Lazy Spa installation

[C_Willz]

I’ve just had an NICEIC assessment and he’s picked me up on a lazy spa being connected to an outside socket. The lazy spa comes with a 10mA PRCD, he said I should treat it as a bathroom special location. Surely an outside socket in as outside socket and it’s not up to me what a customer plugs into it. The outside socket is on a 30mA rcd. Be interested to hear your views.....

 

[Dartlec]

I checked the instructions for one a little while back (client mentioned possibly getting one) and they were clearly written for US installations, and called for earth bonding back to the main earthing point. I think there was a post here a while back too about older models having an earthing point on the pump which more recent models didn't have as they were class 2.

However, if it's attached to an outdoor socket then I don't see how it can be classed as part of the installation, let alone as a 'bathroom special location'.

Was it an outdoor socket on the house, which could reasonably be used for lots of things, or a specific socket installed on a decking some way from the house just for the tub? That might make a difference I guess if the reason for the socket was known in advance.

David Savery had a video a while back on a hot tub installation which was clearly more than 'just' an outdoor socket, but he was installing specifically for a professional spa install, not a DIY job.

Though if the inspector was right and it should treated as a bathroom, other than ensuring everything on 30mA RCD these days, what else would you do? are there any extraneous parts that need bonding on a typical spa?

 

[suffolkspark]

Pick your assessor up on it, too many jumped up clueless assessors in the trade

 

[nicebutdim]

David Savery had a video a while back on a hot tub installation which was clearly more than 'just' an outdoor socket, but he was installing specifically for a professional spa install, not a DIY job.

Was that where he was less than happy about having to leave unterminated cable connected to a rotary isolator? He was fortunate enough to have a solution on that occasion but, as mentioned earlier in the thread, it's far from an ideal situation.

 

[Dartlec]

Was that where he was less than happy about having to leave unterminated cable connected to a rotary isolator? He was fortunate enough to have a solution on that occasion but, as mentioned earlier in the thread, it's far from an ideal situation.

Yep - think he locked the isolator off - had to leave swa for the installers...

But he ran a separate db, and TT'd the end for the spa if I recall, so a big step up from an inflatable plug in version...

 

[Midwest]

I checked the instructions for one a little while back (client mentioned possibly getting one) and they were clearly written for US installations, and called for earth bonding back to the main earthing point. I think there was a post here a while back too about older models having an earthing point on the pump which more recent models didn't have as they were class 2.

However, if it's attached to an outdoor socket then I don't see how it can be classed as part of the installation, let alone as a 'bathroom special location'.

Was it an outdoor socket on the house, which could reasonably be used for lots of things, or a specific socket installed on a decking some way from the house just for the tub? That might make a difference I guess if the reason for the socket was known in advance.

David Savery had a video a while back on a hot tub installation which was clearly more than 'just' an outdoor socket, but he was installing specifically for a professional spa install, not a DIY job.

Though if the inspector was right and it should treated as a bathroom, other than ensuring everything on 30mA RCD these days, what else would you do? are there any extraneous parts that need bonding on a typical spa?

Think it was my thread a while back, I’ll try and link it when I have time.

Lay-z-spa are a US designed product, made in China & adapted for U.K. use. They are all Class 1 products, although there’s some misleading information on their UK web site suggesting Class 2, but I’ve cleared that up with them, they are Class 1.

From my thread, as usual there were mixed opinions, but consensus was that it would be sensible to TT socket for this outside tub, as I have PME supply. The US penned instructions recommend to arrange for a qualified electrician to connect the spa pump to an equipotential terminal by a qualified electrician using a minimum solid 2.5mm cable copper cable.

As in my #7, ‘IET Guidance Note 7 (Special Locations) states (at 13.8) that where a hot tub is located in a room such as a garden room, shed, etc., it is recommended that the relevant requirements detailed in Section 701 of BS 7671 should be applied in full.‘

Again, has anyone a copy of GN7?

 

[Midwest]

Here’s me thread;

https://www.electriciansforums.net/threads/another-hot-tub-thread-part-2.189739/