Swimming Pool Electrical Safety Tips: Pottstown, PA Electrician Advice

It’s the start of spring, and many homes are opening their swimming pools for the season. That hot weather is almost here, so today KB Electric LLC will go over some swimming pool electrical safety tips with its fellow community. It’s important that swimming pool owners know the electrical safety tips before jumping in to prevent electrocution hazards, among other swimming pool dangers that occur each year.

We get a lot of phone calls in the Pottstown, PA and Collegeville, PA area where we are based out of for pool electrician services. These include things like swimming pool wiring for pumps and heaters, installation and repair of swimming pool lights, pool panel control systems, and many other electrical things that require a licensed electrician. While it is great that we see more and more people calling us for these services, there are still some pool owners that insist on hiring an amateur to save a couple bucks, or worse, doing the electrical portion of the pool installation themselves.

KB Electric LLC STRONGLY recommends hiring a licensed electrician with the expertise and experience to wire your swimming pool for safety measures. Click here for more information on the reasons why hiring an electrician is best for this type of work.

Let’s get right into the main reason why we are blogging today. For all swimming pool owners, whether you rely on a licensed electrician or not for your pool wiring services, it’s important to know basic swimming pool electrical safety tips to ensure the safety of you and your family. 

Swimming Pool Electrical Safety Tips

1. All wiring should be up to NEC and local codes

First and foremost, when you ensure your swimming pool meets the required codes, it spells safety. Codes and regulations locally and nationally are meant to keep you and your family/friends safe from potential electrocution hazards when the wiring is done properly. 

Here are a few things that meet the NEC requirements for swimming pool electrical safety. Note: This is a small list with minimal detail. If you insist on electrically wiring your pool and equipment yourself, please refer to the latest NEC handbook to ensure your pool is up to proper code for safety:

• The use of GFCIs (ground fault circuit interrupters) for all electrical equipment
• All electrical equipment is grounded
• All metal objects are bonded together
• There should be a 10ft clearance from the maximum height of the pool water, diving platform, pool ladder, etc. to communication wires overhead (cable lines, telephone lines etc.)
• There should be a 22.5 ft clearance from the maximum height of the pool water, or base of diving platform to overhead service conductors (cables from your mast head on your roof that tie into the utility company power lines)
• Underground wiring less than 5′ from a permanent pool must be encased in proper conduit
• A manual disconnect must be visible within 5′ from the pool’s water, and easily accessible near the pool equipment

Other requirements in the NEC handbook for swimming pool electrical safety include standards for receptacles (outlets), minimum requirements for proper bonding, wiring methods for pool feeders, underwater luminaire (pool light fixtures), and much more. Not to beat a dead horse, but KB Electric LLC recommends hiring a licensed electrician versed in code so everything is properly wired and nothing gets missed. 

2. Have a licensed electrician perform an electrical inspection for your swimming pool to ensure everything is properly working and wired correctly (wiring isn’t loose or faulty, nothing is corroded etc.). Updating anything old like receptacles, lights, and switches should be done if recommended after the inspection.
3. Never swim in your pool when there is lightning
4. Do not use extension cords around your pool
5. All outdoor receptacles (outlets) should have bubble covers to keep them dry
6. Test GFCIs monthly to make certain they still work
7. Use battery-operated devices and appliances around the swimming pool instead of those needing a cord for power