Electrical Equipment in Pools and Bathrooms: Safety Standards

Electrical Equipment Usage

Electrical equipment should only be Class I or III, or specially designed for the intended sources. The luminaires must comply as described in UNE-EN 60,598-2-18. Socket outlets are not allowed in these volumes. Electric pumps must comply as described in UNE-EN 60,335-2-41.

Supplementary Bonding

In volumes 0 and 1, a local supplementary bonding must be installed. All accessible conductive parts of significant size, e.g., suppliers, metal components, and metal piping systems, shall be interconnected by a conductive bonding conductor.

Protection Against Water Penetration

Electrical equipment must have a minimum level of protection against water penetration, according to:

  • Volume 0: IPX8
  • Volume 1: IPX5

Pipes and Cables

Cables must permanently withstand environmental effects in the place of installation. In volumes 0 and 1, only those cables needed to feed the receiving equipment permanently installed in these zones are allowed. Cables for electrical equipment in volume 0 must be sited as far away as possible from the brink of the pool. In volumes 0 and 1, the cable and its installation should have the properties listed in ITC-BT-30. For local wet and mechanically protected cables, they must be placed inside pipes that meet the impact resistance code 5, according to UNE-EN 50,086-1.

Special Requirements for Low Voltage Equipment in Volume 1

Fixed electrical equipment, especially for use in pools and bathrooms (e.g., filtration equipment, eddies, etc.), fed by low voltage, which is not SELV, limited to 12 V AC or 30 V DC, is supported in Volume 1, provided it meets the following requirements:

  • Electrical equipment must be located in a compound whose isolation is equivalent to an additional isolation and mechanical protection AG2 (shocks means), according to UNE 20,460-3.
  • Electrical equipment should not be accessible except through a record (or gate), accessed by a key or tool. The opening of the record (or gate) must sever all active conductors of the equipment.
  • The shutoff device installation and cable entry must be Class II or have equivalent protection.
  • When the record (or door) is open, the degree of protection for electrical equipment must be at least IPXXB per UNE 20,324.
  • The supply to the equipment will be protected:
    • Either by MBTS with a rated voltage not exceeding 25 V AC or 60 V DC, provided that the power supply security is outside volumes 0, 1, and 2,
    • Or by a cutting device differential maximum of 30 mA,
    • Or by electrical separation, whose source is installed apart from volumes 0, 1, and 2.

For small pools where lights cannot be installed in Volume 1, installation is supported up to 1.25 m from the edge of Volume 0, and must be protected:

  • Either by MBTS,
  • Or a cutting device for a maximum differential of 30 mA,
  • Or by electrical separation, whose source is installed apart from volumes 0 and 1.

Besides, the lights must have an enclosure with an isolation of Class II or similar shock protection AG2 (shocks means) according to UNE 20,460-3.