My neighbors pool had a sinkhole under it and cracked the pool but not the deck- go figure. I give them both options, free float the grid on the deck and bond it to the shell, or the way shown in the pictures. (concrete pools). I'm not an engineer but looking at the photos, the shell is poured first and then the deck next, like one sitting on the other. I can't see where a deck crack would carry through to the pool.Any takers?

WE might get up to 20 pages on this discussion, Amazing.

Great Pics! Thanks!

In those pictures it looks like the white "rim" you see around the pool is actually just the form for the concrete and it will actually be the top 4" of the pool wall.
I suppose if the water line is >4" below the deck it isn't a problem if it cracks.

BTW I know you guys always say you don't care what happens the day after the CO but how many think that ugly [censored] #8 going up to the window frames in picture 2 will last a week before wifey cuts it? That is some nasty work and putting a couple rusty straps on the wire is not going to make it look any better.

Well its official in my juresdiction welded wire mesh has been approved. I didnt go to the BOAFTC meeting, beause I was on vacation but I got the official informal interpetation from Building Officials Association of Florida and my boss.Once I heard that Doug Harvey was going to speak and that he was the one that drafted the informal interpitation there was a fat chance that anything I said or brought up was going to change anyones mind. Doug is a smart man and more versed in the electrical field then I. Im not taking that away from him. Im just in agreement with others on this site that the code is very clear on what its asking for and welded wire mesh isnt one of them. So my inspection results will now read if in code compliance,"approved as per IRC Bld official".

You are 100% correct. I think that Building Officials Association of Florida has done a great injustice and have failed in that they put out an opinion that was popular but NOT CODE . Since that is the case we now have a division of how the code will be enforced instead of being uniform. This is a great disservice for contractors and inspectors.

Nobody answered this, How about it?

There is a difference between "portable spa" and "packaged spa". See definitions 680.2.

A portable spa is one that is intended to be used once, drained and put away. I would not require the equipotential bonding grid for that since it is the same type application as a storable pool like in 680 Part III.

A packaged spa is a factory-fabricated unit consisting of the water-circulating and control equipment etc..mounted on a common base but does not include the spa or hot tub vessel. This type of set-up is intended to be used with a remote tub vessel. I would require the equiopotential bonding grid located in the deck around the tub vessel for outside installations.

A self-contained spa is a factory-fabricated unit consisting of a spa or hot tub vessel including all the water-circulating, control equipment etc..integral to the unit. I would require the equiopotential bonding grid located in the deck around the tub vessel for outside installations.

I agree with Mike.

I asked this very question to Don Jhonson and his reply was basically,

1. They can break up the concrete and reinstall it with a grid,

2. They can pour another pad on top of the existing with the grid.

3. They can permanently cover the surface with a non-conductive material. (wood deck)