Help Electrical: Cable too short

[drewstar]

The Geneva is comming in Friday and I just realized a potential problem:

The wiring.

On my old Tiger River,  I had an aprx 8' pigs tail comming off the sub panel and up into the equipment box on the front of the hot tub.  No problems.

Since these tubs use the exact same wiring, I was planning on re-using my existing pigs tail.

However,  The Geneva is 6" longer, and 6" wider, and I am told the electrical box inside the Geneva isn't in the center of the tub (like the Tiger river was) but significanlty further to the right....my cable comes up on the left side).

I think my cable is going to be about 12" too short.    

I was thinking I could bring the existing cable into the equipment box, and inside a junction box connect another harness that I made (6 wires of the same gauage straped togethor) to reach the control box in the tub.

Is that smart/safe/legal?  

Or should  I have the whole pigs tail re-made?

[tonyp]

I would go with remaking the pigtails.  The fewer connections the better in any electrical system.  And the cost of 10 feet of wire can't be that much.

[drewstar]

with the seal tight and the 6 wires and the electrricains time? I bet I am looking at $150.

But maybe you are right? I don't mind doing it if that's what is needed, I just don't want the extra hassle or spend the extra dough if it's not necessary.

[tonyp]

I do my own work so that would make it cheaper for me.  Wire nuts on #8 or #6 wire aren't much fun to twist on.

[wmccall]

Jim sells cable stretchers.

[Vinny]

Drew,

When my friend wired my tub he used a device that looked like a "U" that had a nut to it. It is used to connect electricity to a house from the utility.

He put an electrical box where the wire came in and attached a flexible rubber "powercord" of the correct guage (I think 6) and used these "U" bolts to connect the hots, ground and neutral to the house wiring. His logic and I have to agree is that if these bolts are cabable of suppling a house, they sure can supply a tub.

Gives you another option.

Vinny

[Brewman]

Some type of properly constructed J box should work.  Weather or not it'd be up to code is another story.  Have you contacted you local electrical authority?  
 As a general rule, junction boxes need to be accessible, which this one would be, but when you get into pool and spa wiring, code gets murky.  I'd at least ask if the j box is allowed.  Then you can make your decision from there.
 
If it was me, I'd replace the pigtail, but I do my own electrical work, so it'd only be cost of materials.    Could you do this yourself?  

[drewstar]

Some type of properly constructed J box should work.  Weather or not it'd be up to code is another story.  Have you contacted you local electrical authority?  
 As a general rule, junction boxes need to be accessible, which this one would be, but when you get into pool and spa wiring, code gets murky.  I'd at least ask if the j box is allowed.  Then you can make your decision from there.
 
If it was me, I'd replace the pigtail, but I do my own electrical work, so it'd only be cost of materials.    Could you do this yourself?  

I could do it myself, but having a license, insured electrician do  it is a nice luxary.  I've got a call into my guy.  (who is also the local town inspectior, so what ever he does, I know I'm good.).  

[Brewman]

I'd be interested in his opinion on the JBox inside the spa question.

[drewstar]

me too. I'm thinking a 2 ft extension harrness wrapped in sealtite conected between  weatherproof jbox and the control box.

I haven't heard back from him yet.

fwiw The wire size in my harness is 10 awg coper strand

[Gomboman]

with the seal tight and the 6 wires and the electrricains time? I bet I am looking at $150.

But maybe you are right? I don't mind doing it if that's what is needed, I just don't want the extra hassle or spend the extra dough if it's not necessary.

Drew, you sound cheaper than me. Didn't you win a free tub?

[Brewman]

me too. I'm thinking a 2 ft extension harrness wrapped in sealtite conected between  weatherproof jbox and the control box.

I haven't heard back from him yet.

fwiw The wire size in my harness is 10 awg coper strand

 I can't think of anything off the top of my head that would exclude your idea, but it's been a few years since I was sifting thru code.    

It would also be interesting to know the cost difference between the two solutions, if the pro is going to do one or the other.  What with minimum charges and all, I wonder if the cost is going to be relatively close.  

[drewstar]

I spoke with the electrician on the phone last night ("Drew, another hot tub? It seems every 2 years I'm out there for a new tub...)


He thinks the jbox with a harness extension might work, as it is all inside the cabinet, but will swing by the house this a.m. and scope out the deal and we'll talk it out.

I'm talking a few hundred dollars here either way. So F- it. What ever the man says should be done will be done.

I jsut want power to the tub tonight.

T minus 10 hours to delivery

 

[drewstar]

Electrician just came by and scoped out the situation.

He's going to splice in an extension. He said since the whole thing is inside the eqipment box he feels a j box is plenty.

I told him don't sell me short, that if need to run a new cable to do so, but he said it just wasn't necessary, and he's the town electrical inspector So I'm not one to argue.  

cool beans.  T-8 hours to install.

[Brewman]

He gets to inspect his own work?  Somehow I feel you'll pass.

T minus 7 hours and some minutes.

Happy heating.