Hot Tub Wiring Configuring A Balboa Spa Pack
If you are using a basic setup, and by basic I mean a regular dual speed hot tub pump with a single speed blower, out of the box, your Balboa pack is likely to work without any additional configuration. However, if you are not using a separate circulation pump, the chances are you will need to configure the pack using the details below.
On the underside of the Spa Pack covers, you will see a circuit diagram that looks something like this.
Firstly, you need to work through the setup table at the bottom on the left hand side and work out which setup number you need. For example, a 2 speed pump and a single speed blower will need setup #12.
Next, you need to change the DIP switch settings to match your setup. Once you have the right combination of DIP switches, using the topside control you should do the following to change the packs setup mode to #12.
To go into the low levels follow the following steps please.
Getting the right setup and config is important for the pack to function correctly and the buttons on the top side to do what you expect them to.
Hot Tub Wiring Terms And Components
For those not familiar with how home electrics work, we’ll go over some basic components that your hot tub wiring will include and need. That way, when we talk about them you will know exactly what we are referring to.
Power Outlet
If you were to go with a plug-and-play option you would need a normal power outlet to connect it to. However, even the regulations for a wired hot tub dictate that you would legally need to install an additional power outlet that is not connected up to the spa itself. This can be installed 10-20 feet away from your hot tub.
Service Panel
This is the box that will have a swinging door and will contain your circuit breaker. However different panels have different interior components and abilities so you need to make sure that your service panel has the capability to connect up to your 220-240 volt breaker and that it has enough current to support your hot tub’s power requirements.
Circuit Breaker
A circuit breaker is something that all wired hot tubs except the plug and play options will require. You will need to add a separate circuit breaker on your electrical breaker panel for your hot tub and it will need to run dedicated power to your cozy little spa investment.
Your licensed electrician should be able to tell you which breaker you need but you should make sure that it matches up with the size of your service panel or you will have to buy one of them again.
GFCI Shut Off Box
Wiring
Conduit Pipe
How To Wire A Spa
This guide shows how to wire most 240 volt hot tubs and portable home spas. We’ve included photos, a step-by-step hook-up movie& hot tub schematic wiring diagrams.
This information is provided to help you to be a more informed consumer. We advise hiring a licensed electrician to wire and install a spa.
If you’re not confident or qualified to do electric wiring, there’s still installation prep-work you can do to reduce expenses. We’ll walk you through a typical project to show what’s involved.
Jump to: 120V Hot Tubs
CAUTION: Electrical work and repairs can be dangerous, especially around water. There is a risk of shock or electrocution, which could result in serious injury or death. We strongly advise that hot tub electrical wiring be referred to a licensed electrician. Local code requirements for wiring vary and may differ from the educational examples on this web site. The local code regulations must be followed, with permits and inspections obtained. The installer should read and follow the hot tub owner’s manual and associated electrical component owner’s manuals and instructions.
Shut off electrical power to the hot tub or pool at the service panel prior to any inspections or work. Improper wiring may damage equipment and void the spa manufacturer’s warranty.
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Gather Tools & Turn Off Power
The electrical tools you will need to wire a hot tub are:
- If using PVC Conduit, a PVC cutter
- Hacksaw for all rigid metal conduit
Before you begin, shut off the power to your home from the main breaker box. As with all electrical projects, follow local codes and consult an electrician before wiring a hot tub.
The National Electrical Code requires:
- Hard-wiring the spa into a ground fault circuit interrupter -protected 220 to 240V, 50 or 60 amp dedicated circuit.
- Installing a manual disconnect device, often called a spa panel, between your homes electrical breaker panel and the spa.
- All receptacles must be a minimum of 6 feet away from the inside wall of the hot tub and GFCI protected.
- Have the wiring professionally inspected before using your hot tub.
Safety Tip: Electricity and water are a dangerous combination. Most electrical codes require hot tubs to be at least 10 feet from overhead power lines.
Run The Conduit And Pull The Wire
Run the conduit by drilling a hole through the wall. It should be close to the breaker panel and ensure to channel it out of the house. Fit the necessary conduit covering different areas such as breaker panel, spa panel, and the trench.
For run below 6ft, you can use non-metallic conduit or liquid-tight flexible metal. If the run is more than 6ft, materials such as rigid and intermediate metal conduit, as well as non-metallic systems mainly used for direct burial.
Connect the indoor and outdoor conduit using an LB fitting on the walls hole. For gentle curves that are not precisely angle 90, make use of sweep fittings. After that, pull the wire using copper wire with thermoplastic nylon.
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What You Should Know About Hot Tub Wiring
You need to know the voltage potential that enters your home. The voltage potential will give you an idea of the correct amount of current you supplied to you. This exact amount of current is a little bit higher or lower than the potential voltage supply to your home.
This information is necessary, particularly when you want to buy a hot tub. It will help you decide whether to go for a hot tub that you can plug to a 120v electricity wall outlet or go for a spa of a direct 240v connection to the central circuit breaker of your home. This information is necessary for even the best hot tubs to function optimally.
In terms of the wiring of a hot tub, you may notice that there are two basic ways to connect your spa to your homes power supply. These two wiring methods, consequently, defines two types of hot tubs. The two models are:
Room Heater Wiring Diagram Wiring Sample
Hot tub wiring diagrams use a gfci disconnect designed for 240v hot tubs 4 or 3 wire spa types. By iot | september 13, 2021.
*Click “Save Image” to View FULL IMAGE
4 wire hot tub wiring diagram – Make sure you hire a certified local hot tub electrician that is familiar with the building codes and experienced in wiring spa tubs to guarantee your safety. Gallery of wiring diagram for 220v plug data 30a 250v perfect one of these conductors is ground. The confusion lies in the way the neutral wire is handled in addition to line 1, line 2 and ground wires. Select the wiring configuration that your spa requires: Assortment of hot tub wiring schematic. Hot tub wiring diagrams use a gfci disconnect designed for 240v hot tubs 4 or 3 wire spa types. .
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Wire Size & Type For Hot Tubs
After reviewing the spa owner’s manual, our electrician determined that our project needed #6 THHN stranded copper wire. He used four individual insulated conductors: red & black-hot, white-neutral, and green-ground wire in our example.
Your wire gauge requirements may differ from our example, depending upon the spa manufacturer’s specification, code requirements, and wire type. Unusually long runs may require larger wire size, as determined by the electrician.
Although copper is not cheap, scrimping by using under-size wire is a hazardous false economy. It may violate code requirements and/or void your equipment manufacturer’s warranty. Aluminum or copper-clad aluminum wire is not recommended. Sheathed cable, i.e. Romex®, is not permitted inside underground conduit.
Note: Spa control box terminals generally cannot accommodate wire larger than #6. Refer to the owner’s manual.
Beachcomber Hot Tub Wiring Diagram Collection
Beachcomber Hot Tub Wiring Diagram Collection.
Electrical electrical wiring is a potentially hazardous task if carried out improperly. One need to never attempt functioning on electrical cabling without knowing the particular below tips as well as tricks followed simply by even the the majority of experienced electrician.
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Where Does The Conduit And Wire Go
We usually try to hide or bury the conduit coming from the panel to the disconnect as well as to the hot tub. We do this either by trenching 18 inches down and running any conduit that we can inside the houses crawlspace or basement.
The conduit coming from the panel may be visible, depending on the installation path.
The hot tub tail will be visible as it goes into the hot tub unless the tub and installation allow a bottom entry point.
Not All Hot Tubs Have Bottom Entry
Its important to check with the manufacturer to make sure that you can drill a hole into the bottom of the tub. Certain manufacturers place components all across the bottom that will break if a hole is drilled into the bottom of the spa.
Hot Tub Electrical Installation Hookup Gfci
The way to have 230v hot tub electrical installed is to contact your local electrician.Following is information to understand the process but under no circumstances is intended to be a how-to for non-electricians as working on any electrical appliance including hot tubs can be extremely dangerous if proper procedure and precautions are not taken.
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What About The Pin Out Diagrams For The Spa Pack
Depending on the brand of Spa pack, you will need to check the pin out diagrams with the manufacturer. In the USA, I like to use the ACC Spa Pack and you can see the pin out diagram below. This will show which is high speed and which is a low speed. In Europe and the rest of the World, I like to use the Balboa or Vian power and you can see the pin out diagrams below.
Hot Tub Electrical Requirements
Hot tubs run on two types of electrical connections. They can run on 110V/15AMPs which are referred to as plug and play hot tubs or they run on 220V/50AMPS which are referred to as hard wired hot tubs.
Generally speaking hot tubs are designed to perform optimally and operate most efficiently on a 220V/50AMP hard wired, GFCI protected circuit. That is because all of the equipment can run at the same time and because 220v units feature a larger heater which can heat the water much faster . Although 220V/50AMP circuits are the most common there are some models designed to run on 60-100 AMP circuits. Higher amperage circuits may be required if the hot tub or spa has multiple jets pumps or multiple heaters such as the case with dual zone swim/exercise spas which require 100 amps. Dual zone swim spas are actually two separate units with separate heaters, equipment, and controls but they are integrated into one contiguous shell for a seamless appearance.
It is the obligation of the hot tub owner to make sure that the electrical connections are made by a qualified homeowner or licensed electrician in agreement with the National Electrical Code . There are several sections of the NEC code that require compliance . It is also important to make sure you are in compliance with any local and state electrical codes during installation.
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Balboa Dip Switches Explained
Most of the Balboa Spa Packs have a set of DIP switches that can seem a little confusing in the setup. In the most basic form, you are telling the Spa Pack how many pumps or blowers you have connected and how many it should allow to run before it turns off the heater . The reason for this is if you are limiting the amount of current the pack can draw. You are also telling the pack wither you need additional cool down times if you are using an gas/propane/ASHP additional heater. This to stop the kettling effect you can get in the heaters.
Check the circuit diagram that is on the inside of your Balboa pack and do not just copy the settings I explain below as they may be in a different order. The logic behind them is the same so just check what each of the DIP switches says it does.
Fixed-fuction DIP Switches
A1 Test Mode .
A2 In ON position, add one high-speed pump with Heater.
A3 In ON position, add two high-speed pumps with Heater.
A4 In ON position, add four high-speed pumps with Heater.
You should only enable one of the A2, A3 or A4. You can use them in combinations, but it is easier just to use one.
A5 In ON position, enables Special Amperage Rule B. In OFF position, enables Special Amperage Rule A.
Special Amperage Rule A No Limitation
Special Amperage Rule B 2 High Speed Pump Maximum, in Setups 1 9 1 High Speed Pump Maximum, and also Blower turns off with 1 High Speed Pump, in Setups 10 18
A6 Persistent memory reset .
Assignable DIP Switches
How To Wire A 4 Wire Hot Tub Circuit
Application: Wiring a Hot Tub GFCI Circuit.Skill Level: Intermediate to Advanced.Tools Required: Basic Electricians Pouch Hand Tools, Voltage Tester.Estimated Time: Depends on personal level experience, ability to work with tools and install the hot tub wiring.Notice: Installing hot tub circuit wiring should be done according to local and national electrical codes with a permit and be inspected.
Electrical Circuit Requirements for Hot Tubs
- Wiring Connections
- James, double check the terminal block connections and the wiring diagram because most 240 volt hot tubs will require a separate neutral and ground wire.
- Specific Electrical Requirements
- The specific electrical circuit requirements will be identified in the installation manual that came with the hot tub.
- The hot tub electrical circuit requirements in the installation manual will explain the number or individual wire conductors that must be installed for the required GFCI circuit protection.
- For Your Protection
- All hot tub electrical circuits must be installed with a permit and inspections.
- For best results have your Hot Tub circuit wiring installed by a Licensed Electrical Contractor.
More about Wiring a Hot Tub:
- Hot Tub Wiring Diagram Information
- Electrical Codes and Details for Spa and Hot Tub Wiring.
- Essentials for your installation, including the required GFCI ground fault protection and circuit wire size.
The following may also be helpful for you:
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Hot Tub Gfci Wiring Diagram Download
Brett Martin
Assortment of hot tub gfci wiring diagram you are able to download for free. Please download these hot tub gfci wiring diagram by using the download button, or right select selected image, then use Save Image menu.
Wiring diagrams help technicians to view how a controls are wired to the system. Many people can understand and understand schematics referred to as label or line diagrams. This type of diagram is much like going for a photograph from the parts and wires all connected up.
Hot Tub Wiring The Electrical Block
Depending on the pack that you have, the main electrical block will look a little different. Below are two examples. The one of the left is my favourite pack from the USA from manufacturer ACC and on the right, there is an example from Balboa. Please note, if you are in the USA, then you will be using your split system to power the Spa Pack with 230V 110V is not going to work for you if you have build a tub from brick or concrete, invariably they will be too large and too much water volume for 1.4KW of heat which is the maximum you can get on a 110V supply.
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Lay The Conduit & Pull Wire
Install the conduit in a trench. Conduit is a long tube of metal or PVC that will hold the electrical wires. Consult your local building code to determine how deep to lay the conduit. Some conduit trenches must be as deep as 18 inches.
Use a shovel to dig the conduit trench. Carefully remove the sod from the trench location. If necessary, cut it into manageable squares, and set it aside. The trench should extend from the spa panel to the spa and from the spa panel to the electrical breaker panel. Do not bury conduit underneath the hot tub.
The conduit will exit the house near the breaker panel, so use a hole saw to create an opening through the outside wall. Then, measure, cut and cement the conduit and fittings. Your measurements and cuts should cover the distance down the wall from the breaker panel, across the trench and up to the spa panel, then down from the spa panel and across the trench to the spa.
If the underground run is shorter than six feet, you can use a conduit made of liquid-tight flexible metal or a non-metallic material. Conduit sections longer than six feet should be made of rigid metal, intermediate metal, or rigid, non-metallic materials listed for direct burial. PVC is a popular option.
Connect the indoor and outdoor conduits by inserting an LB fitting through the hole in the exterior wall. Next, run the wire.
Tip: Before you dig, contact your local utility company to mark your utilities and ensure you don’t cut into any buried lines, pipes or cables.
