by Jerry Peck - Codeman on Mon Jun 14, 2010 7:04 pm
Hi Chris,
The short answer is "5 feet" between the pool and the underground wiring (presuming the service is underground wiring - the distance is much greater if the service is overhead - i.e., 10 feet horizontal separation).
From the 2008 NEC.
- Article 680
- - - IV. Spas and Hot Tubs
- - - 680.40 General.
- - - - Electrical installations at spas and hot tubs shall comply with the provisions of Part I and Part IV of this article.
Which means we now need to go to Part I of Article 680:
- ARTICLE 680 Swimming Pools, Fountains, and Similar Installations
- - 680.10 Underground Wiring Location.
- - - Underground wiring shall not be permitted under the pool or within the area extending 1.5 m (5 ft) horizontally from the inside wall of the pool unless this wiring is necessary to supply pool equipment permitted by this article. Where space limitations prevent wiring from being routed a distance 1.5 m (5 ft) or more from the pool, such wiring shall be permitted where installed in complete raceway systems of rigid metal conduit, intermediate metal conduit, or a nonmetallic raceway system. All metal conduit shall be corrosion resistant and suitable for the location. The minimum cover depth shall be as given in Table 680.10.
- - - - Table 680.10 (addresses minimum cover depth for the underground wiring method).
Let me know if the service is underground or overhead and I can supply the information for that.
Jerry Peck - CodeMan
AskCodeMan.com
Construction Litigation Consultant - Retired
Construction and Code Consultant - Semi Retired