Circuit for RFH circulator pump
Getting ready to DIY plumb and wire RFH system for garage/shop floor slab.
Occured to me that although outlet recepticles in a garage need to be ground fault protected, as all mine are, that maybe I should wire a DEDICATED circuit, that is NOT GF protected, for the circulator pump. I think that’s allowed, like is allowed for a freezer or refrigerator, provided the circuit is not accessible to other tools or appliances, even though it’s in the garage. This eliminates the potential of a nuisance GFCI trip knocking out a vital appliance and also rotting food or freezing pipes.
In my case, since finished paneling is not up yet, it would be easy to run the circuit, and the in-accessibility would be taken care of because I would hard wire the circuit into the relay/pump, or provide a separate outlet out of convenient reach for a cordset into the relay/pump.
Two questions:
#1…Does the NEC require GFCI for circulator pumps?
#2…Should I provide for a disconnect at the relay/pump? (breaker panel is within clear sight of, in same room, and about 30′ away from relay/pump)
I’d call my inspector right now, except he’s not available till 8AM tommorrow, and I’d like to start wiring tonight.
Replies
Ours is a separate non-gfci circuit and has a disconnect. Same with the ground source heat pump. Same with the hot water storage tank with the supplemental heating element.
Depending on the size of the pump, you could probably run it off of your exisiting circuit w/o going through the trouble of running a new circuit. And it could be cord and plug connected to an outlet (single receptacle rather than duplex usually makes the inspectors happy) on the line side of the GFI.
Ed
As Ed noted, you can make it a dedicated plug by use a single outlet receptacle instead of the usual duplex one. (I like to label them, too). Even if you hard-waire it, if it is on its own circuit, then the C/B provides a disconnect for service.
But I would just put a plug on the cord. Both for disconnect and also if you want to run the heating system off a generator or invertor. Then it very easy to be safe about it (i.e. use extension cords to the few things that need power).
David Thomas Overlooking Cook Inlet in Kenai, Alaska
Thanks, for all your advice. Only trouble is, the existing circuit is GF protected via the first outlet on the circuit that ends up near the pump. The cable run will be nearly the same whether I run from the line side of that GF or run another cable into the breaker panel with associated new breaker. Plenty of room in there anyway.
So I think I'll go ahead and run another cable to that single outlet, then make up a cordset.