TECHNICAL CORNER
POOLS & SPAS
SWIMMING AND SPA POOLS EXPLAINED
THERE ’ S NOTHING MORE RELAXING IN SUMMER THAN DIVING INTO A NICE , REFRESHING BACKYARD POOL . BUT , AS ANTHONY KING OF MASTER ELECTRICIANS AUSTRALIA EXPLAINS , THERE ’ S A LOT TO CONSIDER WHEN YOU ’ RE WORKING ON THE JOB .
THE STANDARD AS / NZS 3000:2018 Electrical Installations ( also known as ‘ Wiring Rules ’), contains essential electrical requirements for swimming pools and spas . The Wiring Rules is legislated for compliance in all Australian states and territories , and therefore is mandatory . Swimming pool and spa builders , including pool fence installers , need to be aware of the additional electrical works required by the Wiring Rules .
THE LAW – LICENSED ELECTRICAL WORK Where electrical equipment and conductive metalwork is required to be equipotential bonded , this work is legally required to be performed by licensed electrical contractors .
The connection and installation of earthing cables and their protective enclosures is defined under state legislation as electrical work .
WHAT IS EQUIPOTENTIAL BONDING ? AS / NZS 3000 requires swimming pools and spa pool electrical equipment and the associated wiring to conform to essential earthing requirements . This is termed equipotential bonding . The bonding of all extraneous and exposed conductive materials within a defined area ( zone ) of the pool installation will protect the swimmer from the effects of electricity under fault conditions .
Equipotential bonding is achieved by the connection of conductive materials to an earth conductor which is terminated to the earthing bar of the electrical switchboard or , where applicable , the earthing termination of a socket outlet for the pool equipment .
Electrical equipment such as pumps , heaters , lights and cables can fail and introduce electricity into conductive building materials within the pool area . An adjoining property ’ s electrical faults can also introduce ground-borne voltage into a pool area .
Equipotential bonding is the best way to keep dangerous voltages from wet areas . The same methods are also applied to conductive building surfaces in bathrooms .
What needs to be bonded :
• Reinforcing metal of a concrete pool shell and pool surrounds
Note : Only one bonding point is required when all the steel reinforcement is wire-tied as one complete conductive system .
• Conductive metalwork as a support system for plasticlined or fibreglass pools
• Exposed conductive parts of any low-voltage electrical equipment , including electrical equipment in contact with the pool water
• Conductive ladders and diving boards
• Conductive fencing within arm ’ s reach ( 1.25m ) of the pool edge
• Conductive building structures within arm ’ s reach ( 1.25m ) of the pool edge
• Any conductive metal greater than 100mm in any dimension within arm ’ s reach ( 1.25m ) of the pool edge ( e . g . conductive pool fencing systems and glass panel supporting spigots )
An equipotential bonding conductor connection point shall be :
• Located in a position that will be accessible with space for connections to be made after pool construction ( e . g . located
42 GEMCELL . COM . AU DEC 2020 – JAN 2021