Installing an Electrical Circuit for a Pool
Circuit Requirements for Pool Equipment
Question: I have a 50 amp breaker box outside for my hot tub, I need to install a pool heater, I want to use the same power source from the house to the box. I want to expand the outside box to hold 2 breakers. One for the hot tub and one for the pool. Its a 50 amp from the house to the outside panel
Can I do this? The pool heater is also 50 amp .
This electrical question came from: Tim, from Strum, Wisconsin.
Dave’s Reply:
Thanks for your electrical question Tim.
Understanding Electrical Circuit Requirements
- Just as a Hot Tub, Pool Equipment will have its own specific electrical circuit requirements which will be based on the size of the pool which will then require pool equipment of a certain size. There will be other options such as if there is a heating unit and if so what are the requirements for this as well, in this example the pool heater alone is 50 amps.
- This is why the Hot Tub and the Pool Equipment cannot share the same circuit. If you attempted to connect both the hot tub and the pool heater to the existing circuit then you will find that the circuit would trip because it would be overloaded. So each individual device must be addresses separately.
- Pool equipment sometimes will require it’s own sub-panel which is sized large enough to provide power to all of the separate components that will be used for the pool, such as the circulating pump, the heating unit and the pool light fixture, and these components will each need to be GFCI protected per specifications of the electrical code.
- Electrical circuits for Hot Tubs and Pool Equipment are best installed by a licensed electrical contractor, and the installation of such equipment should be done with a permit and inspected by your local building authority.
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