An electrician will make basic electrical connections, troubleshoot underwater lights that won't work, switch appliances from 110 volt to 220 volt, and so on. Understanding the basic concepts of how electricity works will help keep you and your family safe.

Electrical Terms and Definitions

Amperage (amps) is the term used to describe the actual strength of the electric current. It measures the volume of current passing through a conductor in a given time. Amps = watts @ volts.

Arc or arcing is the passage of electric current between two points without benefit of a conductor. For example, when a wire with current is located near a metal object, the electricity might arc (pass) between the two.

Circuit is the path through which electricity flows.

Conductor is any substance that carries electrical current. Such as a wire, metal, or the human body.

Current refers to the rate of flow between two points.

Cycle is a complete turn of alternating current (ac) from negative to positive and back to negative again.

Gauge refers to the size of an electric wire. The numbering system of wire gauges works in reverse. A 10-gauge wire, for example, is thicker than a 14-gauge wire.

Line refers to a wire conducting electricity.

Load is an appliance that uses electricity.

Volts is a basic unit of electric current measurement expressing the potential or pressure of the current. Volts = watts @ amps.

Watt is a measurement of the power consumption of an appliance. One watt is equal to the volume of one amp delivered at the pressure of one volt. Watts = amps x volts.

Electrical Testing Equipment and Miscellaneous Terminology

Multi-meters : In order for you to service any spa equipment, it is essential to know how to use a multi-meter capable of measuring 120 and 240 single phase voltage, ohms, and amperage. Without this equipment, any repairs made to the electrical parts of this equipment will be strictly by trial and error and could result in parts being replaced that might not need to be. If you do not have a meter capable of each of these functions, either buy one at a local store or borrow one. Either way, you must have one to work competently. Your meter instructions will explain how to hook up the test leads for each of the following tests.

Voltage Testing : Simply decide what voltage you expect to find at a test point, set your meter for the scale showing this voltage, and apply your leads to the circuit in question. It is always best to put your test probes on the leads supplying the actual circuit, rather than in locations you would assume are of the same polarity. When most people test, they conveniently apply one lead to the ground, and look for voltage with the other lead. These results can easily be misleading because even a neutral wire carries electricity when a component is running. If it is a 120 volt circuit, one lead must go to a neutral connection point, and the other to the point at which there should be 120 volts. A 240 volt test must include two separate points where individual 120 volt supply leads are providing power.

Amperage Testing : An amperage test can only be conducted when a component is running. The components that you might test with your ampmeter are the heater (120v should read 12.5 amps, 240 volt should read 25 amps), the blower (1 Hp will read 5-6 amps, 1-1/2 to 2 Hp will read 7-9 amps), and the pumps low and high speeds (look at the plates on the motor for the amperages). If your voltage supply to the pack is lower than the 120 volts or 240 volts as mentioned, then your amperage draw will be somewhat lower as well. On 120 volt tests, an amperage reading should only be taken on the lead actually supplying the voltage to a component, not on the neutral. For 240 volt components, either wire supplying power will give you a good reading.

WARNING: A reading several amps higher than the component is rated for will ultimately result in a premature failure of the equipment or worse, an electrical hazard.

Ohms Test : Using the ohms scale on your meter will determine whether or not you have continuity in a circuit. Continuity is defined as the ability for electricity to pass unrestricted between two ends of a wire or circuit. Ohms is the unit of measure of that restriction or resistance. The more resistance you have, the weaker the circuit is. So, when testing a switch for continuity, your meter needle should read 0 ohms if the circuit is closed or "on". There should be infinite resistance such that the needle does not move at all if the circuit is open or off.

WARNING: NEVER CONDUCT A CONTINUITY TEST ON A LIVE CIRCUIT !!! It is recommended that you disconnect any switch or part being tested for continuity before conducting the test.

Line Service Check : Many installations have faulty line service. Before assuming that your problem is with the equipment, always check for the proper voltage coming into the equipment. If after testing, you find an improper line service voltage, shut the power off at the circuit breaker and contact a licensed, qualified electrician to make the necessary corrections.

Ground Fault Circuit Interruption Protection : (GFCI) protection is necessary in case anything electrical should allow electricity to leak to grounded metal in connection with the spa. This is especially possible if after years of use a heater element should rupture and the ground wire should happen to become disconnected. A GFCI will sense this leakage and shut the voltage to the power pack off.

Keep in mind that when buying a 240 GFCI for an installation, be sure to get one that has neutral protection. The 60A Square D GFCI does not have neutral protection and therefore cannot be used on a hybrid equipment system. Hybrid means the unit contains both 240V and 120V components.

240V Circuit Breaker Installation : There are two methods of rated 240 volt GFCI breakers on the market today. They are the Square D model QO 250GFI and the ITE Siemens model QF250, each rated for up to 50 amps. For the Square D model, a common mistake that occurs by not following the instructions is made by connecting the load neutral from the equipment, the large white pigtail on the GFCI, and the power supply neutral to the connection block on the mounting bracket. The instructions show where the load neutral is supposed to attach to the GFCI. Before suspecting a pack malfunction, check the installation of this device and make sure it was installed correctly.

The connection points for the pack on the Siemens GFCI are more obvious, but again, make sure that only the load neutral is connected where indicated and that the white pigtail is only connected to the line service neutral.

Circuit Breakers : The supply lines are generally designed to carry 100 amps for the typical residential user. Each circuit breaker is designed to carry a specific load and break the circuit open when the load exceeds that value. Typical circuit breakers are 15, 20, 25, 30, and 50 amps, depending on the requirements of the appliances. Wiring attached to the breaker leading to the appliances is sized in accordance with the amperage of the breaker.

When electrical volume exceeds the rating of the breaker, it opens the circuit and disconnects the power supply to the appliance or circuit in question. Such overload might occur as the result of an unintentional ground or short circuit at the appliance.

Depending on the design of the breaker, resetting is accomplished in one of several ways. Sometimes it is not obvious which breaker has tripped. One style of breaker looks as if it is still on. You need to push the switch fully to off, then back to on to reset it. Another style pops halfway between on and off, again requiring a hard push to off before going back to on. Another has a small window displaying a red flag when the breaker is off. In any case, some of these require waiting up to 30 seconds before the breaker can be reset.

Troubleshooting and Replacement : When a breaker will not reset, it might mean that the breaker is faulty or the circuit is overloaded, by that I mean the circuit is demanding too much current. An overloaded circuit can be the result of an appliance that is faulty, an unintentional ground, a short circuit in the wiring, or it might be that there are too many appliances on the same circuit (or one that is too large for the circuit.)

Troubleshooting can be simple. First, check the appliances on the circuit. Does their total amperage exceed the rating of the breaker? If so, remove the extra appliances or wire them to a circuit that can handle the load.

If that doesn't solve the problem, disconnect each appliance from the circuit one at a time, resetting the breaker after each disconnection. Be sure the disconnected wires are taped off and no bare wires are touching each other. When you have removed the faulty appliance, the breaker will stay on. You now know which appliance to repair.

If the breaker still trips, the problem might be in the wiring between the breaker and the appliance. Do a visual inspection with the breaker off of all the wiring that is accessible. If you don't find a frayed or broken wire, or two bare wires touching each other, disconnect the wiring from the breaker. To do that, turn off the main service breaker that feeds the entire panel. Remove the faceplate from the breaker panel. Make sure the breaker in question is off. Unscrew the wire lug screw at the base of the breaker and pull the load wires from the breaker. Turn the main service back on and reset the breaker in question. If it still pops off under this no load condition, then the breaker itself is faulty and must be replaced.

Never try to repair a breaker. If you are unable to locate a replacement and need to get the equipment operating again, look at the remainder of the breakers in the panel. Often there are spare breakers in the panel that can be used for replacement. Sometimes a breaker of a comparable amperage is servicing a circuit that is not needed as much as the pool equipment and you can make a temporary switch. Always replace a breaker with one of the same amperage.

To replace a breaker, turn off the main service breaker. Place your flat-blade screwdriver on the front, top edge of the breaker and pry it out of the panel. Some breakers fit tightly, so apply firm, even pressure. If you have not disconnected the load wires, do so as described earlier. Look at the back of the breaker and the design of the hook connection that fits into the electric bar of the panel. When you have your replacement, reconnect the load wires to the new breaker, and return it to the panel reversing the steps taken to remove it. Put the panel faceplate back on and turn on the main service breaker.

If the breaker did not trip when you disconnected the load, the reason for the breaker tripping off must be in the wiring between the breaker and the appliance. Since you were unable to find a problem with the wiring during your visual inspection, you might need to replace the wiring. Here it is advisable to call an electrician.

Sometimes electrical problems at the appliance or the tripping of a breaker is caused by a loose breaker. If you find that the breaker is loose when you first try to remove it, try pushing it back into the panel, and try your appliance again. If it won't seat firmly, replace the breaker.

Older homes might still have fuses. Fuses perform the same function as circuit breakers, but fuses must be replaced each time the overload breaks the circuit (blows the fuse). Fuses either clip or screw in place. As with breakers, always replace a fuse with one of the same amperage.

If you are planning to work on a panel, it's best to have a helper around to get help in case of electric shock. Whenever you approach a breaker panel, do so with great respect. Water, frayed wiring, or a poor previous service work might have created problems at the panel that you cannot anticipate. Other safety measures include wearing rubber gloves and boots, standing on a piece of dry wood to further insulate you from the ground, and leaving one hand in your pocket, so you can't inadvertently touch one hand to a live wire or panel and the other to a ground.

Wiring : Puttling new wires in a circuit or adding a circuit is a job best left to a professional electrician, but it is advisable to know a few things about requirements.

Gauge and type : The gauge of the wire refers to its thickness and is designed to operate under high temperatures and also its ability to handle volume and pressure of current (amps and volts).

Whenever you run wire for any reason, make sure you use the correct type. You can always use wire that is heavier than the breaker and appliance require, but never use wire that is thinner than required.

Wire is stranded or solid. There is less resistance in solid wire than stranded, so, this should be your first choice. Wire is generally available in copper. If aluminum was used for wiring your home, it is advisible to replace it whenever possible.

Wires are sold in various colors. The standard denotation of wire coding is that Green wire is always ground, Black and Red are used for hot lines, and White means neutral. If you must use a wire color not in keeping with this code, tape the correct color tape over the wire or clearly label it. Never assume that the previous technician used the correct colored wire.

Always encase the wires in conduit. Be aware that wires of different voltage should not be run in the same conduit. You can run numerous circuits of the same voltage in a conduit, but you need to run a separate conduit for every group of circuits of different voltage. Never run anything else in an electrical conduit !!! Use flexible, waterproof conduit and connectors for outdoor installations, such as wires from heaters or motors to J-boxes or time clocks. Often a sub panel is located in the pool equipment area.

When terminating wires to be attached to connections in appliances or at other terminal posts, use crimp connectors rather than simply wrapping the bare end of the wire around the post. Wrapping can come loose or be squeezed off the post. Bend the wire in the same direction as you will tighten the screw, so when you tighten the screw it also tightens the wrap. The connectors are available in various sizes and with various connection ends (called the tongue). The insulation is stripped off to accommodate the barrel of the connector. Using a crimping tool, secure the wire to the connector.

Since most pool and spa applications are wired directly between appliances and switches, you won't be dealing with too many outlets. With portable spas, however, you might encounter a few. It is important to recognize the appearance of outlets so you don't try to plug 110-volt appliances into 220-volt outlets. These outlets are designed so that the plug can be inserted only one way to prevent reverse polarity. With ac, polarity is important with some appliances.

Bonding and grounding : A bonding wire is an important safety component of any pool or spa equipment area. Since the bonding wire is a path of less resistance than the human body, any stray current is conducted along it instead of you becoming part of the circuit.

A bonding wire is a solid 8-gauge wire that is connected to a lug on the exterior of each appliance in the equipment package. No conduit is needed because current is not normally carried by this wire. The gauge of the ground wire of any appliance must be as large as the hot wire(s). So, it is capable of efficiently conducting electricity away from the appliance in the event of a short circuit or stray current. Similarly, at the breaker panel, the main ground wire must be as large as the largest hot wire in use.

ALL POOL AND SPA EQUIPMENT MUST BE GROUNDED !!!!

Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI) When equipment or wiring fails it might draw more current than the appliance can use, burning out the appliance. The circuit breaker is designed to break the circuit when demand exceeds the rating of the breaker. Thus circuit breakers are designed to protect equipment.

The GFCI is designed to protect humans. It is a circuit breaker that detects problems at a low enough level to protect you before lethal doses are delivered. It breaks a circuit when it detects a ground fault. The GFCI constantly measures the current going out of the appliance and coming back into it. If grounding takes place where an appliance was electrified and you touch it, and complete a pathway for current to the ground, the GFCI detects the drop in the current it is receiving and breaks the circuit.

There are three basic styles of GFCI that you will likely encounter in pool and spa work. The first looks like a standard circuit breaker in the electrical panel, with a test button in the face of the breaker in addition to the on/off breaker switch. By pressing the test button, you simulate an unbalanced current condition inside the breaker and thereby testing the efficiency of the GFCI. The GFCI breaker resets the same way a normal panel breaker does.

The second type of GFCI is built into a wall outlet, containing a test button and a switch to reset the GFCI as you might install for plugging in a portable spa.

The third type is a portable GFCI, a unit that plugs into a wall outlet. The appliance is then plugged into the GFCI, making the outlet a GFCI outlet.

All types of GFCIs, like any other mechanical device, are subject to failure and should be tested from time to time.

If a GFCI keeps breaking the circuit, you troubleshoot the problem in the same manner as any other breaker. Start by disconnecting the appliance and resetting the breaker, check the wiring, disconnect the load at the breaker. If you have a GFCI serving a skid pack, the problem can exist in any single piece of equipment, so these must be disconnected one at a time and the GFCI reset after each to detect the appliance with the problem. Start with the light, then proceed to the blower, electric heater, pump motor, control devices for, the problem might exist in the control panel.

The National Electric Code (NEC) specifies that electrical outlets located within 15 feet of the water's edge must be protected by a GFCI and that circuits for all underwater lighting be so equipped. Underwriter's Laboratory (UL) requires all portable spas be wired with a GFCI.

Switches : A breaker should never be used as the on/off switch for an appliance because repeated switching will weaken the breaker.

Air switches, time clocks, and other control devices are all considered switches. An understanding of the basic concept of switches will help you troubleshoot electrical problems.

A basic switch is a break in the hot line of a circuit. The most basic on/off switch is called a single pole, single throw (SPST) switch. This switch handles one circuit (single pole) each time the switch is thrown. The SPDT second drawing depicts a single pole, double throw (SPDT) switch. In this case, there is still only one circuit of electric current, but when this switch is thrown one direction, it electrifies one appliance, and when it is thrown the other way, it electrifies another appliance. Depending on the appliance(s), you might use several variations of poles (circuits) and throws (destinations for the current). By understanding these basic concepts, you will recognize whatever type of switch you encounter.

The other concept regarding switches that you will encounter with pools and spas is multiple switching. This means there is often more than one control or switch on each appliance. For example, there might be a wall switch and a time clock, either of which can turn on a pool light. There are often air switches and time clocks controlling spa equipment and a simple on/off switch attached to each appliance so you can shut it off easily for service work.

There are two kinds of circuits, and therefore, two kinds of switches. First, switches wired in series are those which operate together. The electric current cannot pass along the line unless each switch is closed. An example of a series circuit and series switches is the control circuit in a heater. Here each control switch must be closed before the entire circuit is completed and the ignition of the heater is fired.

The other type of circuit and switching is parallel. A parallel circuit means there is more than one way for the circuit to be completed, and each independent of the other. The drawing shows that the current will reach the appliance if either switch is closed. Closing both is not necessary, and if they are it does not deliver any more or less current to the appliance because both switches depend on the same source of current. An example of parallel circuits and switches is the pool light that is controlled by a switch in the home and by a time clock in the equipment area. By understanding these concepts, you will be able to detect why an appliance is not operating or why it is operating after you turned the switch off.

Relays : A relay is a switching device on a circuit that controls current flow in another circuit. Relays are normally used as safety devices. The purpose of this type of control is to use a low-voltage circuit (the relay circuit) to turn on or off a higher voltage circuit (controlled circuit). Relays allow you to run thinner, less expensive wires over long distances. For example, a safe 12-volt circuit can beused near a pool or spa to control a dangerous 220-volt circuit that operates a pump motor or blower. Relays are just switches so some control and time clock makers include relays in their designs. Instead of requiring you to flip a switch however, the relay turns on or off when powered by electric current, thus turning on or off the appliance.

Testing : Testing for the presence of current at a connection or appliance is simple. You need a multimeter and to set the tester on the range of voltage you expect to find and the type of current, ac or dc. The multimeter has multiple functions, testing circuit voltages, continuity, and resistance. It has a positive and a negative test lead and a switching device to set the meter for reading de or ac (reading various ranges of each), resistance, or continuity. The meter is battery powered for continuity and resistance testing because you must send current into a line to test if it is continuous (unbroken) or broken and to test the amount of resistance in a conductor.

When testing dc circuits, remember that polarity (positive and negative) makes a difference. You must touch the positive meter lead to the positive contact of the appliance or switch and the negative lead to the negative contact. If you reverse these, you will see the meter register negative voltage. When testing ac voltage, the polarity doesn't matter, and you can touch either lead to either side of the circuit.

When testing 110-volts ac, touch one lead to the suspected hot line and one to a neutral line or to ground. When testing 220-volts ac, perform the same test on each of the two hot lines, then touch one lead to each hot line at the same time. If each line individually reads 110 volts, but when tested together it does not read 220 volts, it means the two hot lines are being supplied by the same phase of the power supply and therefore will not deliver 220 volts. This usually denotes a faulty breaker.

When buying a multi-meter, make sure it can test millivoltage for working on millivolt heaters. Some meters won't accurately read less than 10 volts, and therefore are useless with millivoltage. Most electronic meters are pocket-size and can self-range, which is to say you need only dial in ac or dc and the meter will detect the voltage and adjust accordingly.

When you suspect a broken connection, continuity testing is useful. To test continuity of a line, first be sure all the current is turned off. Then set your meter for continuity testing and touch one lead to each end of the suspect circuit. If the meter reads positive or beeps, it means there is continuity.

Since most of the wiring and installation you do uses good conductors, you will probably not use the resistance measuring function of the multi-meter much. If the continuity tester on your meter is not working for some reason, you can use the resistance test to check for continuity. Resistance is measured in units called ohms. The higher the ohms, the more resistance exists in the circuit. If there is no resistance, however, it means there is not a complete circuit, thereby also verifying continuity.

When appliances are operating poorly, there might be a drop in voltage between the panel and the appliance. First, check the voltage at the appliance, then at the breaker, while the appliance is operating. There will be a slight difference because of some voltage drop as a result of heat loss and resistance along the length of wire, but it should be no more than 2 to 5 volts. If it is greater, follow the troubleshooting procedures outlined previously to determine where the loss is being created.

To test amperage you need an amp probe. The amp probe is a meter with a large, open clip on the end. The clip is looped over the wire and the amperage in the wire is detected by the probe without actual contact with the current.

Electrical work must be prefect and in accordance with local and state codes. So make sure the job is done right.