# Electrical wiring for steam shower installation



## skybleu818 (Apr 20, 2012)

Hello,
We're installing a steam shower unit & need to run new electrical wiring. We have a few questions & hope someone can help! 

We have three power cords (water pump, heat pump, steam generator) & none of them currently have plugs. The specs are as follows: 3000W steam generator 110v - 30 amp GFCI breaker, 12 v lighting, 1.2 hp water pump 110 v - 30 amp GFCI breaker, & a 1500W heat pump 110v 12.5 amps. It says you can run the heat pump off the same circuit as the rest of the unit.

Ok, so.. we're wondering what the easiest & cheapest way of going about this is. We want it to be *SAFE* first & foremost, but also want to keep expense at a minimum.

Thank you for any advice you have!


----------



## Missouri Bound (Apr 9, 2011)

They don't get plugs they get wired direct. Post a model and mfg and someone here will try to figure it out for you.


----------



## skybleu818 (Apr 20, 2012)

It's a Mesa-608XP


----------



## Missouri Bound (Apr 9, 2011)

It looks like you will need 2 30 amp GFCI and one 20 amp circuit.


----------



## skybleu818 (Apr 20, 2012)

Thank you Missouri Bound! :thumbup:

So.. we should use 10 gauge wire from all 3 breakers and wire directly through a junction box to the existing wires from the unit?


----------



## Missouri Bound (Apr 9, 2011)

The 2 30 amp circuits require 10 ga. wire, the 20 amp circuit for the heat pump should have an outlet. According to the specs. the heat pump has a plug....is this correct? Both of the 30 amp require a GFCI breaker...I didn't see if the heat pump required one or not. I wouldn't put the plug for the heat pump on a 30 amp circuit although the specs seem to say it's ok. Perhaps another member will chime in.


----------



## skybleu818 (Apr 20, 2012)

No, there isn't a plug on the heat pump. When I called the company I purchased from they said I could put a plug on or wire direct. I can get a 20 amp GFCI just to be safe.


----------



## mpoulton (Jul 23, 2009)

The cheapest and easiest way to do this would be to use a 30A double pole GFCI breaker, and run 10-3 cable. Put the steam generator on one half (black to white) and the water pump and heat pump on the other half (red to white). Direct wire it; no plugs. GFCI breakers other than 20A single poles (used for general purpose circuits) and 50A double poles (used for hot tubs) are VERY expensive because they are uncommon. A 30A GFCI will cost a hundred bucks or so. A 30A 2-pole GFCI will not cost much more than a single pole, so that's the better solution. Saves a bit on wire too.


----------



## skybleu818 (Apr 20, 2012)

Thanks for your help!

...So you're saying we could forget the 20 amp altogether? We're lovin' the fact that it would be A LOT cheaper, but just wondering about safety. We're definitely newbies at this, but capable of doing the job once we're certain on what to do. We want to make sure there's no way we're going to get the shock of our life one day when we step into the steam shower! 

If we use just one double pole 30 amp gfci breaker we're thinking it would trip the breaker if the steam generator was ever turned on while the heat pump & water pump were still in use. Is this correct? 

Also, there are two separate ground wires, one attached to the water pump & one attached to the heat pump. Where is the best location to ground these?


----------



## mpoulton (Jul 23, 2009)

A double pole 30A breaker provides TWO 30A 120V circuits. So the steam generator gets one, and the pump and heater share the other. No problem using all the features at once. All of the grounding connections need to be tied together and connected to the bare ground wire in the 10-3 cable you'll be using to power this thing.


----------



## skybleu818 (Apr 20, 2012)

Thank you for your advice mpoulton, you're saving me a lot of $$$! :thumbup: I appreciate it very much!!


----------

