Hot Tub Electrical Question

[Kicker4]

Hi!  My wife and I recently purchased our first home and we are considering purchasing a used Maax 103 Hot Tub.  We just have a standard covered outlet outdoors near where the hot tub will be placed.  There is not a GFCI separate box that comes with the hot tub, it is just a regular plug, for the "Plug and Play" style hot tub.  We also live in Arizona, so it is plenty warm of a climate.  Is it possible to just plug the hot tub into the regular outlet with the standard plug and not need an electrician or the GFCI separate box?  I have tried to research and find the answers, however I seem to find different answers everywhere I look.  Your help would be greatly appreciated! 

[Jacuzzi Jim]

  As long as it's a 110v hot yes.  Most will come with a GFCI plug. 

[Kicker4]

Jim,
Thank you for your reply!  The previous owners had it hardwired into their breaker box, so there currently isn't a plug on it.  If I connected the GFCI plug on the wire and used that would I still need to replace the 110 v outlet to a special GFCI one or anything like that?   Also it runs on 20a and all of our breakers are 20a, so we should be good to go with that.  The only worry of mine is the GFCI protection.   Prefer not to get electricuted

[Jacuzzi Jim]

  Ideally this is what you should have, specially since I have really no idea what you have now..  it needs to be connected to the main circuit board inside the spa.    You do not need the outlet to be GFCI though most are these days.

  https://www.spadepot.com/Spa-GFCI-Power-Cord-In-Line-120V-15A-P9537C193.aspx?zmam=55673001&zmas=1&zmac=1Ch37Zg6VEAQYASABEgKxR_D_BwE
&zmap=BX9968&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIoNrUlMTy2QIVBoN-
 
  Not necessarily this exact one, I will let you shop that out on the net for best price.  You have more questions, please ask! 

[bud16415]

By code every outdoor outlet around your house should be GFCI protected. That doesn’t mean yours are just that they should be.

The junction box it is installed in should also be a weatherproof box and with something that stays plugged in year round I would want the type that cover the plug. Something like this.  https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001JEPX4Y/ref=asc_df_B001JEPX4Y5406600/?tag=hyprod-20&creative=394997&creativeASIN=B001JEPX4Y&linkCode=df0&hvadid=193994910693&hvpos=1o1&hvnetw=g&hvrand=11207090499755540946&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9006390&hvtargid=pla-312993018902

You want GFCI protection on a hot tub 100% without any questions about it. you are sitting in a tub of water where the water runs thru pumps and heating devices all powered by electricity and all prone to failure at sometime in their life with the possibility of power coming in contact with the water. It could be extremely rare but if it happens you want that power shut of in 1/60 of a second not the time it take a breaker to heat up and throw that could be many minutes as things heat up and the situation gets worse for you and the tub.

Changing out a outlet to a GFCI and changing the cover to a weatherproof cover is a common DIY job and if you are not comfortable doing it a pro shouldn’t charge much so that you know you have total protection.

The GFCI built into the line cord will work to protect you and the tub. The only time you wont be protected is if you go handle the cord or plug between the switch and outlet. GFCI’s should be tested once a month. It is rare but they can fail in the closed condition. If it ever needed replaced I would rather just change the outlet than the whole cord again. Plus having it at the outlet makes you up to code if you ever sell your home.     

[Kicker4]

Awesome, thank you both so much for your help, I really appreciate it, and can't wait to get it setup as you have suggested!   Thank you!