individual conductors

[Anonymous]

the inspector for my hot tub install wants me to re-wire the spa with individual conductors whereas before my #6 wires were bundled in sheathing. This is based on the 2002 electrical code. Does this sound correct, resonable??

[imported_joed]

They will need to be in some type of conduit. You can't run individual conductors unprotected. Did your AHJ site a code reference?

[Wgoodrich]

If this hot tub is an outside installation your inspector is correct. All wiring serving a hot tub while outside must be in conduit with an insulated grounding wire. You wire in a sheath is not green insulated and this grouding wire in this sheathing is only coverd per the NEC rules not insulated as required to serve a hot tub if outside installation. Conduit and individual INSULATED conductors must be used on all hot tubs installed outside.

If hot tub is with underwater light then again all wiring must be insulated [not just covered] contained in conduit individual conductors in conduit all the way from the main service rated panel inside the house to the hot tub whether outside or not.

Hope this helps

Wg

[Anonymous]

That answers my question, thank-you. One other question if I could, the 240V, 50A feeds from the main panel in my basement to the GFCI breaker box mounted outside on the house exterior (location of GFCI approved), the wire penetrates to the exterior through the first floor rim joist. It seems to me if I am running individual wires that I would also need to run the wires in the basement from the interior main panel to the exterior GFCI in conduit also. Is this correct? The inspector made no mention of this, but it would seem logical to do this.

Thanx again.

[Anonymous]

I reread the previous post and I believe you already answered my question. Wire all the way from the main panel in conduit.

[Wgoodrich]

Any wires installed inside a house that are individual conductors must be protected by a conduit form. However you must run conduit all the way from the main service rated panel to the hot tub with an insulated green grounding wire only if that hot tub has an underwater light or you are running single conductors also requiring the conduit protection.

If your hot tub has no underwater light then the wiring inside the house may be nonmetallic sheathed cable with an outer plastic sheathing containing the single conductors as a manufactured cable. If no underwater light in tub then Romex inside is fine with only a covered not insulated grounding wire inside the cable. Then once outside it must change to single conductors with a green insulated grounding wire all in a conduit while outside the structure. This nonmetallic sheathed cable installed inside the home is only allowed if no under water light in hot tub.

Hope this helps

Wg

[imported_gwh1bass]

The information helps alot. The electrical inspector did not pick up on the requirement for individual conductors and conduit inside the house due to the fact that there is a light in the tub and therefore he did not ask me to do this although after learning everything here I am going to go ahead and due it to code.

I was just curious as to why the requirement for individual wires as opposed to a manufactured bundle?

Thanx again!!

[Wgoodrich]

To try to explain why a Code rule is written is often hazardous to a lot of controversial discussion because often thoughts vary as the the why. I will try to hit what I feel is their concerns with an underwater light and asking for the protection of conduit.

The insulated grounding is normally not found in a nonmetallic cable. In my opinion they are asking for insulated grounding wire to advance protection from a bare wire getting mixed with a hot or neutral wire while inside the conduit that if happened would introduce electrical current into the water through the metallic parts of that under water light.

In my opinion the conduit all the way requirement again is an attempt to enhance safety from a damage caused to these wires that might again introduce current into the water if a short occured if something dropped on a cable not in a conduit. I suspect they feel added protection from damage if in conduit.

My thoughts are the main concern is to prevent as much as possible introduction of stray currents due to shorts etc. from damaged or decayed wiring connected to underwater light fixtures exposed to the water people are resting in.

Just my thoughts

Wg