Electrician vs. Inspector dispute regarding spa installation. Who is right?

[HT2020]

Installing a 240Vspa and doing it with a permit.  Concrete pad has been built and a conduit trench was dug from main electrical panel to the spa. The spa subpanel is being put near the main panel.  Inspector came out to inspect the trench and said that it was OK to cover trench but that I must "Provide electrical GFCI outlet near spa". When I asked what "near" meant, he said that it didn't matter how close it was to the spa.  My electrician was horrified at this and said he couldn't understand why he was being forced to provide this outlet.  He pointed out that it's easy enough to run another wire through the conduit but he was against placing it right near the spa.  He insisted the outlet should be at least 10 feet away from the spa and this would mean that he would need to dig another 10 foot trench with an additional cost of $500.   I put him on the phone with the inspector and the inspector verified that the outlet could be right near the spa; in fact, at the exact spot that the conduit emerges on the side of the spa.  The electrician complied but told me that it was dangerous to have a GFCI outlet so near to the water and that he had never heard of such stupidity.  Who is right here?  Is there a danger to having the outlet there? How could there be such a difference of opinon between these two.  I'm happy to have an outlet near the spa in case I want to use a radio or light, but I'm a little hesitant after being scared by the electrician. 

[Hollywood]

I made a trip out to my truck and grabbed my code book. 

Your electrician is correct.  There isn't a code requiring a 110v outlet near the spa.  In fact there is one that prohibits putting one with in 6' of the spa. 

680.22 (A) (2) Other Receptacles, Location. Other receptacles shall be not less than 1.83m (6 ft) from the inside walls of a pool.

With few exceptions outdoor spas are considered pools


So now you are stuck.  Your inspector won't pass it without the outlet and your electrician (if he is smart) won't violate a code.  This is what you do.  Call your inspector and ask him to site the code that is being violated.  Be nice about it.  Something like, "My electrician is saying that it isn't required and is going to charge me extra for it unless I can show him the code that requires it. So can you please give me the code so I don't have to spend the extra money.  Thanks."

At worse you can show him the one that prohibits the outlet near the spa.

[Dr. Spa™ Ret.]

680.22 (A) (3)
One 15A or 20A, 125V receptacle must be located not less than 6 ft and not more than 20 ft from the inside walls of a permanently installed pool, outdoor spa, or outdoor hot tub. This receptacle must be located not more than 6½ ft above the floor, platform, or grade level serving the permanently installed pool, outdoor spa, or outdoor hot tub.

680.22 (A) (4)
All 15A and 20A, 125V receptacles located within 20 ft from the inside walls of a permanently installed pool, outdoor spa, or outdoor hot tub must be GFCI protected.

[summerside9000]

Yup its 5 feet but 6 definitely better. Up here in Canada its 2m so 6 feet.
That Inspector is wrong.
Pump to drain the spa or wet/dry vacuum for convenience.That is what they make extension cords for.
You may need a space heater if the Spa screws up in the winter and the less the distance the better I suppose.

[Water Boy]

Why do they require a outlet to be near a pool or spa. I can see the convenience of it, but I wonder why the code requires this?Anyone have any insight on that?

[Dr. Spa™ Ret.]

It's assumed someone will at some point plug in something like a radio...and stupidly have it positioned where it can fall into the spa. 6' puts the outlet far enough from the water so as to not to not be an electrocution hazard (remember, even if the GFCI trips, there's still live voltage going to the outlet itself...and at 6' someone cant be in the spa and reach out to either plug something in or reset the GFCI), and 20' puts it close enough that someone wont use an extension cord on a non-GFCI protected outlet.

[Water Boy]

Thanks Dr. Spa. I get why the reasoning for the distance. But, correct me if Im wrong, the way I read the code, it is required to have a outlet...? The way I am reading it is that you have to have a outlet when having a spa or pool. Is that right?

So what I was asking is (if I'm reading the code right) that you are required to have a exterior outlet if you have a spa or pool installed. So, if you don't have a outlet, it is not up to code?

Or, is the code just stating that IF you have a outdoor outlet, it has to be at least 6 feet away and no more than 20 feet.

Thanks for the clarification everyone.

[Dr. Spa™ Ret.]

You have to have an outlet.

680.22 (A) (3)
One 15A or 20A, 125V receptacle must be located not less than 6 ft and not more than 20 ft from the inside walls

[Water Boy]

You have to have an outlet.

680.22 (A) (3)
One 15A or 20A, 125V receptacle must be located not less than 6 ft and not more than 20 ft from the inside walls

Ok thanks. That is what I thought. What is the reasoning for requiring a outlet when a pool or spa in installed, even though it has nothing to do with either. Just seems like a odd requirement and part of the code. I obviously have never heard of this until now, and just very curious why a separate out is required....

[Hottubguy]

You have to have an outlet.

680.22 (A) (3)
One 15A or 20A, 125V receptacle must be located not less than 6 ft and not more than 20 ft from the inside walls

Ok thanks. That is what I thought. What is the reasoning for requiring a outlet when a pool or spa in installed, even though it has nothing to do with either. Just seems like a odd requirement and part of the code. I obviously have never heard of this until now, and just very curious why a separate out is required....

The reasoning is that they figure you are going to need a plug for a radio or whatever. You may wsh to use and they. Want it gfci protected so nobody goes electrocuted

[Chas]

The reasoning is that they figure you are going to need a plug for a radio. They want it plugged into an outlet which is GFI- protected so nobody goes electrocuted. If there is a GFI-protected outlet nearby (supposed to be 6 to 20' around here) they hope it will keep you from using an extension cord to a NON-GFI protected outlet.

I have put an extra breaker into the sub panel (keep in mind that HotSpring supplies a sub panel on it's 220 models) and installed a GFI outlet with bubble cover right there - this box is usually just the right distance away already, since it cannot be any closer than 5' to the water.