Hot tub install advice

[matt12345]

A customer of mine has recently had a 20a hot tub installed by a third party company. They have fitted a 32a rotary isolator but its located 300mm away from the hot tub. Circuit is protected by a rcd and would not be easy to relocate.

Is this totally against regs?

 

[buzzlightyear]

ARE YOU A SPARK OR A CUSTOMER ?

 

[matt12345]

A spark but never fitted a hot tub before so not sure about regs.

 

[Richard Burns]

Generally consider it as a swimming pool and you would not be in any danger of a problem, unfortunately that means 2m away from the hot tub for 230V switches.

 

[matt12345]

If it cannot be moved further away, What are the options?

 

[buzzlightyear]

If it cannot be moved further away, What are the options

leave it .

 

[matt12345]

The isolator is IP rated, just concered its so close.

 

[Richard Burns]

You have said it cannot be moved therefore there are no other options but to leave it in place.

 

[matt12345]

If someone gets a shock from it in the future, who would be liable for that? I think the isolator was fitted and then a hot tub company installed the hot tub at a later date.

 

[Octopus]

Does the home owner have a certificate for the installation of the circuit?

 

[matt12345]

Yes I think so

 

[Richard Burns]

Presumably if there is no where else to place the isolator, the hot tub company would say that they are doing the best they can in the limited space and that the provision of IP44+ rated switching and 30mA RCD protection should avoid a deadly situation. There do not appear to be specific regulations for hot tubs so it would be hard to prove liability for an electric shock based on the install you describe.

 

[Rpa07]

Then not to worry but remember when the invitation to the ‘pool party’ plops through the letter box, tether yourself to an earth spike!

 

[matt12345]

We were planning on using this job as an nic inspection prior to another company installing the hot tub supply. Would nic fail you on that because its closer than 2m?

 

[Richard Burns]

You did not install the supply so they cannot fail you for something someone else has done.
Just tell them your concerns about this later addition if they ask, but since you have not been paid to resolve it there is nothing you can do.
Though having some options for solution may indicate that you have thought about it.

 

[matt12345]

Would nic fail you if you showed them the install and they thought you had installed the supply?

 

[Richard Burns]

Presumably you are actually aiming for a different response here, because of some circumstance you have not made clear.
If you did not do the installation then the NICEIC cannot fail you for that work. They may say "hang on this hot tub has an isolator far too close to the hot tub" and you respond with "This part of the installation was done after my work, I agree that it is not an ideal installation, I would suggest that a different location for the switch be found that is at least 600mm, preferably 2 m away, however looking at the space available this is not possible so I might have gone for an isolator that can be locked off at the origin of the circuit, possibly also operating a totally sealed contactor nearer to the hot tub. However with the IP rating of the switch being IP65 and the circuit having 30mA RCD protection and the hot tub also having its own internal protection I do feel that the risk has been minimised in this case.
I can show you the letter I have provided to the customer advising them of the risks involved with such a situation.
However as this is not part of the work you are inspecting it does really fall out of the remit of the inspection."

 

[matt12345]

If I am being honest, I installed the supply and isolator, just weren't sure what the response would be.

I installed the supply and isolator where I thought would be 2m away from the hot tub. I certified the circuit. 2 weeks later a hot tub company installed the hot tub but it was bigger than first thought so therefore its only 300mm away from the isolator and no way to move it.

I was going to use this job as my nic inspection but not unsure what they would do if I showed them this

 

[Richard Burns]

It would have been better to have stated this at the start.
I would not use this for your inspection piece.
I would advise the customer it is not ideal but does not pose a significant risk if normal care is taken, and it does not specifically contravene a regulation.