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680.21(C) & (D) GFCI Protection for Motors Used in Swimming Pools

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Change Summary

  • Outlets supplying all pool motors on branch circuits rated 150 volts or less to ground and 60 amperes or less, single- or 3-phase, shall be provided with Class A GFCI protection. An exception permits listed low-voltage motors not requiring grounding (with ratings not exceeding the low-voltage contact limit) supplied by listed transformers or power supplies to be installed without GFCI protection.

  • A new requirement was added that specifies GFCI protection implementation for motors at older pools when they are replaced.
NEC® Text

680.21 Motors.
(C) GFCI Protection. Outlets supplying all pool pump motors connected to single-phase, 120-volt through 240-volt on branch circuits, rated 150 volts or less to ground and 60 amperes or less, single- or 3-phase, whether by receptacle or by direct connection, shall be provided with Class A ground-fault circuit-interrupter protection for personnel.
Exception: Listed low-voltage motors not requiring grounding, with ratings not exceeding the low-voltage contact limit that are supplied by listed transformers or power supplies that comply with 680.23(A)(2), shall be permitted to be installed without GFCI protection.
(D) Pool Pump Motor Replacement. Where a pool pump motor in 680.21(C) is replaced for maintenance or repair, the replacement pump motor shall be provided with groundfault circuit-interrupter protection.

Material taken from the National Electric Code® is reprinted with permission from NFPA 70®, 2020 edition.
National Electrical Code®, Copyright 2019, National Fire Protection Association, Quincy, MA. All rights reserved.

Expert Analysis

For the 2020 NEC, outlets supplying all pool motors (not just pool pump motors) on branch circuits rated 150 volts or less to ground and 60 amperes or less, single- or 3-phase, shall be provided with Class A GFCI protection. Prior to this revision, GFCI protection was only required for “single-phase, 120-volt through 240-volt” rated pool pump motors. This revision incorporates single-phase and 3-phase motors, which would include single-phase 120/240 volt, single-phase 208Y/120 volt, and 3-phase 208Y/120 volt motors. All of these voltage ratings would result in systems of 120 volts to ground, which is within the specifications for a Class A GFCI device and is within the range of the new maximum 150 volts to ground limitations of 680.21(C).

680.21(D) Pool Pump Motor Replacement

A subtle but significant change to this GFCI provision was to open this requirement up to all permanently installed pool motors, not just pool pump motors. A blower motor for air injection into hot tubs and other applications has no direct connection to the water or does not “pump” water, yet the end-user of this aquatic environment deserves GFCI protection for this motor as much as GFCI protection for a pool pump motor.

It should also be noted that previous Code language at 680.21(C) called for GFCI protection of a pool pump motor “whether by receptacle or by direct connection.” This specific phrase has been deleted, but pay close attention to the use of the term “outlet.” GFCI protection is still required for a pool motor whether the motor is connected by receptacle outlet or by direct “hard-wire” connection.

A new exception was also added to 680.21(C) allowing listed low-voltage motors not requiring grounding (with ratings not exceeding the low-voltage contact limit) supplied by listed transformers or power supplies to be installed without GFCI protection.

New 2020 NEC article 680.21(D) titled, “Pool Pump Motor Replacement” has been added requiring GFCI protection for a new pool pump motor that is replacing an existing pump motor as part of maintenance or repair activities.

 

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