Electrical question

My electrical question is as follows: (I live in Nova Scotia)

I am installing a spa and I need an electrical GFCI disconnect panel to be installed outside of the house where the spa will be going, and I found one at Home Depo that's for hot tub's and spa's. But I need to know, will a regular 40 amp breaker be OK for my electrical panel or do I need a 40 amp GFCI breaker there as well? Thanks for any advise.

Reply to
Ruth Boutilier
Loading thread data ...

You just need one GFCI.

Reply to
Greg

Reply to
Ruth Boutilier

Remember that a breaker protects everything downstream from it. Therefore, if you have a 40 amp breaker, all wiring down stream must be sized for 40 amps until you come to a sub panel. Its breaker should not be greater than 40 amps. Any breakers in the sub panel must have wiring down stream of them that has the same capacity as each breaker, and so on. No ifs, ands or buts. If in doubt - or even if fairly sure - please have an electrician oversee what you are doing. You can do the work yourself if he oversees it.

Reply to
Rusty

If the subpanel has a main breaker, Rusty is right. The main panel always needs a breaker to protect wiring to a subpanel. BUT in the States (most locales, I believe), the subpanel (aka load center) does not need to duplicate that. The subpanel only needs breakers for the branch circuits from it. Wiring from and protected at the main panel can connect direct to subpanel buses without a breaker.

I have installed two such load centers with lugs on the buses for input--even had one inspected. The situation is similar for the original main panel, that now serves as a load center only for original K&T wiring, which I am replacing systematically. Its supply is protected only at the new main panel, and that was installed professionally (100A), and updated professionaly (200A). I suppose the original panel, located in the center of the structure (not current code for a main panel), had a main breaker near the original service entrance before it was reconnected to its breaker in the new main panel.

Reply to
Bob Schultz

PolyTech Forum website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.