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Wood fire heated spa

Mr. Inspector

Mr. Inspector

SAWHORSE
Joined
Nov 28, 2009
Messages
4,657
Location
Poconos/eastern PA
Doing a plan review. No electric on the installation instructions. I don't know if a locked safety cover or pool area fence is required per ISPSC. There is no filter so i would think they would empty it when not being used but it could be standing open awhile when warming up or left filled sometimes. Almost like a bathtub but over 2' deep.
What do you think?
 
Is it a spa?

SPA. A product intended for the immersion of persons in temperature-controlled water circulated in a closed system, and not intended to be drained and filled with each use. A spa usually includes a filter, an electric, solar or gas heater, a pump or pumps, and a control, and can include other equipment, such as lights, blowers, and water-sanitizing equipment.
 
I think it probably qualifies as a spa. Steveray quoted part of the ISPSC, but he left out all the sub-parts:

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It seems to me that a wood fire heated hot tub would qualify as either a permanent or portable residential spa. It would be a Nonself-contained type.

The exception to ISPSC 303.1.3 doesn't appear to provide an exemption for wood fired heat sources.

ISPSC section 305 applies to swimming pools and spas, so I believe a barrier is required. You can drown in water that's heated by a wood fire just as fast as you can drown in water that's heated by electricity or gas.

If there's no circulation or filtration, I'm guessing it must be residential, not public. If it's classified as portable, Chapter 5 won't apply. If it's permanent, parts of Chapter 5 do apply, so we have to look at 5.5.2.2.
 
It does not have any electric. Would it still need bonding to any metal within 5' and equipotential bonding? I don't see any exceptions for this in the code for no electric spas in the IRC. The scope in Chapter 42 :

E4201.1 Scope. The provisions of this chapter shall apply the construction and installation of
electric wiring and equipment associated with all swimming pools, wading pools, de orative pools,
fountains, hot tubs and spas, and hydro massag bathtubs, whether permanently installed or storable,
and shall apply to metallic auxiliary equipment, such as pumps, filte and similar equipment. Sections
E4202 through E4206 pr vide general rules for permanent pools, spas and hot tub Section E4207
provides specific rules for storable pools an storable/portable spas and hot tubs. Section E4208
provid specific rules for spas and hot tubs. Section E4209 provid specific rules for hydromassage
bathtubs. (680.1)

Where it says equipment associated with spas does this mean only electrical equipment?
It also says the code shall apply to metallic auxiliary equipment, does this mean anything metal needs to be bonded?
 
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