Hot tub electrical clearances — the 5-ft disconnect rule and the 3-ft bonding zone
Two distances an inspector checks first: the disconnect at least 5 ft from the water (within sight), and the bonding zone extending 3 ft beyond the spa walls.
What this diagram shows
Plan view of a hot tub near a house wall. The GFCI spa panel (the maintenance disconnect) is mounted at least 5 feet horizontally from the inside spa wall and within sight of the tub, per NEC 680.13. A shaded band extending 3 feet beyond the inside walls marks the equipotential bonding zone, where perimeter surfaces and all metal parts bond together with solid copper wire not smaller than 8 AWG per NEC 680.26. The feeder arrives from the house panel underground.
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Hot Tub Wiring Calculator
What size wire and breaker for a hot tub? Free NEC Article 680 calculator — GFCI circuit, wire gauge, the 5-ft disconnect rule, bonding, and burial depth.
