Bonding a plastic wet niche fixture

[bfalkowski]

Is it required to bond a plastic wet niche shell, (fed with pvc) from the inside and the outside? The interior lug is connected to the exterior lug, they are one in the same. I bonded the exterior lug of the shell to the rest of the bonding grid. Is that sufficient?

Seperate question? Are deck boxes necessary?

 

[mhulbert]

Re: Bonding a plastic wet niche fixture

If it is fed by PVC, you must run a #8 copper conductor between the inside of the niche, and the junction box (not a deck box, see below). The #8 is run inside the PVC with the cord from the fixture. You also have to bond the outside of the niche to the pool bonding grid(rebar, ladders, etc), as you did. Some areas also want this bonding wire brought into the junctionbox as well.

By deck boxes do you mean a junction box? See 680.24(A). Yes, you need them. They have to be at least 4' away from the pool, 8" above the maximum pool water level. A "deck box" is actually a flush, in the deck box that people walk on. They usually have long term problems, but if you are using a lighitng system under 15V, you may still use a deck box. I wouldn't recomend it, as they must be potted, and are usually a pain to service.

mike

 

[George Stolz]

Re: Bonding a plastic wet niche fixture

If the fixture is plastic, what are you bonding?

 

[augie47]

Re: Bonding a plastic wet niche fixture

watch closely..this might be more than what it appears...I have seen "plastic" wet nich boxes, but when you check with a meter you find the metallic "nuts" molded into the plastic for the
brass light ring are in fact connected thru the plastic to the interior (and exterior) lugs. Bonding of the metallic parts of the light assembly is accomblished thru the the interior
connection in the forming shell, just like a metallic shell. You just can't see the bonding in the plastic.