Grounding your inground pool equipment is vital in maintaining your pool’s safety. When it comes to pool construction, many people find this the most challenging part to understand.
Grounding pool equipment is critical, so we’re going to go over the fundamentals of how to do it correctly.
What is grounding?
Having a basic understanding of electricity in your home is necessary to understand how electrical grounding works.
Electrons, the building blocks of electrical current, are positively charged particles. This charge is drawn to materials with a neutral or positive charge in an attempt to restore equilibrium. Lights, vacuums, and swimming pool pumps all get their energy from this “flow” of electricity.
One wire is charged (or “hot”), and the other is neutral in a standard electric wire. Devices get their power from this difference in charge.
In most cases, electrons prefer to flow from the charged wire to the neutral one by following the electrical circuit. Short circuits can occur when a wire or piece of equipment is damaged or malfunctions, causing electricity to flow in an unexpected direction. Why does this happen? Because a positive charge is what an electric current seeks. A person touching a piece of equipment can cause a short by touching bare metal, wood framing, or other materials that conduct electricity.
Grounded wiring provides a low-resistance route for the electricity to reach the earth, which eliminates this issue. As a result, electrical shocks will be prevented, and you and your loved ones will remain safe.
What Is the Procedure for Grounding Swimming Pool Equipment?
Most of the time, an electrician will connect a ground wire to the electrical panel that powers your pool systems in order to ground your equipment. When it comes to the grounding of your pool, you may have the option of connecting it directly to the main electrical panel.
GFCI (Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter) outlets can also be used to ground pool equipment. In the event of a short or fault, these outlets interrupt the circuit to protect your electrical appliances. The outlet also acts as a grounding point for the electricity, cutting off the shorting device’s power.
Common Mistakes in Grounding Your In-ground Pool
Swimming pools require proper grounding because water conducts electricity. When building a swimming pool, there are five common grounding and bonding blunders made by professionals. Here’s how you can avoid them.
Not Knowing the Difference Between Bonding and Grounding
Although it may seem obvious, failing to recognize the difference between grounding and bonding wires is a common mistake. If you’ve forgotten the definition of grounding, here’s a refresher: (earth). It is designed to prevent swimmers from being electrocuted in the event of a malfunction in the pool’s electrical system. In order to avoid tripping the breaker and shutting down the equipment, make sure the ground wire is connected correctly.
In order to reduce the voltage differences, all of the metallic pieces are bonded together. To ensure the safety and longevity of the pool’s equipment, it is essential to know the difference between the two.
Failed to Bond and Ground the Pool Properly
Some professionals failed to bond and ground the pool completely, which is a common mistake many commit. Some builders may ground but not bond, or the other way around, due to confusion about grounding and bonding. Within five feet of the water, all metal objects must be bonded. Grounding the pool’s equipment but not the fencing around it is an example of this practice. Grounding is required for all metallic pool equipment.
Failure to Ground Into the Earth
People fail to ground themselves and connect with the natural world in the third most common blunder. It is not sufficient to connect the ground wire to a ground rod inserted into the ground. Faulty equipment will still be able to receive power due to this. The earth may also be used as a conductor by some professionals. The pool is not correctly bonded as a result of this procedure.
The Use of Wrong Wires and Wrong Connectors
Professionals are also prone to using incorrect connectors and wires. It is important to ensure that the best possible connection is made when connecting the bonding and grounding wires so that the current can flow freely. Stainless steel or brass clamps are required, and brass or copper screws. We can keep these parts from rusting and breaking down over time by doing this.
Failure to Mark the Connectors Accordingly
Using clamps that have been approved for concrete encasement or that have been labeled for this purpose, if they are going into the ground, is another requirement (direct burial).
If you are using different types of wires, you should mark your connectors accordingly. Stranded or solid wires can be used, depending on the application.
If you’re using a solid wire to connect to a screw, be sure to wrap it in a clockwise direction. Solid wire is preferable to stranded when working with small wires due to the increased vulnerability of stranded wire to damage from the environment.
When building a safe pool, it helps to know the difference between grounding and bonding, ensure that the grounding and bonding are correctly done, and use the appropriate connectors and wires.
Read more: Best inground pool pumps guide 2022
Can You Do Grounding and Bonding of the Pool On Your Own
If you’ve recently added a handrail or installed a new pump to your pool, you may think that grounding and bonding the new equipment yourself will save you time and money. For starters, it’s not a good idea.
To begin with, electrical work can be hazardous, especially when performed near bodies of water. If you’ve never worked with electricity, you should avoid installing your own ground wires or bonding grids to put yourself at risk. Other people who use your pool could be at risk if you don’t do things correctly.
A licensed electrician is usually required to perform bonding and grounding or to have a licensed electrician check the work after it has been installed. Having done your own electrical work, you may be subject to citations and fines if an inspector discovers your mistake. Having an experienced electrician complete the job correctly the first time is both cheaper and easier.
Conclusion
All electrical equipment connected to the inground pool’s circulation must be grounder. In addition, any electrical equipment that is within five feet of the pool water’s inside wall must be grounded properly. If you are not well-versed in handling electrical jobs, do not attempt to do the grounding on your own. It is best to contact a reliable professional to do the job. If you want to share your thoughts about the topic, feel free to comment below.