JWelectric
Electrical Contractor/Instructor
One of the funniest things I hear on a daily basis is, “the inspector passed it so it must be right.†I wonder if the inspector that passed it can also walk on water. If he can’t then he is just like the rest of us and capable of making mistakes wouldn’t you think.It's a "spa panel" as specified by the manufacturer. The County inspected and approved this along with the deck work (overhead) that I did at the same time.
If the panel is specified by the tub manufacture then it will come with the tub. If is doesn’t come with the tub then it is part of the premises wiring and must conform to the requirements of the NEC.
I don’t see anything in 680.26 that says that if no rebar is present that the bonding grid can be left out. What I do see is that where no rebar exists then an Alternate Means shall be provided. This grid is not something that requires to be bonded it is something that is required to be installed to keep everything at the same potential electrically. This is why it is named, “The equipotential bonding gridâ€The concrete pad doesn't have rebar in it so there's nothing to ground there.
680.26 Equipotential Bonding.
(A) Performance. The equipotential bonding required by this section shall be installed to reduce voltage gradients in the pool area.
This is just what I am talking about in my post through this entire thread. What is said in 680.42 is:Besides 680.26 applies to Part II permanently installed pools, and this is a "portable spa", which are covered under part IV (I guess). For this, grounding is 680.42 (B). Regardless, all metal parts of the spa (there are none) plus the motors and all that are grounded back to the spa panel and to the main panel and to the new grounding rod installed at the edge of the concrete slab. Maybe the new ground rod is overkill but I'd rather not be killed at all.
This means that a hot tub installed outside must conform to the requirements of PART II of 680 as well as Part IV.680.42 Outdoor Installations.
A spa or hot tub installed outdoors shall comply with the provisions of Parts I and II of this article, except as permitted in 680.42(A) and (B), that would otherwise apply to pools installed outdoors.
With a quick read of 250.4 one can easily see that the ground rod is not worth a damn at a pool or a hot tub. It was nothing more than a waste of time and energy. It benefits nothing. It has the same value as dentures for chickens. It would be better used to tie out a cow with than to try and remove voltage at the pool.
This bonding grid that is required by 680.42s reference to Part II of 680 is not required to be bonded back to the service panel nor any part of the service panel.
I do hope that you understand that the rod will not protect you when you step out of the tub onto those tiles that you didn’t grout in around from being killed in the event that something goes to fault in the tub. The grid when installed properly will keep every thing at the same potential which would be just like the bird that perches on a high voltage line and then flies away. The bird is at the same potential as the high voltage line therefore no harm comes to the bird.680.26(B) Bonded Parts. The parts specified in 680.26(B)(1) through (B)(7) shall be bonded together using solid copper conductors, insulated covered, or bare, not smaller than 8 AWG or with rigid metal conduit of brass or other identified corrosion-resistant metal. Connections to bonded parts shall be made in accordance with 250.8. An 8 AWG or larger solid copper bonding conductor provided to reduce voltage gradients in the pool area shall not be required to be extended or attached to remote panelboards, service equipment, or electrodes.
As long as the PVC is schedule 80 there is nothing wrong with having it lying on top of anything. Lets hope that the equipment grounding conductor inside is insulated as the bromide or chlorine will take it away in a hurry.The only thing that I might have messed up on is that I used a rigid PVC conduit on top of the slab for about 4' between the wall of the house and the spa. I have it protected by portable wood "tiles" (for lack of a better term) that I have positioned at the front of the spa where folks get in an out. Although it has joints at both ends to risers so its not liquid tight I felt that this was better protection than a flex conduit.