicitly prohibited aluminum connectors, but they are highly copper, and in some cases it requires this, especially for the critical parts of safety. Here is the collapse:
Connecting connectors should be steep copper, not smaller than 8 AWG.
Aluminum is not allowed to connect due to the risk of corrosion in chemistry billiard environments.
Copper or aluminum connectors are allowed to ground by NEC Article 250.
Copper is strongly preferred for wet pool areas and corrosion.
When using them, aluminum grounding conductors should be isolated and protected from corrosion – which is often impractical around ponds.
It is allowed both copper and aluminum if they are listed and properly installed to the branch and nutrient circles.
Many devices and stations made of copper pools only.
Even if the aluminum is technically permitted to nutrition, compatibility problems often make virtual copper in the confirmation of the real world.
In general, although aluminum is permitted for some elements of water installations, aluminum is default.
Power requirements
The GFCI-protected outlet should be provided at least from 15 to 20, 20 or 20 amps between 6-20 feet from the pool.
Vascular is not allowed 6 feet from the wall of the pool.
All outdoor ports 20 feet from the pool should have GFCI protection.
The switch should be at least 5 feet From the interior walls of the pools/resorts unless it is separated by a barrier.
Lighting requirements
Low voltage is allowed (15-30V) if it is isolated through the adapter and inserted it.
120 volts of GFCI reserve should be at least 5 feet above water or 12 feet horizontally.
There is no lighting 5 feet vertically or 5 feet horizontal from the edge of the blessing unless it is included and adopted for such use.
Metal parts do not require interconnection
Inspection and accessibility operations
GFCI protection threshold
The 125 -volt circuit and 240 volts must be protected near the water
Most of the outdoor and pool equipment is limited to 120 volts or 240 volts; Three -phase energy is generally avoided unless it is in large commercial settings.
NEC Article 680: The requirements of the global circle according to the type of equipment
1. Nigellasty pump engine
Crusher: 15-20A
Wire: #12 AWG
Cable: Thwn or xhw in RMC, IMC, EMT or MC listed for wet sites
Notes: Custom GFCI Circle; The size of each fully loaded ampere engine.
2. Billiard heater
3. Underwater lighting
Crusher: 15-20A
Wire: #14- #12 AWG
CableThwn in the channel. Low -voltage lighting should be used
NotesFavorite transformers, low -voltage. It should be listed and the protected GFCI.
4. Lighting above the ground
5. Rest outlet
6. Radda coverage engine
7. Sound equipment
8. Hydromas bathtub
Crusher: 15-20A
Wire: #14- #12 AWG
CableNM cable is only permitted for the interior, but often in the channel preferred
Notes: Custom GFCI Circle; The desired interconnection for internal metal parts.
9. Hot tank / spa
10. Pool Subpanel Leeder
Crusher: 60-100A
Wire: #6- #3 AWG
Cable: Thwn in RMC/IMC/PVC or MC cable listed for wet sites
Notes: You must include Isolated land; Nutrition should be a GFCI reserve or feed GFCI.
11. Fountain pump
12. Interactive water features / splash pads
Crusher: 15-20A
Wire: #12 AWG
Cable: Thwn in RMC, IMC, or PVC
Notes: GFCI for all circles; The desired network of interconnection; Ingredients.
13. The transformer (the basic side)
14. The transformer (secondary side)
15. Resorts (general)
Crusher: 40-60A
Wire: #8- #6 AWG
Cable: Thwn on the MC channel listed for wet sites
NotesLike hot ponds. The bonding rules, GFCI, and separation are applied.
16. The gatherings are going into
17. Decorative swimming pools / waterfalls / reflection pools
18. Therapeutic tanks
19. Vascular around billiards
Crusher: 15-20A
Wire: #14- #12 AWG
Cable: Thwn on the MC channel listed for wet sites
Notes: It should be 6-20 feet from the pooland GFCI protectedAnd Weather -resistant If it is open air.
Nassau National Cable sells all the approved wires and cable for use under Article 680 NEC.
