Wiring Hot Tub

[Steelydanh]

Hello All,

I acquired a hot tub from a buddy who bought a new home with the tub left behind. He didn't want it, and the tub was in really nice shape, so I figured what the heck?

I've read as much as I could about how to wire up the tub correctly and to code. Not looking for a shortcuts, but would like to save what dollars I can. It's a 220 / 50 amp set up.

The tub sits on my deck. I was able to run four #6 THWN wires from the tub to the shut off box mounted on a deck post (about 6 feet away) from the the tub. I ran these wires in pvc under the deck to the tub. (The deck is high enough off the ground that I can crawl and work under it pretty easily.) Anyway....

My question in in regards to running the wire from the breaker box located in my basement to the outside disconnect box.

Inside the house, I need a run of about 55 feet from the breaker to the outside basement wall. From the outside wall, there's another 20 feet or so to the disconnect box. The 20 feet outside will also be run under the deck in pvc.

I would like to use 6/3 romex with the bare ground inside the house, as it would be easy to pull through the rafters, around a corner, and out through some cement block without too much difficulty. Plus, I was hoping to avoid having to conduit that 55 ft run in the basement. Again, once outside, I would use the separate #6 THWN wires in conduit to the disconnect. I would like to splice the 2 types of wire together in a junction box mounted (but accessible) on the outside wall under the deck. However, the ground wire for the 6/3 romex seems to be only about 10 gauge in size when looking at it at the store. Is that too small? Can I go from a 10 gauge ground in the romex inside the house to 6 gauge THWN ground which then runs to the disconnect box? Would I use a split bolt connector or something else? Thanks.

[Roger]

Before someone responds that knows more about wiring than me, first question. Is your deck strong enough to support the tub?

[arches2]

Code only requries a 10 gauge green ground. Running a 6 awg green is a waste of money but if you already have it....

sounds like your plan is fine however i'd start the conduit run inside from the splice before the concrete. Don't know if that is code compliant to bring romex through the concrete wall.

[Dr. Spa]

Code requires the ground wire be an insulated wire. Romex doesn't meet this code. Additionally, though this code may have recently been changed, the ground wire has to be not only an insulated wire, but equal in size to the other wires. Again, not romex.

[n1oty]

In addition to the good info from Dr Spa, check the manual and/or inside the control box to see if the tub manufacturer specifies a minimum conductor temperature rating. 90 Centigrade ratings are fairly common these days and I have seen the occasional requirement for 105 C. If the manufacturer specifies a minimum temperature rating, the ENTIRE run must meet or exceed that specification.

John

[Steelydanh]

Thanks guys. I'll use the 4 #6 wires and run them through flex aluminum conduit and clamp to the rafters. I don't want to skimp....a few more bucks for piece of mind is ok by me.