Download Bonding - Pool Council

Electrical Safety Authority
Pool Bonding
January 12, 2016
Electrical Safety Authority
Pool Bonding
Inspection Requirements
2-004 Inspection
(1) A contractor shall file with the inspection department a completed
application for inspection of any work on an electrical installation:
(a) Before or within 48 hours after commencement of the work
whether or not electrical power or energy has been previously
supplied to the land, building, or premises on which the work
was performed; and
(b) Shall pay the fees prescribed by the inspection department.
ESA allows pool installers to obtain a
notification and do the pool bonding
Pool Bonding
Common Terms
Common terms:
Voltage
• Force that causes flow of electricity
• Measured in Volts (V)
• Can be compared to water pressure
Current
• A flow of electric charge measured in Amperes (A)
• Can be compared to the rate of flow of water in a pipe.
Resistance
• Ability of an object to conduct electricity, measured in Ohms (Ω).
• High resistance object is an insulator, low resistance object is a conductor.
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Ground Gradient
• Similar to dropping a pebble
in calm water and observing
the ripples moving away from
the center. Voltage would be
the ripples.
• As the voltage disperses
from the center, the voltage
drops.
•Two forms of ground gradient
hazard: Step Potential and
Touch Potential.
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Step Potential
Step potential
• Voltage difference
between two points
(difference in potential) of a
person (or animal)
standing near an energized
object
•A person could be at risk
of injury during a fault
simply by standing near
the grounding point.
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Touch Potential
Touch potential
• Voltage between
energized object and
feet of a person in
contact with the object
• Equal to the difference
in voltage between the
object and a point some
distance away
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Bonding and Bonding Conductor
Bonding
• a low impedance path obtained by permanently
joining all non-current-carrying metal parts to ensure
electrical continuity and having the capacity to conduct
safely any current likely to be imposed on it.
Bonding Conductor
•a conductor that connects the non-current-carrying
parts of electrical equipment, raceways, or enclosures
to the service equipment or system grounding
conductor.
Pool Bonding
68-058
Rule 68-058 (4) requires a minimum size of bonding
conductors for permanently installed pools and all in-ground
pools to be no smaller than No. 6 AWG copper.
Pool Bonding
Bonding a Metal Pool Shell
Rule 68-058(8) requires a galvanized steel pool shell made
up of individual panels securely bolted together, to be
bonded in at least one location to equipment specified in
Subrule (1) and as shown in Diagram B1.
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Bonding a Metal Pool Shell
Pool Bonding
Bonding a Metal Pool Shell
Question
If a metal pool shell has fibreglass stairs installed that break the continuous shell of the pool as
shown on the Photo B1, is it only required to be bonded at one point as per Rule 68-058(8)?
Answer
Yes, provided a bonding jumper (of the same size as the bonding conductor) is provided across
the bonding path break, as per Diagram B1.
Rationale
A metal pool shell is only required to be bonded once, if it is continuous. If there is a break in the
outer shell by a non-conductive material (ie. fibreglass stairs), then a jumper is required across
the break (or bond each section individually).
Pool Bonding
Bonding a Metal Pool Shell
Pool Bonding
Bonding a pool with structural
reinforcing steel
Rule 68-058(2) requires the pool reinforcing steel to be
bonded together with a minimum of four connections, equally
spaced around the perimeter and to equipment specified in
Subrule (1), as shown in Diagram B2.
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Bonding a pool with structural
reinforcing steel
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Bonding a pool with encapsulated
reinforcing steel
When pool reinforcing steel is encapsulated with a nonconductive compound, a bonding grid around the pool
cannot not be formed. Rule 68-058(3) and Appendix B note
requires a bonding loop (no smaller than No. 6 AWG copper)
around the pool if the steel is encapsulated, as per Diagram
B3. Equipment specified in Subrule (1) is required to be
bonded to that loop
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Bonding a pool with encapsulated
reinforcing steel
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Pools of non conductive materials
The OESC does not have bonding requirements for pools
with nonconductive materials such are fibreglass composite
or resin. If other conductive non-electrical equipment
associated with the pool such as ladders or fences are
installed, they would be required to be bonded to the pool
electrical equipment.
Pool Bonding
Frequently Asked Questions
Question
Can the split bolts or ground lugs used for pool bonding be aluminum?
Answer
No. Any split bolts or ground lugs located underground shall be approved for earth
burial. Components located outdoors shall be approved as suitable for wet locations.
Rule 2-034 requires approved electrical equipment of a kind or type and rating
approved for the specific purpose for which it is to be employed.
Pool Bonding
Frequently Asked Questions
Question
Does the deck-reinforcing steel need to be bonded?
Answer
Yes, Rule 68-058(1) requires deck-reinforcing steel to be bonded together and to other metal
parts of the pool. See Diagram B1 and B2.
Additional bonding connections for the deck of the metal pool shell are not required when:
● the pool reinforcing bracing is part of the metal pool shell as shown in photo B1;
● the pool reinforcing steel is pressure fit to the continuous metal pool shell as shown in Photo B3
and B4; or
● A conductive mesh (laid down over the gravel below the deck), is tie-wired and in solid contact
with the continuous metal pool shell as shown in Photo B4.
Pool Bonding
Frequently Asked Questions
Pool Bonding
Frequently Asked Questions
Question
Is a pool bonding conductor specified by Rule 68-058(1) required
to be connected to a grounding electrode?
Answer
No. A pool bonding conductor specified by Rule 68-058(1) is not
required to be connected to a grounding electrode. The bonding
required by Rule 68-058(1) is installed to eliminate voltage
gradients in the pool area and to ensure that all metallic parts
described in the rule are at the same electrical potential.
Pool Bonding
Common Defects
OESC 2012 Rule 02-004 - Any person responsible for any
installed, alteration, repair, or extension of any electrical
equipment, shall obtain an application for inspection from the
Electrical Safety Authority.
OESC 2012 Rule 02-004(6) - Please note: the wiring is not
to be covered or concealed until it has been inspected by an
electrical inspector and found to conform to the Electrical
Safety Code.
Pool Bonding
Common Defects
OESC 2012 Rule 68-058 - All metal parts of the pool and
non-electrical equipment associated to the pool shall be
bonded together and to non-current-carrying metal parts of
electrical equipment by a copper conductor not smaller than
#6 awg.
OESC 2012 Rule 68-058(3) - Where reinforcing steel is
encapsulated with a non-conductive compound such as
epoxy, provisions shall be made for an alternative means to
eliminate voltage gradients such as a loop of minimum #6
AWG copper conductor installed around the pool below the
normal water line.
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Contact Information
• Call Centre: 1.877.ESA.SAFE
1.877.372.7233
• Website: www.esasafe.com
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Electrical Safety Authority
Thank you
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