I just touched the electric wire that goes to the plug of my hot tub and it is hot.?

Posted by on . 4 comments.


I have never noticed it being so hot before. It is scary so I unpluged it. It is just a 110 and it is the same cord that was installed although we had to cut off the on/off switch last year because it went out and my husband just spliced it back together and covered it with electrical tape. Is something wrong or do they always get so hot and I just haven't noticed before? thanks



Comments

  1. Wired says:
    August 1, 2009 at 1:05 pm

    Is the wire hot all along it? If so the hot tub is drawing too much current for the rating of the wire. If it is just hot where the splice is, then the splice is the problem. If this is something new, then your motor or heater is drawing more current than it should. Is your circuit breaker sized correctly for the hot tub? If the specs for the hot tub call for a 20Amp circuit, the breaker should be 20A, not more, and the cord should be 12 AWG (or 12 GA).

  2. woodcutter says:
    August 1, 2009 at 1:05 pm

    NO, it should not get hot , that is a sure sign of a loose connection, probably at the splice, it ether needs a new switch or a new wire ran all the way to the tub without any splice preferably on it`s own breaker,,,,,,,

  3. lmills148 says:
    August 1, 2009 at 1:05 pm

    It would have been cheaper to call an electrician the first time. I hope its GFI protected. zzZt ZZzzt ZAP

    DIY ers keep me and the ER Docs in business.

    Did he get his advice from a home center?

  4. Electrical Inspector says:
    August 1, 2009 at 1:05 pm

    Your husband is a BAD BOY!

    A)He voided the Listing for the hot tub by modifying the supply cord; he should have ordered a new cord-set from the Manufacturer. An unlisted product is also a violation of NEC Article 110.3 (B), and may present a substantial electrocution hazard, especially when mixed with water. Order a replacement cord-set IMEDIATLEY!

    B)How hot is hot? THHN insulated conductors are rated for temperatures up to 194°F, that’s only 18° below the boiling point of water; and is WAY too hot for anyone to hold in their hand. If your husband replaced the damaged cord with the wrong AWG size conductors, that will cause overheating. Also, a loose connection at the replacement plug would do it. If the hot tub is set up in a very sunny area, and you live in a hot climate, the conductors must be derated if the ambient temperature exceeds 86°F. As the ambient temperature increases, the percentage that must be taken away from the base ampacity of the conductors increases. This is very unlikely to be your problem, as a 20 Ampere circuit (the Amperage is more important in determining conductor size than voltage), wired with THHN copper wiring would need to be at an ambient temperature of 123°F before it would be rated at less than 20 Amps, but stranger things have happened.

    C) The National Electrical Code requires that ALL splices be done in a box; or in a conduit body that has a volume clearly marked on it, and that the conductor fill does not exceed that volume. You have a lot of violations going on here, be sure your liability insurance is up to date; and even then, you will most likely be held partially liable for contributory negligence should someone be killed or injured in the hot tub, since it now has no listing by a Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory (NRTL).

    My suggestion is to call the company you purchased the hot tub from, and ask if they have a qualified, licensed electrical contractor that they use as a service tech; or if there are any factory trained service techs that you can have come out to examine the wiring and install the correct cord-set.

    Until that is taken care of, there is no way to determine if your tub is safe to use, or not; so STAY OUT of it, please. The NEC requires ALL electrical equipment, fittings, wiring, devices, etc. to be listed for a reason. That reason is to keep people alive. Article 90.1 (A) of the NEC has not been changed in over 110 years for a reason, it is still true. The Code exists “to protect people and property from hazards arising from the use of electricity.”

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    Just another thought; why were you feeling the wiring? Did you suspect that there may be a problem?

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