Spring Wound Timer For Spa/Hot Tub

[Clea]

I replaced a defective 15 minute timer with a new one for a hot tub at the college I work for. The requestor asked me if I could replace the 15 minute with a 30 minute timer. I looked through my 2008 Code Book to see if there's any restrictions as to the number of minutes a timer should have for a spa/hot tub with no success. I don't want to replace it with another one if it's against code. Can you help?

Thank you.

Clea

 

[charlie b]

The NEC is not going to address this situation. But Californian's Title 24 energy rules might have something to say about it. I don't have T24 handy, so I can't tell you for sure.

By the way, California is no longer basing its electrical code on the 2008 NEC. The 2013 California Electrical Code is based on the 2011 NEC.

Welcome to the forum.

 

[GoldDigger]

The NEC does not cover it and the energy code is probably not specific as to the time.
But the motivation is from safety codes, based among other things on the possibility that somebody could pass out from the heat in the tub and die from hyperthermia.

The manufacturer's instructions may specify a timer value too, in which case the NEC may enforce that as part of the UL listing for the product.

 

[qcroanoke]

The NEC does not cover it and the energy code is probably not specific as to the time.
But the motivation is from safety codes, based among other things on the possibility that somebody could pass out from the heat in the tub and die from hyperthermia.

The manufacturer's instructions may specify a timer value too, in which case the NEC may enforce that as part of the UL listing for the product.

Had a hot tub that had a 30 minute timer built into it. Easy enough to punch the air switch and start it again but you did have to wake up and punch it.

 

[Jraef]

Had a hot tub that had a 30 minute timer built into it. Easy enough to punch the air switch and start it again but you did have to wake up and punch it.

There are no official limitations, but the general consensus is that you should not be in a tub at 104F (40C) for more than 15 minutes. But at 98F (37C) you can be there indefinitely, so anything in between is likely a non-linear curve between those values.

But no, there is no code saying what a timer limit must be, or that there even must be a timer at all.

 

[ggunn]

There are no official limitations, but the general consensus is that you should not be in a tub at 104F (40C) for more than 15 minutes. But at 98F (37C) you can be there indefinitely, so anything in between is likely a non-linear curve between those values.

At 98 degrees you would eventually get chilled.