GFCI question

[AAAAAAA]

Would you go into your tub without one?

When the electricien came 3 months ago to do the wiring we all forgot about the GFCI... it was on my kitchen table. When I called him he said not to worry, the tub will work anyways and we can use it.

So 3 months later, the electricien keeps not coming over..and I finally decide to find out what the hell it is and seems like something very important. Now the GF doesnt want to go into the hot tub anymore until its in.

Should we worry and not go in anymore? Could I install this myself? Is it something you install inside the house or closer to the hot tub.

By the way I have called my electricien tons of times and he just keeps not showing up.

[wmccall]

The GFCI or Ground Fault Circuit Interuption device is an insurance policy. If current flows through the ground wire, which normally doesn't happen, it trips the power. Some of these things that can go wrong can effect using your tub safely.   Remember Apollo 13?  All was well still some chaffed insulation finally gave way.

[mxw128]

GFCI protection is required in most (ALL?) areas for a tub install.  It's in the NEC and frankly it's just smart.  I'm a bit surprised your electrician didn't raise a flag that the GFCI breaker wasn't installed as part of the circuit.  

The tub will work without it and you can use it, but how lucky do you feel?  

[Brewman]

Yes the spa will work, but the breaker will not trip unless the spa wiring is overloaded to the point of melting.   You'd be toast long before the breaker trips.
Standard breakers are there to protect the wiring only.
GFI breakers are to protect people.  
Hopefully this was the only thing he goofed up.  
 
You have another issue to face, IMHO.
This person you hired doesn't seem to be very qualified, and the fact that he dismissed this issue and continues to ignore you with a potential life threatining spa setup would make me not want the guy near my spa again.  If you paid him already, I'd ask for your money back to hire someone to re-check the wiring, and install that GFCI breaker correctly.  If he refuses, document everything, take him to small claims court, and report him to the state board of electricity, or whoever governs this stuff in your area.

Unless you are familiar with electrical wiring, don't try doing this yourself.  The job he did so far may be okay, or it may be crap- and you don't want to mess with it until you settle up with the guy.  Pool and spa wiring isn't a good place to learn wiring.

Lastly- are permits required for electrical work in your area?  In most places they are- if this guy didn't pull a permit and get an inspection(s), that's one more strike against him.  An inspector would have not allowed this.

[AAAAAAA]

Thank you for all the replys.

I will make sure to not go in the tub till I have another electricien come and install the GFCI.

I can do nothing against this particular electricien though, he is a friend of the family. He is for sure a licensed electricien but because of the reason mentioned above, I can only hire someone else to finish his job.

Thanks again.

[Chas]

Before you panic, see if the tub has a GFI built into it, or if there is one already in the system somewhere. I can't imagine a licensed electrician dismissing something so important unless he knows something we don't know.

One other thing - does he happen to owe you a lot of money, and/or is he on your will?

[Brewman]

The behavior of this person leads me to believe he goofed.  When questioned about leaving the GFI on the table he should have said something about not needing it to the spa owner. Like your spa has built in GFI, you don't need that one and can return it.  Instead he ignores his customer?  
And this is how he treats a friend of the family?

What sort of disconnect did he install by the spa?
Brewman

[Cola]

If you called in an electrical firm, call your local electrical authority and report this guy, he'll likely get a big fine which he deserves.  You paid him to do a job and he should have done it right.  If it was a buddy, give him a piece of your mind, he doesn't have one.

[AAAAAAA]

Well I didnt tell him the GFCI was on the table.

I forgot about it and didnt mention it to him. I thought he would know that he needed it and owuld ask for it when ie was time ot install it, I had told him over the phone I had one.

His excuse when I called him is he thought there was one included in the hot tub.

I will call another electricien and have him come and finish the job.

One last question, is it suopse to be install close to the tub or close to the circuit breaker inside the house?

[AAAAAAA]

What sort of disconnect did he install by the spa?
Brewman

I dont know what a disconnect is.

[Brewman]

He THOUGHT there might be one in the tub?  Wonder how he hooked up the wiring to the tub without knowing if there was a GFCI in there?
The Breaker can be installed in your service panel or it can be installed near the spa (per NEC specs) as the shutoff.  If installed in your service panel, some other means of disconnect must be provided near the spa.
But be sure that you don't have a spa with a built in GFI.  What brand/model of spa is this?

[AAAAAAA]

Could a disconnect be inside the service panel of the hot tub?

As for the model, it is a sundance maxxus.

I really dont know anything about wireing, so I dont know how/what the electricien did.

[Brewman]

He goofed up major.  Sundance spas do not have a built in GFCI, so you for sure need one.  And there is no disconnect in the cabinetry.
A disconnect is a way for you to power off the spa.  It can be the GFI breaker, and most often is.  There are other options also if you need to put the GFI breaker in the main panel.
Is there a means to kill the power to your spa?  It must be located between 5' from the water in your spa, no farther away than 50', and must be within line of sight.

This is per the NEC.  Your community may have other requirements that supercede NEC.  Absolutely get this work permitted and inspected.  Incorrect wiring is dangerous and could potentially void your warranty.

[airheads]

I've got a Maxxus on order, and it definitely does NOT have a breaker or disconnect in the tub.  I'm having my disconnect and breaker installed about 25' from my tub.  

[AAAAAAA]

Wow...
the only way to power off the tub is to go in my basement and flick the breaker.

I will get another electricien and have him fix up everything.

I cant beleive that guy did such a half ass job.