What Gauge Extension Cord Do I Need To Run A Pool Pump
pool pumpextension cordneedgauge wiregauge wire
How many amps does a pool pump use?
A typical above ground pool pump will require a 20-amp breaker and use #12 gauge wire to deliver the electricity.
should my pool pump be on a GFCI breaker?Pool pumpGFCIpool pump
Contents
Emergency Power Shut Off For Swimming Pools
All swimming pools should have an emergency power shut off in the form of a switch. Whether this which be hooked to an outside plug or whether it be hooked directly to the pump it does not matter.
You should be able to kill the power instantaneously to the swimming pool. This is in case something malfunctions and someone gets electrocuted. Or an object like hair gets stuck in the intake of the swimming pool which could cause someone to drown.
Having the ability to shut the pump off immediately is very important.
Wire Size For A Pool Pump
pull # 10 wire
Originally posted by poolsparky:
Originally posted by electricman2:
just because all i HAVE to run is #12 doesn’t mean thats what i will run,
Originally posted by Pierre: Branch circuits for pools can be installed using the proper ‘type’ MC cable, but is most likely not the standard method.
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How Many Amps Does A Pool Pump Use
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Accordingly, how many amps does a 1.5 HP pool pump use?
In our example we used a 1.5HP Hayward Super Pump. The voltage rating is 115/230 and the amp rating is 18.6/9.3. If you run a pump on the lower voltage rating you will select the higher amperage rating .
Beside above, how many amps does a 1.5 hp motor draw? Common Horsepower to Amps Conversions
| Horsepower |
|---|
| 120 V |
Beside this, how much power does a pool pump use?
Hi Joe, outside of the air conditioner, the pool pump is the largest energy consumer in the average pool-containing home. Pool pumps use up to 2,500 kWh per year to circulate and filter the water.
How much power does a 1.5 HP pool pump use?
It’s not uncommon for a 1.5 horsepower pump to use 1500 2000 watts. This is unfortunate, because most pools only need 1/4 to 1/8th horsepower for circulation. Higher power may be needed for tasks like vacuuming the pool.
What Type Of Extension Cord Should You Use For Your Pool Pump
Before heading out to the local hardware store to buy an extension cord, please be careful. While you can use an extension cord to power your pool pump, it does need to be a certain type for safety.
There are two main factors here:
First, the wire gauge
Simply put, larger pumps/filters will need a bigger wire gauge . NOTE: The thickness of the wire INCREASES as the numerical gauge measure DECREASES. Thus, a 10AWG wire is thicker than a 12AWG wire.
Second, the cord length
You need to choose the shortest length of extension cord that will work for your situation. Do not buy a 100ft cord if you only need 15ft to plug in your pool pump. The longer the wire, the more voltage is lost as electricity travels thru the cord
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How Does Electricity Flow From A Bond To The Ground
So even though we have everything bonded, we still need to ensure it is all grounded. Grounding electricity flows electrical current to the Earth which helps surges dissipate rather than concentrate.
Your house typically has one central ground rod which is a piece of rebar that goes into the ground. That ground rod actually connects to the rebar inside your home , and to all the electrical panels, and your pool equipment!
As home inspectors, we inspect for grounding/bonding in all areas that they should be.
Can I Use An Extension Cord For My Pool Pump
use an extension cordpumpswimming poolpool pumpcanextension cord
. In this manner, what gauge extension cord do I need to run a pool pump?
If this is the case for you, then use an extension cord that has at least a #12 gauge wire. You really want a #10 gauge, but these cords are pricey. You want a thicker extension cord, because a pool pump requires a good amount of electricity to run.
Similarly, do you need a GFCI for a pool pump? According to 680.22, all 15- or 20-ampere, 125-volt or 240-volt, single-phase outlets supplying pool pump motors are required to be provided with ground-fault circuit-interrupter protection for personnel. GFCI protection for pool pump motors is required whether supplied by receptacle or direct connection.
Also, how do you hook up a pool filter and pump?
How to Connect a Filter & Pump for a Swimming Pool
How many amps does a 1 HP pool pump draw?
Since it’s an aboveground pool pump it’s an uprated model and probably draws in the neighborhood of 10 to 12 amps at 120 volts. Depending on your plumbing it may draw less.
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Electrical For New Pool
dpoelstra said:Remember,this is an in ground vinyl lined pool, so no rebar. Does this effect bonding? The only metal in the pool is the ladder. I think the skimmer and return et.c are all plastic, but I am not 100% on that.
dpoelstra said:I will get an electrician involved, but for my own knowledge, if Romex is not to be used,what is? Do I understand it clearly that the pump and SWG must be on separate circuits? Does the SWG circuit need to be dedicated?
dpoelstra said:Typically, what is the amperage draw of a small SWG and a 1hp pump? This pool is only about 7 to 8k gallons .
dpoelstra said:Remember,this is an in ground vinyl lined pool, so no rebar. Does this effect bonding? The only metal in the pool is the ladder. I think the skimmer and return et.c are all plastic, but I am not 100% on that.
Pools Are More Often Hard Than Not
Article 680 of the NEC covers swimming pools and similar constructions. It’s sadly one of the more complex articles of the NEC, and thus easy to get wrong, even for a pro. Attention to detail is critical here as even relatively small shocks in a pool can lead to fatal electric shock drowning.
With that said, it’s not an impossible DIY job, especially given the type of pool you have. Your pool is indeed a storable type due to its fabric liner construction even though it exceeds the 42″ depth limit otherwise set in the NEC — this isn’t clear due to definition conflicts in 680.2, but to interpret this as a permanently installed pool would cause a mess trying to apply several Code requirements to this situation.
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How Do I Run Electricity To My Above Ground Pool
If you were going to install a permanently mounted cable to your swimming pool underground. You will need a electrician to do this for you. Electrician will come out of your service panel inside your house through your basement.
They can also run through your attic, decks at your building. They then come down the side of the house and will run through a trench over to the pool area. As mentioned above if this runs across the driveway it must be 3 feet in depth. If it is not in the driveway area then it must be 18 inches by code. Bottom of the trench must be lined with sand at least 3 to 6 inches.
Once the cable is in place I can be backfilled but needs burial tape 6 inches from the surface. If anyone ever tries to dig there again they will hit the burial tape before they hit the cable. The other end of the cable will then have a tech. The connecter installed on the tech cable and go up into small panel inside of a building.
Alternatively it can be mounted outside on post and this requires an outdoor rated panel which is more expensive. If you decide to go this route to supply power to your pool this can become more costly. Like mentioned above you can expect to spend a minimum of 1000 dollars and if you get an outdoor rated panel probably 1500 dollars or more.This is where pools become more costly to install.
How To Wire A Pool Pump
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Pool pumps are wired to run on either 230V or 115V. Most are run on 230V and are preset at the manufacturers at 230V. If you are going to wire your own pool pump, you must first know what voltage is coming to your pump from the house circuit breaker. Also you must ensure that the electrical supply agrees with the motor’s voltage, phase, and cycle and that all electrical wiring conforms to local codes and NEC regulations. If you are unsure of this voltage or are unfamiliar with electrical codes and regulations, have a professional electrician wire your pump for you or at least check your work. Failure to wire the pump correctly can cause electrical shock or can damage your pump motor and void your warranty.
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Wire Size For Pool Pump
Sparkmaster said:I am also slightly confused and need to break out the Code book .. Now regardless to a 240volt or a 120volt Pump, I still do believe that the circuit must be a 20 amp Circuit.. Somebody educate me on this while i try to locate my book..
Brad S said:You cant put wire bigger than #12 around a recepticle screw, it’s not practicle. And yes, #12 over 200 feet wont work either. 200 feet requires 4 wire conductucer, THHN wire to a sub panel. Besides, a pool pump requires an insulated ground wire, so NM or UF direct burial wont work anyway, at least not to code.IF I were going to DYI, i would:1) Put a 60 amp, dipole breaker in the main2) Run #4 THHN. Thats stranded wire. You need 4 conductors, 1 black, 1 red, for the hots, one green for ground, and one white for the common. 3) Run the conductors in 1 1/2 inch conduit4) Mount an outdoor sub panel 5) run the wires into the panel. 6) wire the pump into the panel with flex conduit to an appropriate breaker size. 7) You can add recepticles off the sub panel as needed for other devices you want to power. recepticles can be no closer than 5 feet from the pool. 60 amps is plenty of power out there. Even accounting for the volatage drop. 60 amp really only requires #6 wire, but with the 200 feet, you should use #4.I should add item 8.8) If you are not EXTREMELY comfortable doing this, hire an electrican.
Sizing The Circuit Wiring For A Pool Pump
Here are some factors that must be considered to properly determine the circuit wiring for a pool pump and pool equipment:
- Will there be one circuit or more circuits.
- Identify the pool equipment: What is the size of the pump and the amperage and voltage circuit requirements.
- What is the length of the wire run for the electrical circuit.
- What is the type of conduit to be used for the circuit wiring.
- For Example: When installing electrical wire in PVC conduit it is typical to use Type THWN Electrical Wire.
More about Wiring Swim Pool Equipment
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Is It Ok To Use Extension Cords For Pool Pumps
Yes, it is OK with some considerations. Many pool owners successfully and safely run their pool pump with the right extension cord. However, please read on before purchasing any old extension cord from your local hardware store.
Maybe you have a new Intex, Summer Waves, or Coleman temporary pool for your family this summer, but it is too far from your house to be plugged in. Or maybe you dont have a pool yet, but you are planning for your installation and pool pump setup.
It can be expensive to have an electrician install a dedicated outlet in your yard to power the pump and filter.
If you are in a hurry, here are the items you may need.
What Real World Users Say
Ive been running my Hayward motor off a heavy gauge cord no issues. I also have the plug protector for where the 2 cords plug together.
My electrician had me run mine on a 12 gauge cord. Was fine all year. Put the pump connection in a weatherproof box
I run mine on an extension cord and have for 5 years
What Metal Is Bonded
However, if we were to bond all metal together, there is no chance for electric concentrations as the electricity will spread across the metal.
Therefore, pool contractors and electricians will bond your pool pumps, heaters, pool cage, lights, screen enclosure, and ALL metal surrounding your pool .
You can see the pool enclosure is bonded from the featured image of this post.
Here are examples of other metal near a pool bonded!
There are many other items that should be bonded besides the images above. But, as a home owner and real estate agent, you might be able to better understand the importance of bonding when your home inspector calls this out on their report.
There are strict rules and codes to bonding of pool equipment and its surrounding objects . For the sake of simplicity, we will not be covering those rules.
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See The Electrical Wiring Video #2 Below:
Wiring Pool Equipment Electrical QuestionWhat type of wire should I install for Pool Equipment?
- Im installing the electrical from my pool pump to the house breaker panel and want to know the type of wire
- I need to run inside the conduit. Im told that it has to be single-strand wire but I dont know if I need to run two wires inside the conduit since I dont know what the wire looks like.
- Ive dug the trench to the required 12 depth for the conduit since the GFCI will be located by the breaker box inside the house.
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
This electrical wiring question came from Angelo, in Commack , New York.
Daves Reply:Thanks for your electrical wiring question Angelo.
What To Consider When Picking The Wire Gauge
Material
The one and only choice for a wire material for a pool pump is copper. Copper has a lower resistance than aluminum which is the other common wire choice. Coppers low resistance lessens voltage drop.
Length of run
This refers to the length of wire needed to span from the power source to the pool pump motor. The longer the wire, the thicker it needs to be. Remember that thin wire has a higher resistance causing higher voltage a drop which leads to an overheating motor
Pump Horsepower & Voltage
The higher the motor horsepower, the more electricity it requires. The voltage being supplied to the motor plays a factor because of the number of hot wires used for 115 and 230. A 115-volt circuit has only one hot wire carrying, meaning the amperage is carried solely through that wire. This means that the wire has to be thicker to avoid overheating. A 230-volt circuit has two hot wires carrying voltage, splitting the amperage draw evenly, allowing a smaller gauge to be used.
Wire Gauge Chart
This wire gauge chart provided by A.O. Smith:
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Can I Bond And Ground My Own Pool
If you’ve recently performed work on your pool like adding a handrail or installing a new pump, you might think you can save some time and money by grounding and bonding the new equipment yourself. But this is a bad idea for a few reasons.
First, electrical work can be dangerous, especially around swimming pools. If you don’t have experience working with electricity, installing your own ground wires or bonding grid could put you at risk. Furthermore, if you don’t do the work correctly, you could also put other people using your pool at risk.
Second, most jurisdictions require bonding and grounding to be done by a licensed electrician or to have an electrician check the work once you’ve installed it. If an inspector finds out you did your own work you could be hit with code violations and be forced to re-do everything according to local and national electrical code. In most cases, it’s cheaper and easier to have an experienced electrician do the work correctly the first time.
I Have A Pool Pump On A 30 Amp Circuit Can I Add A 20 Amp Gfci Outlet To That Same 30 Amp Breaker Pump Is On 12 Gauge Wire
I want to put a 20 amp GFCI receptacle on a 30 amp breaker.
Is this ok?
- 1It looks like you are already out of spec on the circuit wires to the pump. 30 amp circuits need 10 AWG wireApr 15 ’16 at 11:35
- 1I think they were indicating the wiring on the pump itself, and not the circuit feeding the pump. Not unlike an appliance wire being a lower gauge than what’s feeding the receptacle. But even if that’s the case, we need a lot more detail. How many amps does the pump require? How will the outlet be used? BMitchApr 15 ’16 at 11:50
- The tap rule for cooking appliances 210.19.a.3 is very specific to household ranges and cooking appliances. This would NOT meet code. Ed BealApr 15 ’16 at 13:05
- I took to long to edit after hitting enter by mistake. If a small panel like a hot tub GFCI with additional breakers it could be done this way. where the main GFCI feeds the pump and a gfci breaker or outlet is fed from one of the additional slots in the panel. Something like this panel the wire size would need to be increased if it is 10 awg or GFCI reduced.
You don’t have a 30 amp circuit. Your wire is 12 gauge, so you have a 20 amp circuit with the wrong breaker.
- Replace the breaker with 20A
- Feel free to install your 15 or 20 amp GFCI since they are legal on 20A circuits
- For that matter, you could just install a GFCI breaker. Price both ways.
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