How to wire a pool heat pump

lonric

I recently purchased a pool heat pump and will be using a 50 amp double breaker from a subpanel to a disconnect box near the pump.
I will be using #6 copper wire, but noticed that the disconnect box only requires 3 wires, ie: 2 hot wires and a ground bar.
Do I need to have a white wire for a neutral from the subpanel to the heater? or just use #6 - 2wire plus ground and skip the white neutral?
I thought a neutral was always needed, but maybe not when going to 240 volts.
Thanks for any help with this.

Speedy Petey

A neutral is not required unless it is needed.
Instructions can be vague. If it says 120/240v, or "240v 4-wire" then a neutral is required. If it says "240v 3-wire" no neutral is needed.
Even then it may look vague. The instructions will tell you for sure.

lonric

Speedy: Thanks for the info. I haven't received the pump yet, but will read the installation manual to make sure, but with it being a 40 amp min./60Amp max. 240, I assume it will likely say just 3 wire necessary.

lonric

Speedy: if a neutral wire is needed, do you just connect the neutral together in the disconnect box with neutral from heat pump?, since there isn't a neutral bar in the disconnect box?

J. V.

Don't assume anything. When the pump comes in look at the connection diagram. It will show you how many wires you will need.

Thats correct. Land both the ground wires on the ground terminal.

Speedy Petey

What JV said.


The amperage has nothing to do with whether it needs a neutral or not.

lonric

J.v. When you say land both ground wires on the ground terminal, you're referring to the ground from the heater and ground from the subpanel, correct?
the neutral wire from sub would just connect to the neutral from heater and NOT be connected on the ground terminal like is allowed in the Main panel, right?
In the subpanel, I didn't connect the ground to the neutral bar, but kept them separate.