17-148 Log #2736 NEC-P17 Final Action: Accept
(680.74)
________________________________________________________________
Submitter: Robert Meier
Recommendation: Revise text to read as follows:
680.74 Bonding
Both metal piping systems and all grounded metal parts in contact with the
circulating water shall be bonded together using a solid copper bonding jumper,
insulated, covered, or bare, not small than 8 AWG. The bonding jumper shall
be connected tot eh terminal on the circulating pump motor that is intended for
this purpose. The bonding jumper shall not be required to be connected to a
double insulated circulating pump motor. The 8 AWG or larger solid copper
bonding jumper shall be required for equipotential bonding in the area of the
hydromassage bathtub and shall not be required to be extended or attached to
the remote panelboard, service equipment, or any electrode. The 8 AWG or
larger solid copper bonding jumper shall be long enough to terminate on a
replacement non-double-insulated pump motor and shall be terminated to the
equipment grounding conductor of the branch circuit of the motor when a
double-insulated circulating pump motor is used.
Substantiation: There seems to be much confusion with the present wording
of this requirement. Inspectors and installers seem to believe that the two parts
of the first sentence, All metal piping systems and all grounded metal parts in
contact with the circulating water are two separate requirements. Because of
this they take the first part All metal piping systems out of context and require
the pump to be bonded to the hot and cold metallic water piping that feeds the
hydromassage tub faucet. If the intention of this section were to take the first
two parts of the sentence as two separate requirements then there would need
to be some additional wording that would say exactly where the All metal
piping systems that are required to be bonded are located within the structure.
When taken as two separate parts, it would mean that every metal piping
system within the structure would be required to be bonded to the pump motor.
This would include the hot and cold metallic water lines, metallic gas piping
systems and any other metallic piping system within the structure. changing the
first sentence will clarify that the requirement is solely for metal piping
systems and grounded metal parts that contact the circulating water and not the
piping used to fill the tub or any other metallic piping systems that may or may
not be in the vicinity of the hydromassage tub.
Panel Meeting Action: Accept
Panel Statement: The panel clarifies that the word “Both” replaces the
existing word “all” at the beginning of the first sentence. Otherwise, only the
changes shown in legislative text are intended.
Number Eligible to Vote: 10
Ballot Results: Affirmative: 10
