New hot tub install: electrical question

[kitchener]

I know nothing about electrical...  My new Jacuzzi J-470 will require 240 / 60A service.  We're having a new deck installed, and in addition to running the hot tub's electrical, we're also having a 110 outlet installed beside it.  I noticed my electrician didn't run separate wiring from the house's 200A service for the 110 outlet, and I asked him about it. He said there'll be a breaker in the hot tub's sub panel box, that it's a 70A service, more than enough.  I hope I'm describing all that correctly -- the j-470 manual said it requires 60A to drive both its two pumps and its heater at the same time, so I want to be sure that if I'm ever running something off that 110 that's sharing that line (let's say a plasma tv for the Super Bowl or something), my hot tub won't be under powered? 

[OnMedic]

Hey Kitchener. where are you located and what $ is the electrician. What he says makes sense and I like that approach instead of running two lines out. We are in the Chicopee area.

[kitchener]

Hi.  Thanks for the reassurance!  $1,600 US - he's doing a lot - low-voltage lighting for the deck and staircases, a long 18" deep trench for the conduit, etc. 

Lol.  Every now and again someone from the Great White North spots my internet handle and takes me for a Canadian - truth is, years back, when I was just beginning to use the internet, I was also reading The Guns Of August, a book on the origins of the First World War.  Kitchener was the British military chief of staff at the start of the war, best remembered today for the recruiting poster of him (and his burly mustache) pointing directly at the poster's viewer, with the caption, "Lord Kitchener wants YOU!"  Anyway, the handle stuck. 

I'm in Wilmington, Delaware. 

[OnMedic]

Hi Kitchener. We are in the city of Kitchener, named after lord Kitchener. We were Berlin, but the name was changed during ww2.

Also note, I am reading the electrical requirements for sundance and it does state that the line must be dedicated to the spa and no other lights or appliance can be run on the same line to keep the warranty valid. Something to look into.

[kitchener]

The dedicated line is what I thought, too. 

Probably isn't the end of the world, as there's another, older a/c outlet maybe 15 feet away.  I might just use his new outlet for running a submersible pump during drains.  If he hadn't already filled that trench though, I think I'd nudge for a change (he's a friend, grumbly mumbly grumbly).

I never knew that about Kitchener/Berlin. Lord Kitchener was killed two years into the war when the ship he was on was torpedoed by a u-boat (I think it was a dedicated mission to do just that).  Maybe the re-naming was a tribute.  You Canadians really put your shoulder into that war. 

[kitchener]

Also note, I am reading the electrical requirements for sundance and it does state that the line must be dedicated to the spa and no other lights or appliance can be run on the same line to keep the warranty valid. Something to look into.

I emailed him about the warranty concern and here is his reply:  "I still have to run the led wire and another 120v line for the other outlets. If you will feel better I will add the outlet to a different circuit.  But the spa panels are designed for this application.  You don't necessarily add to the circuit, it gives you the  option of adding a separate circuit in the same enclosure.  Similar to your load center in your basement."

The LED wire he's referencing has to do with the staircases, but, should I have him add the outlet to a different circuit as he describes, or am I fine?

[Budule]

Those sub panels are designed for it and your tub will never pull more than around 45 amps (unless something is going bad , like pumps locking up ) ......that being said ( I JUST finished wiring mine a few days ago and tub is coming on Wednesday....j375 )  I have a separate circuit for everything else , I didn't want ANYTHING but the tub on that circuit , if im working on the tub , I may need outside lights and/or outlets ......but again , it shouldn't be a problem ......

[Pers Onal]

In a perfect world, the spa would be on a dedicated line.

The supply is 70 amp, and 10 Amps over you should be fine as is. Part of the concern here possibly is balancing the load to the spa.

I would be surprised if you could hear anything on  the Super Bowl or whatever with two pumps running.

If it were me, I would have him put the outlet on a different circuit.

It will probably work fine as it is, but I wouldn't want to have that feature in the back of my mind over the coming years.

It's the way my brain works, It would keep coming back to mind until I changed it.

I have little doubt that if you left it as is and forgot it, highly unlikely it would ever be an issue.

At this point, I would not have anything trenched - just not worth it. But since you have other options for the circuit and they are relatively easy to achieve, I would opt for the outlet on a different circuit.

Anything additional in the trench was probably not worth the effort anyhow due to increased cost, even if he had not filled the trench.

[Budule]

I have not seen a "70 amp spa disconnect" , the ones I saw had a 60 amp gfci in them ........
I believe you would have to drop down to #4 wire if you use 70 amp.......

[Dr. Spa™ Ret.]

ahhhhhhhhhh, so from the MAIN panel you're running a 70a circuit to a SUBPANEL, from which you're running a DEDICATED circuit to the spa and another circuit to an outlet? So what's the problem? Spas are hooked up to subpanels all the time.