# Replacing cord on a 1.5 hp above ground pool pump



## LeeAmes (Apr 19, 2009)

The ground prong on the cord to my 110 V, 12 AMP, 1.5 HP pump for my above ground pool remained in the receptacle when I unplugged it. I replaced it with a new 15 AMP cord from ahome improvement store. Is there any problem with the fact that it's 15 AMPs and the pump is 12 AMPs? It is working, but I think it sounds a little different than it did before I replaced the cord.

Thanks for your advice!


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## joed (Mar 13, 2005)

You will be fine if you replaced the plug with one of the same configuation. Are the prongs on the new plug the same as the old one?


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## LeeAmes (Apr 19, 2009)

Yes, they are the same - thanks for your reply!


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## PaliBob (Jun 11, 2008)

If the cord and plug are not warm to the touch when the motor is running you should be OK


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## Speedy Petey (Feb 1, 2004)

Remember, the cord MUST be #12ga to be code legal. I am sure there are other code issues as well. 

How old is this installation?


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## LeeAmes (Apr 19, 2009)

Thanks for the replies!

The cord and plug are not warm to the touch and it is #14ga cord...


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## LeeAmes (Apr 19, 2009)

And the installation is less than 3 years old.


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## Yoyizit (Jul 11, 2008)

How long is the cord?


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## LeeAmes (Apr 19, 2009)

It's 10 ft


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## handyman78 (Dec 29, 2007)

Do you need to have it 10 ft long? 1.5 hp is a powerful motor to be on a cord- especially a long one. I would want to have the shortest cord that could reach the outlet without any problem. Also, as mentioned before the cord should be at least 12gauge.


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## LeeAmes (Apr 19, 2009)

that's a good point. It is 14 gauge -- sorry for the stupid question, but is that enough? I don't know if 14 gauge is more or less than 12 gauge in terms of electrical capacity.

I can make the cord shorter -- I had to put the little connectors on to attach it to the pump. Should I take it off, cut it down, put the connectors on and re-attach? The pump is only a few feet from the receptacle so it doesn't need to be 10 ft long.


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## Yoyizit (Jul 11, 2008)

12A through 10' of #14 = a 0.5% voltage drop, but I don't know how much more voltage you lose with plug/socket contact resistance at each end.


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## hayewe farm (Mar 15, 2009)

Why did you replace the cord instead of just replacing the plug?

And why would it have to be a 12 ga. wired cord for 12 amps? 14 ga, cord is rated for 15 amps.


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## Scuba_Dave (Jan 16, 2009)

How long was the old cord?
I seem to remember a Max length - 6' on cords for pool pumps??

Do you still have the old cord - see if you can read a wire gauge off of it

12g = 20 amps = 2400 watts

14g = 15 amps = 1800 watts = lighter duty

Your pump pulls 12a (Max?) = less then either of these

BUT, sometimes they want a heavier duty cord due to the length of time a pool pump is usually on

My pool pump was pulling 18.6a Max by the rating on the pump
So I hard wired it at 240v

Is this pump on a timer?
That is required here


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## Scuba_Dave (Jan 16, 2009)

Except that the current installation could violate code & Mfg recommendations


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## hayewe farm (Mar 15, 2009)

Scuba_Dave said:


> Except that the current installation could violate code & Mfg recommendations


 What code would be violated?


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## Speedy Petey (Feb 1, 2004)

LeeAmes said:


> The cord and plug are not warm to the touch and it is #14ga cord...





LeeAmes said:


> And the installation is less than 3 years old.





LeeAmes said:


> It's 10 ft


This installation is riddled with violations and obviously was not inspected. Not that that matters to some folks.


There are MANY special codes with regard to pools. 
Some key ones are:
- The cord for a pump motor MUST have an insulated ground of not less than #12.
- The cord must not be longer than THREE feet. 
- If the receptacle for the pump is between 5-10 feet from the pool it MUST be of the locking type and be GFI protected.
- NO other receptacles are allowed less than 10' from the pool.
- You MUST have a standard 120v GFI protected receptacle between 10-20 feet from the pool.


Any other pool questions let me know. :thumbsup:


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## hayewe farm (Mar 15, 2009)

Speedy, Thank you, I have never delt with any pool wiring.


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## Speedy Petey (Feb 1, 2004)

I'll also add, anyone giving advice on the electric requirements for pools should darn well know the codes and what they are talking about. There is just too much at risk!
Sorry, but I feel very strongly about this.


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## LeeAmes (Apr 19, 2009)

The original cord from the manufacturer is 6 ft long and has '12AW GX3C' written on it, so I guess that means it's 12 gauge? It's not on a timer, and I run it for up to 12 hours in the summer.

I had the pool and pump professionally installed and had an electrician install a GFI receptacle specifically for the pool pump, but the pump came from the manufacturer with a 6 ft cord.

I will get a shorter 14 gauge cable to replace the orginal.

Thanks again to everyone for all your help!


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## PaliBob (Jun 11, 2008)

Lee the AWG numbers run where the smaller AWG number has a larger diameter hence a lower resistance. 12 AWG wire has 25% wider diameter than 14 AWG. 12AWG cord is better than 14 AWG

*Disclaimer*


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## williswires (Jul 21, 2008)

LeeAmes said:


> I had the pool and pump professionally installed and had an electrician install a GFI receptacle specifically for the pool pump, but the pump came from the manufacturer with a 6 ft cord.


The NEC has different requirements for pools, based on whether a pool fits the definition of a permanent pool or a storable pool. The main difference that applies here depends on the depth of water that your pool can hold, as well as the installation of the pool (inground, partially inground, aboveground)

For an on-ground or aboveground pool, up to a maximum of 42" water, a pool is considered a storable pool by definition (680.2 definitions, 2008 NEC). Storable pools are not limited to 3' of cord. (680.7(A))

But if a pool is inground, or partially in the ground, or can hold water to a depth over 42", it is a permanently installed pool by definition and is subject to the 3' cord length rule. 

I know what I'm going to say is splitting hairs, but I tend to consider a typical aboveground pool as partially in the ground due to the slight excavation and placing of the sand base under the bottom. 

If you agree, then it is partially in the ground, and therefore considered a permanent pool. If you don't agree, then it is an aboveground pool, and as long as the pool cannot hold over 42" of water, then it is a storable pool and the 3' cord length is not applicable.

This might be why the mfg had a 6' cord on the pump.



> I will get a shorter 14 gauge cable to replace the orginal.


As Speedy and Palibob pointed out, you need a minimum 12AWG flexible cord. The reason is like Speedy said, you need a minimum size 12AWG ground conductor, and a 14AWG cord will not have it. 12AWG is the next size up from 14AWG.


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## Speedy Petey (Feb 1, 2004)

Good point Willis. I didn't consider this could be one of those "Intek" storable pools.


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## Scuba_Dave (Jan 16, 2009)

My Inspector spent more time looking at the pool wiring & the sub I installed then anything else. The pool has been there 30+ years but he wanted to make sure everything met current code - as did I

I had to add one outlet in the pool area to meet the 10-20' rule
There were outlets in the pool cabana, the only other one was on the outside of the pool cabana but was outside of the fenced in pool area

I'm also replacing/moving the outside pool area light
It's halogen & the glass is missing
I'm installing a CFL floodlight instead


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