How to Wire a Hot Tub

Project Guide

Time Required: Over 1 day

Difficulty: Advanced

While a hot tub or backyard spa is a great way to relax and have fun,
the installation involves conforming to specific electrical requirements.
For most full-sized spas or hot tubs, the National Electrical Code (NEC)
requires:

Hard-wiring the spa into a ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI)-

protected 220 to 240V, 50- or 60-amp dedicated circuit.
Installing a manual disconnect device, often called a spa panel,
between your home’s electrical breaker panel and the spa.

This guide on how to wire a hot tub will emphasize the steps that show
how to install a spa panel. Before beginning this project, refer to your
hot tub and spa panel installation instructions for wiring specifications.

Tools
Materials
Jump to Specific Step
1
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 Turn off the Power at the Breaker Box

As with all electrical projects, follow local codes and consult an

electrician before wiring a hot tub. In addition, you must have the wiring
inspected before using your hot tub.

Begin by turning off the power to your home at the main breaker box.

Safety: Electricity and water are a dangerous combination, so do not fill

the hot tub until it is wired and inspected. Most electrical codes require
hot tubs to be at least 10 feet from overhead power lines.

2
Mount the Spa Panel
:
 As a manual disconnect device, the spa panel solves the problem
of false tripping that occurs if the hot tub is wired directly to a two-
pole GFCI breaker.
Follow the instructions included with your spa panel and mount it
on the wall of your house, no closer than 5 feet from the spa
location, but in line of sight of the spa. This distance is partly to
reduce the chance of someone touching the panel with one foot in
the hot tub.

Tip: Before installing a hot tub, confirm that your home’s electrical
service can handle the additional load.

3
Dig the Conduit Trench
:
 Consult your local building code to determine the depth for laying
the conduit and contact your local utility companies to ensure you
don’t cut into a buried utility cable or pipe. Some conduit trenches
can be 18 inches deep.
Carefully remove the sod, if you have it, cutting it into manageable
squares and setting it beside the trench.
Using a shovel, dig the trench for your conduit to run from the
electrical breaker panel to the spa panel and from the spa panel to
the spa.
Do not run wire or the conduit under the hot tub.

4
Run the Conduit
:
 Use a hole saw to drill a hole through the outside wall near the
breaker panel for the conduit to exit the house.
Measure, cut and cement the necessary conduit and fittings to run
from the breaker panel down the wall, across the trench to the spa
panel, and from the spa panel down to the trench and across to
the spa.
If the run is under 6 feet, use liquid-tight flexible metal or non-
metallic conduit in lengths of no more than six feet. For longer runs
underground, use rigid metal conduit, intermediate metal conduit
or a non-metallic system listed for direct burial. PVC is a popular
conduit material.
Insert an LB fitting in the hole in the wall to connect the indoor and
outdoor conduit.
Use “sweep” fittings (which make gentle curves rather than sharp
90-degree curves) whenever possible to make pulling the wires
easier.
Do not bury the conduit until after you have the wiring inspected.

5
Pull the Wires
:
 During hot tub wiring, copper wire is recommended with THHN
(thermoplastic nylon) insulation. Avoid aluminum wire. The
recommended hot tub wire size is 6 AWG copper.
Beginning at the LB fitting, use fish tape to pull the wires from the
fitting to the spa panel.
Leave at least 6 inches of extra wire hanging from the spa panel.
Push the wires through the LB fitting into the house and to the
breaker panel, leaving at least 6 inches of extra wire hanging.
Use fish tape to pull the wire through the conduit from the spa
panel to the control panel on the spa. Leave at least 6 inches of
extra wiring on either end. You may opt to cut a hole in the spa’s
toe kick for the conduit.

Tip: You may want to have another person available help pull or push
the wires.

6
Wire the Spa Panel
:
 Be sure to follow your spa panel and spa instructions when wiring
the panel.
First, attach the wires that lead to the spa. Attach the red, white
and black wires to the bottom of the GFCI breaker, and attach the
green grounding wire to the ground bar.
Attach the wires from the breaker panel, and attach the black and
red wires to the breaker feed lugs on top of the breaker. Attach the
white wire to the line neutral bar. Attach the green grounding wire
to the ground bar.

7
Wire the Spa Control Panel
:
 Wire your spa’s control panel per the manufacturer’s instructions.

8
Wire the Spa Panel to the Breaker Panel

Confirm the main breaker is off and no power is present.

Be aware that even with the main breaker off, the wires coming
from the power company are still energized. Be careful when
working in the breaker box.
Attach the red and black wires to a dedicated double-pole 240V
GFCI circuit breaker.
:
 Label the new spa circuit breaker.

9
Have the Spa Inspected

Before energizing or filling your hot tub, call the electrical

inspector to schedule your wiring inspection.
Once your hot tub wiring has passed inspection, bury the conduit
and replace sod over the trench as needed.
Fill your hot tub with water and enjoy.

Hot tub wiring requires familiarity with local codes and electrical
equipment, so consider hiring a licensed electrician. The most complex
aspect of hot tub installation, knowing how to wire a hot tub, is
essential for enjoying an outdoor spa day.

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