1. Technical Field
This invention relates to kits for use in bonding pool pumps, and more particularly to retrofit kits for use in bonding pool pumps in water-holding structures such as swimming pools, spas, or hot tubs.
2. Prior Art
Some installation codes, including the National Electric Code (NEC), require that water-holding structures, such as a pool, be equipotentially bonded. Equipotential bonding (or “bonding”) for such structures requires permanent joining of metallic parts of the structure to form an electrically conductive path that ensures electrical continuity and the ability to safely conduct any current likely to be imposed. Such bonding establishes equal electrical potential (voltage) in the water-holding structure or pool and ensures that no voltage gradients are present between various areas in or around the pool. By ensuring that the various areas of a pool are at the same electrical potential, the danger of possible electrical shock hazards from stray currents generated by nearby power sources traveling to the pool through the ground or through piping connected to the pool is minimized.
Historically, the pool water was typically bonded to the equipotential grid by running a bonding wire to the metal niche in which a large (8″-12″) light is installed. The metal niches were installed in contact with the water providing the necessary minimum surface area contact (9 square inches) required for the bond. Recently, smaller LED lights have become popular, and many of these do not install with a niche as they can install into a standard plastic wall return fitting. Many pools are built now without any of the larger niche lights, so there is a need for a new way to provide the nine square inches of conductive surface area in constant contact with the pool water. Likewise, as older pools are remodeled to replace older lighting with newer “niche-less” style LED lights, there is a need to invent a retrofit means of providing the nine square inches of conductive surface area in constant contact with the pool water.
Thus, while newer installations of pools or structures are bonded, many older already-existing pools were not. Trying to bond these already-existing pools (or pool components such as pumps, pump traps, skimmers and the like) to meet the codes can be difficult and expensive. Most solutions require replacing a pre-code component, e.g., a pump or pump trap that does not allow for bonding with an entirely new component, e.g., a pump or pump trap that allows for bonding.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide a way to retrofit currently installed water-holding structure components, such as pumps, pump traps, skimmers, and the like, to allow for equipotential bonding of the water therein. It is to this need and others that the present invention is directed.
A retrofit kit for use with water-holding structures such as pools in order to provide equipotential bonding to components of the water-holding structure or to the water therein. An exemplary retrofit kit comprises a bonding conductor with a body portion configured to reside within a component attached to the pool, and in constant contact with the pool water. The bonding conductor also includes an extension portion configured to extend outwardly from an outer surface of the component attached to the pool. The exemplary retrofit kit further includes a strain relief fitting configured to receive the extension portion of the bonding conductor, and to couple with the component attached to the pool, thus holding the bonding conductor in place after installation. The retrofit kit also includes a conductor fitting configured to attach to the extension portion of the bonding conductor and to attach to a conductive system of the pool, providing an electrical connection between the bonding conductor and the conductive system for the pool. The bonding conductor thus provides equipotential bonding for the pool water in contact with said component.
A complete understanding of the present invention may be obtained by reference to the accompanying drawings, when considered in conjunction with the detailed description of preferred embodiments, in which like elements and components bear the same designations and numbering throughout the figures.
In the figures, like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the various views unless otherwise indicated. For reference numerals with letter character designations such as “102A” or “102B”, the letter character designations may differentiate two like parts or elements present in the same figure. Letter character designations for reference numerals may be omitted when it is intended that a reference numeral to encompass all parts having the same reference numeral in all figures.
Aspects, features and advantages of several exemplary embodiments of the present invention will become better understood with regard to the following description in connection with the accompanying drawings. It should be apparent to those skilled in the art that the described embodiments of the present invention provided herein are illustrative only and not limiting, having been presented by way of example only. All features disclosed in this description may be replaced by alternative features serving the same or similar purpose, unless expressly stated otherwise. Any aspect described herein as exemplary is not necessarily to be construed as exclusive, preferred or advantageous over other aspects.
The illustrated bonding conductor 20 comprises a body portion 22 and an extension portion 24 extending from the body portion 22. In the illustrated embodiment, the bonding conductor 20 is formed from a single wire where the body portion 22 comprises a generally circular coil of the wire and the extension portion 24 comprises a straight portion of the wire extending at approximately a right angle from the body portion 22 and being generally coplanar with the body portion 22. Although illustrated as a circular coil, the body portion 22 of the bonding conductor 20 may be any shape desired. Similarly, although illustrated as a generally straight portion extending at a right angle in a coplanar manner from the body portion 22, the extension portion 24 may be configured in any manner desired. One of ordinary skill in the art would understand that such shape and/or manufacture of the bonding conductor 20 could vary depending on the specific component or structure for which the retrofit kit 10 is intended.
As disclosed herein, the illustrated retrofit kit 10 is dimensioned for use with a swimming pool pump trap that is generally cylindrical in shape (see
The exemplary retrofit kit 10 illustrated in
To assist in keeping the bonding conductor 20 in place when installed, the strain relief fitting 30 may include a threaded portion 34 to engage the pool component to hold the bonding conductor 20 in place. The strain relief fitting 30 also may include a connector nut 36 portion configured to allowing tightening of the threaded portion 34 with the pool component to be bonded as disclosed herein. In such embodiments, the connector nut 36 may not be a separate component, but may instead be integrally formed onto the outer surface of the strain relief fitting 30. Alternatively, in other embodiments, the connector nut 36 may be a separate component configured to engage a threaded portion 34 of the outer surface of the strain relief fitting 30. In such embodiments, the connector nut 36 may be used to help hold the installed the bonding conductor 20 in place by tightening the connector nut 36 against the pool component.
To provide further strain relief, the strain relief fitting 30 may also include a hollow cap 38 as illustrated in
The inner surface of at least the end of the hollow cap 38 is dimensioned so as to fit relatively snugly around the extension portion 24 of the bonding conductor 20. Further, the inner surface of the hollow cap 38 may be comprised of a relatively soft plastic, rubber, elastomer, or other material so as to ensure a snug fit around the extension portion 24 of the bonding conductor 20. When installed on the strain relief fitting 30, such as by engaging the threaded portion 34, the cap 38 may serve to further prevent movement of the installed bonding conductor 20.
Again, the illustrated strain relief fitting 30 is dimensioned and configured to allow use of the retrofit kit 10 with a swimming pool pump trap that is generally cylindrical in shape (see
In the exemplary embodiment illustrated in
In addition to the different sizes, shapes, configurations, etc., possible for the components of the illustrated retrofit kit 10 depending on the pool component with which the retrofit kit 10 will be used, one of ordinary skill in the art would also understand that the retrofit kit 10 could be comprised of more or fewer components than those shown in
The present invention may be used with any structure for which equipotential bonding is desired. As noted, one exemplary structure may be an already installed pool, in-ground or above-ground. For such a pool, the present invention may allow retrofitted bonding for various components, including a pool pump and/or pool pump trap.
The exemplary pump trap 100 includes a housing 110 that is generally cylindrical in shape and hollow with a generally round enclosed bottom and a generally round top opening 120. The exemplary housing 110 includes a pipe connector port 112 extending from the outer surface of the housing 110. The pipe connector port 112 is configured to couple to a pipe carrying water from the pool to a pump coupled to the pump trap 100. The pipe connector port 112 may be a generally cylindrical hollow tube formed into, and extending from, the surface of the housing 110 to allow water from the pool into the housing 110. The pipe connector port 112 may be dimensioned as desired in order to allow installation with pools. The outer surface of the end of the pipe connector port 112 distal from the housing 110 may include a threaded portion 114 in order to facilitate coupling the pipe connector port 112 to a pipe carrying water from the pool.
The illustrated housing 110 also includes a pump connector port 116 extending from the outer surface of the housing 110. As illustrated in
The illustrated housing also includes a drain hole 124 extending from the outer surface of the housing 110. As illustrated in
The exemplary pump trap 100 illustrated in
The exemplary pump trap 100 illustrated in
In other embodiments, a gasket or O-ring (not shown) may be inserted between the drain hole 124 and the connector nut 36 in order to assist with providing a watertight seal when the strain relief fitting 30 is engaged in the drain hole 124. Similarly, in other embodiments the connector nut 36 may not be integrally formed on the strain relief fitting 30. In such embodiments, the connector nut 36 may be a separate component that engages the outer surface of the strain relief fitting 30 and/or engages a surface of the drain hole 124 in order to assist with securing the strain relief fitting 30 into the drain hole 124.
With the retrofit kit 10 installed in the pump trap 100, the pump trap 100 can be re-installed inline between the pump and the pool using the pump connector port 116 and pipe connector port 112, respectively. A wire or line from the pool grounding or bonding system may then be attached to the split bolt connector 40 (or in some embodiments directly to the extension portion 24 of the bonding conductor 20). In this manner, the retrofit kit 10 allows the pump trap to be adapted such that the water inside can be bonded in accordance with the applicable electrical codes (including the NEC) without the need for purchasing a new pump and/or pump trap.
Although selected aspects of the exemplary retrofit kit 10 and exemplary pump trap 100 have been illustrated and described, it will be understood that various substitutions and alterations may be made to the retrofit kit 10 and/or the pump trap 100 without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. For example, it is anticipated that the retrofit kit 10 and/or the components thereof may be sized and/or dimensioned to work with any size, shape, or dimension of pump trap 100, or with any other component in which equipotential bonding is desired, such as, but not limited to, skimmers, plumbing fixtures, pump traps, valves, drains, etc. Similarly, although the body portion 22 of the bonding conductor 20 is illustrated as a round coil, it is envisioned that the body portion 22 may be any shape or size desired. For instance, the bonding conductor 20 may be a straight length of flexible conducting material that can be shaped at installation into any shape, dimension or configuration desired to work with the pump trap 100 or other component with which the retrofit kit 10 intended to be used.
The above detailed description of the embodiments, and the examples, are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope and spirit of the invention, and its equivalents, as defined by the appended claims. One skilled in the art will recognize that many variations can be made to the invention disclosed in this specification without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention.
This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/527,910 having a filing date of 30 Oct. 2014.
Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | 14527910 | Oct 2014 | US |
Child | 15050816 | US |