Pool Safety Sanity Check

First, you mentioned touching the pool light switch, while trying to operate The pool cover: so, number one is that pool lighting had been GFI required since 1968. It may be that the pool cover was added to the light circuit, and the GFI Was removed. There is probably a weatherproof outlet neer the light switch. This needs to be a GFI since you mentioned there were no GFIs in the service panel. Secondly, if there in fact only two single pole breakers for this installation, the pool pump sounds to be 120 volts, which would make it Simple to install a GFI breaker for the motor, since you have already found a bonding problem. With improper bonding your safest solution to the potential is having both circuits GFI protected. Additional ARC fault protection on the motor typically won't work on pool motors; and not at all if a standard time clock is installed. Let the homeowner know that his insurance is also void in this situation. Good luck...

I want to correct a couple of errors (as I perceive them) in this story. Let me categorically state that I am not condoning the unlicensed work on any electrical system, so don't flame me.

First, if this pool was built in 2004 in Indiana, GFCI protection for directly connected pump motors was not required. This did not appear in the Code until 2005 (680.22(B)). Is it a good idea ? Absolutely. Was it a Code violation when this pool was built? Sadly, no.

Also, the writer stated that electricians are not required to be licensed in Indiana. This is absolutely false. I have been a Master Electrician in Indianapolis since 1981 and also hold Master's licenses in several other Indiana cities. Indiana does not have STATE-WIDE licensing, but most cities of any size license locally.

Just wanted to clear those two issues up. I agree whole-heartedly that this pool needs some immediate electrical attention.

Swimming Pool without GFCI ! Very good story. Communicates clearly. Good Observation and measurements (shock by touch). Electricity can be a Shocking Experience, which no homeowner understands, only a Caring and Experienced Electrical Tech knows.

(1) You Chose the first appropriate option of notifying the homeowner.

(2) You Chose the second appropriate option of installing a GFCI tandem circuit breaker ( possibly a free gift to the homeowner ).

(3) You Did not chose the third option , which would be to mail notification to the insurance company.

Have been in/around the Electrical Sciences Industry since 1958, and have seen several good and qualified electricians die from electrical currents. I lived/worked carefully and long enough to retire !

Try talking to the local electrical inspector and have him come over, offer to pay for any fee he might charge if he doesn't find any problems. You have already found 2 problems so you know the inspector will

Call the local Building Department theywill have the pool shut down and tell her you did that for the safety of everyone especially the children

I served for 35 years in Fire & Rescue Service and I ran several electric shock cases and at least two electrocutions. None of those involved fresh water electrical paralysis but that didn't make em fun nor pretty. A third of an amp can kill you and a half an amp through the chest cavity will kill you. When you are standing in line waiting for Saint Peter to say welcome home you don't want that kind of stupid regret on your mind.

I am an electrician and instructor I stress grounding and bonding in my class very much,all I can say is keep trying even to the point of reporting it to local inspector or try to get another opinion from a responsible electrician, to back you up. Hopefully you can get things corrected before something terrible happens

I thought all sw.pool lights have egc

As much as I prefer not to call the cops to a simple problem because in all likelihood it will only get worse, this is one instance where calling building and planning may be of service in saving the life of someone who just wanted to enjoy swimming for a few moments from someone who only sees the money in business or the electrical profession.

Recently, 2016, a client had a New, narrower, rectangular pool installed in place of a mid-70s rectangular. A weird nuisance trip from the pool cover sump pump led to the testing outlined in Mike Pool videos. I verified that the entire pool circuit was ungrounded. The pool circuit was 3 wire neutral/ground bonded at the pool pump house, no ground rod. Further investigation showed the deck was bonded only 1' from the water. And no GFCI breakers. The pool contractors electrician had screwed up the accessory outlet at the pump house(no power), so the sump was running on a circuit fed from a GFCI plug at the house, which is bonded at the main (ground loop). So it would run for a while until the gfci plug tripped, otherwise it may have been missed until there was an injury. So, I pulled the permit docs down at the building dept and the Pool Contractor had pulled a permit for a pool repair of the existing pool($28,000). No mention of the complete replacement of the pool structure, underlying rebar, and bonding network. It was a $125,000 project. They never got a single inspection. So, we alerted the Building dept. and I fought the Pool Contractor directly with reports of my testing & documents from the building dept on behalf of my client to save time and the pain & expense of court. They corrected it that week, verified by my testing and city inspection.

I have verified the techniques, methods, electrical theory of electrical utility systems and voltages readings in and around pool structures discussed in Mike Holt's videos on Pool Bonding & Grounding with my own local electrical utility engineers and they have verified the methods and techniques for testing and verification of electrical safety.

In the last 20 years electrical utilities in California have received memos with demand to verify safe operation when a pool permit at a local AHJ is issued. This usually occurs after the first inspection, foundation & bonding. In theory, if the contractor follows the code, the system is safe because neutral degradation (this is of serious concern to my local Municipal Utility District) from the pool circuits to the Main to the grounded transformer has been verified & eliminated for potential by both the utility & contractor.

Any contractor worth their salt will verify the existing system conditions at the house and make recommendations or demand corrections according to what exists at the location. Otherwise, it's just money ya'll. AKA Bull***t.

As a contractor, if the client is unwilling to correct the issues surrounding pool electrical safety, I cannot and will not help them add to the hazard. i will eat beans and rice.

What is a single life worth to you? What about the lives of those affected by poorly trained "electricians"? Do you sleep soundly at night? I hope so. Do the right thing and let everyone sleep sound.