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Posted on April 1, 2006 by Alphonso Sirtle | Posted under Shopping and Product Reviews
Hot Tub Wiring
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A 120V 20 amp system will require a GFCI breaker otherwise known as a Ground Fault Interrupter. It is often supplied with the plug in cord attached to your spa but if it is not you will need to install one. Many of the outlets in house are 15 amp outlets and they arent necessarily dedicated. Dedicated means there is absolutely nothing else on that line. So you man need to call an electrician. Read your warranty carefully. Many will be voided if you do not have the correct dedicated 20 amp breaker. The good news is even if you must call an electrician the cost to change the breaker will be minimal and youll not only make the manufacturer happy you will also eliminate the fire hazard. 240 Volt system will use a 30, 40, or 50 amp system and are usually wired with a 3 wire 240V run although some manufacturers will use a 4 wire run. This is really common in systems that have an air blower or an ozonator. All of these spas will require a GFCI of the correct amperage and they will also require that an electrician directly wire them into your system. Sometimes the dealer you purchase from will have a recommendation for an electrician. If not, nothing to worry about as there are plenty of electricians listed in the phone book. You will also want to consult local electrical code to ensure there is no confusion about what the requirements are for your area. For example the type of wire used will be dictated by code. When in doubt use heavier wire. Never use aluminum or aluminum coated wire which will cost you more in power and also run the risk of a fire hazard. Copper wiring is far superior and you can relax knowing it is safe and creates no fire hazard. With new spa installations it is common to have a missed wire GFCI. There are several different GFCIs on the market but this is a general description.When using a four wire GFCI installation off a sub panel all four wires will be brought out from the main panel. The two hot legs are then attached to the breaker at the correct locations. They then come out of the GFCI breaker and run to the spa. Attach the neutral leg that comes out of the main box to the side of the breaker. Then attach the neutral pigtail to the side of the neutral bus. The other neutral lead will run to the spa and the two ground wires will be bonded in the sub panel. It is always recommended that you hire an electrician for your hot tub wiring and choosing one with experience in spa installation will save you both money and time. About The Author: Alphonso has been working in the home remodeling industry for last 5 years. Take advantage of his experience and written material on hot tub |
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