Swimming Pool Construction Defects Expert - Water Bonding NEC National Electrical Code 680.26(C)

The National Electrical Code (NEC) 680.26(C) requires that the actual water of a pool or spa be bonded.  However, some devices used for the purpose of bonding the water, may be negated by their installation or placement.

Bonding the water

Bonding the pool water is required by the National Electric Code.  This used to be accomplished without much thought, because pools and spas contained high voltage lights that were housed in stainless steel, brass or combination plastic and stainless steel niches.  Hand railings in the water provided bonding through their brass anchors.

With the advent of plastic and fiberglass hand railings and fiberoptic and low voltage LED lighting, the need for anchors and niches were eliminated.  

Some pools were "saved" because they had a gas or electric heater at the equipment pad.  But, some installations could have the water isolated from this inadvertent bonding.

Plumbing methods

In most pool/spa combinations, the pool and spa share a common heat source.  The suction and return lines are dedicated, and the flow through the heat source is controlled by automated valving.

AND, therein lies the problem.

If a heater is being relied upon to provide the "water bonding," then one body of water is isolated from the water bonding when the valves are in either the <POOL> or <SPA> mode.

Brass umbrella sleeves embedded in the top step of a pool or spa will provide a permanent source of "water bonding" (provided that they are correctly bonded to the reinforcing steel).

To maintain "water bonding," the bonding source cannot be isolated from the vessel by a valve.  Therefore, a separate water bonding conductor needs to be placed in every vessel (or it's plumbing - after any valving).

Paolo Benedetti, SWD, Principal 
Aquatic Technology Pool and Spa 
©www.AquaticTechnology.com 
International Aquatic Consultant, Watershape Engineering, Swimming Pool Design, Expert Witness, Hydraulic Designer, Landscape Design, Owner's Rep 
Office: 408-776-8220 
Email: info@aquatictechnology.com 

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