Pool Electrical Components and Costs
If you’re in the process of getting a pool installed or are pricing out a pool, you’ll need to consider the costs associated with electricity. We have had quite a few customers who call us at the last minute because the pool company they are working with failed to mention that the electrical installation was not included. So what exactly do you need and how much will it cost?
At the bare minimum, you need at least 1 pool pump, at least 1 timer to control this pool pump, and a GFCI circuit to protect the pump. The pool is also required to be equipotentially bonded. Most customers do way more than the bare minimum. Some of the most common items with brief descriptions are as follows:
Filter Pump: The pump that circulates water throughout the pool, skimmers, main drain, and filter. The filter pump needs GFCI protection
Lights: 2-3 Lights are typically installed, these also need GFCI protection. Today, customers are adding more pool lighting because they are much smaller and now LED.
Receptacle: One 120V GFCI receptacle is required by the NEC between 6’ and 20’ of the pool
Equipotential Bonding: Your pool needs to be bonded to reduce voltage gradients in the area
Heat Pump: These units typically use the most energy of all the pool equipment and are designed to efficiently heat the pool
Salt Generator: Automatically manages the chlorine level of your pool by initially adding salt to the water
Automation System: Allows control of the water temperature, lights, pumps, and any other pool equipment you could want from your smartphone
Water feature pump: Pools with water features such as waterfalls or fountains need an additional pump
What will this all cost? In short, the more equipment you have, the more the installation will cost. Adding a heat pump increases the cost of installation because of the demand of the unit. Typically, when a heat pump is part of the package, a complete 100A pool panel is installed outside. Aside from that, the price depends on where the equipment is relative to the main electrical panel in your home.
There are MANY variables, the following are the most costly;
Can your current electrical service handle the load of the pool equipment? If not, you’ll need to upgrade your service (typically to 200A).
Do you have an overhead service that will interfere with the pool? If you do, you’ll need to have that moved underground.
We have installed full electric systems for pools for as little as $800 and as much as $18,000. For reference, assuming your current service can handle the load and there is no overhead lines near the pool, a new in ground pool with a filter pump, heat pump, lights, salt generator, and automation system runs between $2800 – $7000.
For more information on pool equipment explained, head to Pool Wiring. If you’re on Long Island and need the electric for your pool installed by possibly the most experienced company in the field, I hope you give us a call. Either way I hope this article helped you better understand what you might need.
Here are some of the more recent pools we’ve wired:
Thanks for reading!
