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Subject - GFCI for 3 ph pools?
Wirenutz This is a standard LC-220 disco for a hot tub or pool....



the GFCI protection is via one of these...


which in turn feeds through to a typical 3 ph contactor like this one


the usual current imbalance causing the contactor to drop the motor out, (and in some models set off an alarm)

The unit comes with two phases and a noodle that travels through the GFCI as well as the contactor


On one older 3 ph pool i made a slight alteration.....

This public pool had a hardwired 3 ph 208 motor, quite old, in a poolhouse with much vintage plumbing

much of the plumbing had been letting go, and in fact causing a number of problems....(i changed the panel to a NEMA 3r due to this)

and here's the rub....

In rebuilding the hookup to the motor i used the LC-220, with the exception of introducing the third hot in place of the noodle

this is probably a 110.3(B) violation, yet as 680 has no provisions for protecting 3 phase pools via GFI's i figured i'd take the chance and err on trying to provide more protection to an aging facility

the inspector raised a brow, but didn't write me up on this, others (including two individuals whom write for a trade mags which i'll keep anyonomous) think i'm nuts

all comments, conjecture & conspiracy theories appreciated

~W~







kbsparky I wouldn't say "nuts" -- but rather ingenius.

Did it function properly when trip tested with something like a solenoid-type "Vol-Con" tester? I thought that the "noodle" was to monitor and/or control the trip out of the GFCI unit, resulting in the contactor dropping the load. Maybe this aspect is not required for proper functionality?

Where did you obtain the neutral wire from for the control circuit?

Wirenutz the contactor shown feeds a sq D #2 contactor kbsparky, the pool motor is large, (7 hp iirc) and gets it's OL protection from this unit.

the coil in it was 120V (the whole place is on a 120/208 Y system

so that same noodle is used to feed the GFCI shown, which as you said, it needs to have to monitor

it'll trip out normally with a soleniod tester

really, the whole setup is no different than a straight 240V hot tub, just one more leg through the GFCI

the thing is, the whole pool is old, not really bonded that well either. from the motor i ran a piece of #12 thhn out just to ohm out the dive rails, fencing, (et all metallics) , and could tell it wasn't quite up to snuff..

as such, being given an open checkbook , i installed the gfci unit, as well as bonded the surrounding fencing, ran all perimeter lighting off gfi's etc etc....

i don't know why 680 would let us hardwire a pool non-gfi, and have submitted an rop for the last few cycles hoping for some sort of rationale

but perhaps the cmp feels that bonding to create a better voltage gradient would create the 'bird on a wire' effect ?

either way, my kids swim there, so i did it up as best i could

~W~