680.28 Gas-Fired Water Heater.

If this gas fired pool heater contains circuits that operate above the low voltage contact limits outlined in 680.2, then GFCI protection is required. Check the manufacturers installation instructions.
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If this gas fired pool heater contains circuits that operate above the low voltage contact limits outlined in 680.2, then GFCI protection is required. Check the manufacturers installation instructions.

Code Change Summary: A new code section was added to address specific circuits for gas fired pool and spa heaters.

Gas-fired pool and spa heaters have been used for quite some time without any specific requirements for ground-fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) protection for personnel. Gas-fired pool heaters that use a 120-volt igniter circuit or a circuit that monitors thermostatic heating controls have the same risk of encountering a ground-fault condition as any other type of electrical equipment such as a swimming pool luminaire.

Electric pool and spa heaters listed to UL 1261 are not required to have GFCI protection integral to the appliance but they typically have manufacturer installed leakage current collectors that provide a low-impedance path for leakage currents to ground.

In the 2017 NEC®, gas-fired pool and spa heaters that use circuits operating at voltages above the low-voltage contact limit, specified in 680.2, shall be provided with GFCI protection for personnel.

Section 680.2 defines the Low Voltage Contact Limit as. A voltage not exceeding the following values:

(1) 15 volts (RMS) for sinusoidal ac.

(2) 21.2 volts peak for nonsinusoidal ac.

(3) 30 volts for continuous dc.

(4) 12.4 volts peak for dc that is interrupted at a rate of 10 to 200 Hz.

This new rule is an additional step forward in ensuring proper protection for swimmers entering a pool that is connected to equipment that uses electricity.

Below is a preview of the NEC®. See the actual NEC® text at NFPA.ORG for the complete code section. Once there, click on their link to free access to the 2017 NEC® edition of NFPA 70.

2017 Code Language:

N 680.28 Gas-Fired Water Heater. Circuits serving gas-fired swimming pool and spa water heaters operating at voltages above the low-voltage contact limit shall be provided with ground-fault circuit-interrupter protection for personnel.

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680.28 Gas-Fired Water Heater.

Below is a Real Question from our Electrical Continuing Education Courses for Electrical License Renewal:

Which of the following circuits serving a gas-fired pool heater requires GFCI protection?

A: An igniter circuit operating at 12 volts (RMS) for sinusoidal ac.
B: An igniter circuit operating higher than 15 volts (RMS) for sinusoidal ac.
C: An igniter circuit operating at 12 volts peak for nonsinusoidal ac.
D: An igniter circuit operating at 18 volts peak for nonsinusoidal ac.
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