Pre Electrical planning help

[starsky]

I am installing an inground pool and called the construction supervisor about having his electrician run electricity for a hot tub I am planning on buying in the near future. I had a Sundance installed in 98 and remember having a 50 amp line run from the panel box to about 5 ft from the tub location. Then a breaker box with GFI that the tub was hardwired into. The super called me and told me most tubs today have that panel inside the tub already... If Im likely to buy from DImension, Hot Springs, Jacuzzi or Artesian, what pre wiring could I have done to make the installation easier when I buy it.?

[Swell-Tub]

I installed a 3 wire 6 gauge 60 amp service for my Jacuzzi.

[stevewhosau]

Starsky, the scenario you gave above with your previous Sundance....not much has changed. You still run a disconnect GFCI next tot the tub.

[Markus]

We were told that the GFI breaker panel must be no closer than 5' up to 50' from the hot tub and less than 6' height from the ground.

[Chas]

HotSpring, Caldera, Tiger River, Limelight and Hot Spot tubs all need a sub panel to divide the power into two circuits and provide better GFI protection. For some models that sub panel comes included with the spa, for other models it is an extra - those models are convertible to run on 110 or 220.

The finished wiring for these spas is the same plus or minus one wire - Run 50 amp four-wire to the sub, then six wires from sub to tub. Five if it's a convertible model.

So - if you pre-run 50 amp to a j-box and then 3/4" empty conduit to the area the spa will go, you should cover just about all cases - you could put a sub panel in place of the j box if you purchase a Watkins or a Sundance, or leave the j box for other brands, or even put in a generic 'spa box' if you buy a tub which needs that.

 8-)