Disconnect box questions

[cajun1]

Okay, I got the bonding issue resolved.  Now I have a question about the disconnect box (5 feet from spa).  Is it supposed to have a GFCI in it, too; or is it just a shut-off switch?  I noticed at Home Depot there was an A/C disconnect box for about $15 and the spa/hot tub disconnect box was about $50.  What's the difference?  Also, I've seen hard plastic and also metal boxes.  What's better?
Thanks in advance, once again!  Spa should be delivered Friday afternoon and soaking by Saturday.  Can't wait!

[sledjunkie]

Get the $15 disconnect for outside. And have the GFCI breaker in your panel. This is the safer solution as if the outside box corrodes the circuit will trip and the hot feed remains in the warm dry breaker in your basement.
IF you have the gfci outside and it corrodes, the hot feed in in the outside panel (more risk of fire).
The gfci double breaker should be under $100.

[Brewman]

You need a GFCI breaker of sufficient size somewhere on your spa circuit.

 You can install a spa panel for your shutoff and you can put the GFI in that panel.

Pros-  Breaker is there for service.  If the breaker is inside and it trips while the service person is working on the spa, someone would need to be home to reset the breaker for the service tech.

Cons- Requires a non GFI tap breaker in your main panel, which adds somewhat to the cost.  The breaker is outside, which in some peoples eye, is not ideal.  


You can use the A/C pullbox, and put the GFI breaker in your main panel as your tap.

Pros:  Potentially less expensive, since the A/C pull box could be less expensive than a spa panel, and you'd only need the GFI breaker, not the additional tap breaker.
GFI is inside- possibly desirable to some.

Cons:  See comments on potential service issue with GFI breaker inside.


Either method is fine and will meet code if done correctly.  I went with the A/C pullbox and internal GFI, and it's not been a problem servicewise, since I don't allow service people even outside unless someone is home.  

I've not really compared plastic VS metal boxes, and have never seen a plastic A/C pullbox.  But as long as the enclosure is rated for it's intended use, either should be fine- just buy known quality brands.

The above is true in my locale, may not be in yours.

[hottubdan]

What brand spa are you getting?  How many amps?

[cajun1]

I'm getting a Marquis Epic spa, 50 amp.  I'm going to have the 50-amp GFCI breaker in the main panel, which is on the outside of my house on other side of the garage.  Then the disconnect box is going to be about 5 feet from the spa.  So I don't need a GFCI in that disconnect box, also, right?

[countryboy]

If your GFI is in  your main bpanel box you can't put one in the dsconnect near spa, the GFi won't work right if you have 2 in the same circuite.

[Reese]

No, as Brewman said, one GFCI somewhere on the circuit.  This isn't rocket science, but given your questions thus far, I'd suggest some more study of applicable codes and manufacturer's requirements before attempting this yourself.  Connecting 50 amps of electricity to an expensive applicance with electronic controls, not to mention a vessel of water that will have people in it, shouldn't be taken lightly.

[drewstar]

If your GFI is in  your main bpanel box you can't put one in the dsconnect near spa, the GFi won't work right if you have 2 in the same circuite.

Wont work, or just be redundant? I don't know much about it all, but was always told the GFI is usually put in the first circuit when run in series,  anyhow...  How would having more than one GFI in the line not work "correctly"? What happens?

[txwillie]

For what it is worth, I had to upgrade the service to the house from 100 to 200A. My main panel is outdoors and only has big breakers in it for the A/C, dryer, etc. One 60A breaker serves an indoor subpanel for lights and receptacles. I have a 60A GFCI breaker for the spa in the outdoor panel. There is also a 20A GFCI for the code required receptacle near the tub. At the tub, the electrician installed a cheapo pull out type A/C disconnect. I had him replace it with a non-thermal (not a breaker) 60A rated disconnect switch. The pull out type is OK for something that rarely gets used like a disconnect at the A/C unit, but IMO not right for more frequent use that you will have on a spa installation.

txwillie

[watzup]

I have seen 2 types of "disconnect" boxes.  The one I use has a "T" shaped handle that you pull/insert to break the circuit, another type is the circuit breaker type switch.  It is a switch only with a simple ON/OFF.  My personnel feeling is to use the "T" type, you know it is disconnected and I usually put it in my pocket while working on electrical stuff on my spa.  That way, nobody can flip the switch or connect the circuit back on but me.  

[cajun1]

okay, I'm definitely not doing it myself.  A friend of the family is doing it.  He's a certified electrician in Texas, but he does commercial stuff and not hot tub installations.  He got this box that said A/C on it, and I just want to make sure he's doing it right.
Thanks!

[Brewman]

My spa's A/C pullbox is the "blade" type- pull the T handle to disconnect the power.
In going on 4 years, I pull that several times a year- no wear on the contacts whatever- so I contend that this type of disconnect will certainly be up to the task of a spa dis-connect.  It's rated for 60 amps, and very sturdily built.
I'd expect it to wear no faster than the contacts in the GFI breaker that would otherwise get snapped on and off that many times.

[Chad]

Here's a post I made awhile back that has some pics of my install.

My good friend is an electrician in the IBEW and here's how he did my hook-up.(btw, he did all the labor for free and supplied all the materials minus the Hot tub Panel, total cost for me was $82 and a couple hours or digging. )
Here's my sub panel attached to my main panel in my garage.


 
Here's a seperate disconnect attached to the back of my garage.



Here's me standing about 15 feet away from it, behind my tub. He told me all of this meets MO building codes.

[Reese]

...total cost for me was $82 and a couple hours or digging....

It took you two hours to dig a 12 foot trench?

[tony]

My spa's A/C pullbox is the "blade" type- pull the T handle to disconnect the power.
In going on 4 years, I pull that several times a year- no wear on the contacts whatever- so I contend that this type of disconnect will certainly be up to the task of a spa dis-connect.  It's rated for 60 amps, and very sturdily built.
I'd expect it to wear no faster than the contacts in the GFI breaker that would otherwise get snapped on and off that many times.

I also use an A/C pull type disconnect at the spa with the GFI breaker in the panel...going on five years.