[Studly]

My house has a 1980's jetted tub installed in it (not big ...the size of a normal bathtub). It had a GFCI outlet installed on the circuit on another floor and the outlet was mostly concealed. I want to get rid of the GFCI there and put it closer to the tub where it's easier to see and easier to replace, when necessary.

The jetted tub has a wall timer switch installed across the room, and then there's a regular switch (like a light switch) installed in the wall next to the tub, under a cabinet, which controls power to the tub's motor.

I was thinking of replacing that switch with a GFCI outlet/switch combination (like this one). However, I've never used that switch to turn off the power to the tub (since we always leave that on and we use the timer to turn the jetted tub on and off) and I don't need an outlet there, so was wondering if there's any disadvantages to just replacing the switch with a blank GFCI receptacle? Or I could even just remove the switch and put in a regular GFCI outlet (to save money), even though I don't need outlets under the cabinet.

Is there a reason that a jetted tub needs to have an on and off switch separate from the timer switch? Code, maybe? If I had to work on the tub's motor, I'd turn off the whole circuit anyway, so it seems unnecessary to me to have this switch.

 

[Jim Port]

The cord should count as the means of disconnect so a switch should not be needed.

The gfi should be accessible and not under the tub skirt.

 

[Studly]

The cord should count as the means of disconnect so a switch should not be needed.

The gfi should be accessible and not under the tub skirt.

Thanks for the reply, but it doesn't have a regular electrical cord ... just the direct wiring into the motor.

 

[Syberia]

If hardwired, it should have a switch. The GFCI can't, or at least shouldn't, be used as a switch because they can fail.

 

[throrope]

If hardwired, it should have a switch. The GFCI can't, or at least shouldn't, be used as a switch because they can fail.

X2 - and you must have a disconnect for all hardwired devices within sight of the device.

Electrical jobs are the cheapest of home repairs. You'll spend near same doing it wrong as doing it right, but it will cost much more in the long run.

 

[Studly]

Thanks for the replies, everyone. So the consensus is the jetted tub needs that second switch in addition to the timer switch.

So if I install a combo GFCI & switch like I linked to in my original post, that should work right? I'll just replace the existing plain wall switch with the GFCI switch. Any disadvantages to doing that?

 

[Studly]

Also, regarding the GFCI combo switch that I linked to in the first post that I'll likely use to replace the regular wall switch that controls power to the tub motor, there's nothing in most codes that says you can't wire the switch on that GFCI into the GFCI's load, is there?

I want to move the existing GFCI (which is on another floor, mostly concealed) closer to the tub and that's the most logical place to put it in without installing a new box.

 

[IslandGuy]

You cannot use the GFCI/Switch/Receptacle combo you linked to. The bathroom receptacles must be on their own 20a circuit with nothing other than bathroom receptacles on it, or feeding the entire bathroom and no other bathrooms interconnected. The jetted tub needs a disconnect within sight (the switch) due to being hardwired, it needs GFCI protection and most likely, requires it's own circuit.

It makes no sense the GFCI protection was provided elsewhere in the house, but the more practical solution would be to install a GFCI circuit breaker for the tub and eliminate / blank off the existing faceless GFCI location.

 

[Msradell]

You cannot use the GFCI/Switch/Receptacle combo you linked to. The bathroom receptacles must be on their own 20a circuit with nothing other than bathroom receptacles on it, or feeding the entire bathroom and no other bathrooms interconnected. The jetted tub needs a disconnect within sight (the switch) due to being hardwired, it needs GFCI protection and most likely, requires it's own circuit.

With the age of the OPs house the requirement for each bathroom having its own 20a circuit didn't yet exist so this installation is grandfathered in. It sounds like his idea of putting in the combination switch GFCI combination is much better than what he presently has and the switch would meet the disconnect requirement.

 

[Jim Port]

But the tub most likely had a dedicated circuit requirement.

 

[diystephen]

But the tub most likely had a dedicated circuit requirement.

Will using the combination switch receptacle that the OP linked to be a code violation if there is a dedicated circuit for the tub? Due to the receptacle now being on that dedicated circuit?

 

[Jim Port]

I can see that as a technical violation. A blank-face GFI would eliminate that issue.

 

[Oso954]

Would the blank face GFCI be deemed to be a disconnect ?

Ive read that at least one of the Cooper blank face GFCIs is "switch rated".

 

[Jim Port]

The gfi would need to be switch rated for the load and have a labeled Off, not just Test and Reset.

 

[diystephen]

The gfi would need to be switch rated for the load and have a labeled Off, not just Test and Reset.

Would something like this fit the bill?

http://www.amazon.com/Pass-Seymour-...1452365050&sr=8-45&keywords=Switch+rated+gfci

 

[Studly]

The gfi would need to be switch rated for the load and have a labeled Off, not just Test and Reset.

Thanks for the advice everyone. Can someone explain what "switch rated" means and how that differs from a regular GFCI?

 

[diystephen]

Thanks for the advice everyone. Can someone explain what "switch rated" means and how that differs from a regular GFCI?

Something like this:

http://www.amazon.com/Pass-Seymour-...ywords=Switch rated gfci&tag=viglink122238-20

 

[mpoulton]

Thanks for the advice everyone. Can someone explain what "switch rated" means and how that differs from a regular GFCI?

It means the device is intended to be used for turning motors on and off regularly, not just as a protective device. Blank-face GFCI's are usually switch rated for exactly this use, as the control for a whirlpool motor.

 

[Syberia]

Are you saying to use the "test" button as a switch? I wouldn't - rated or not - because then you're relying on the detection circuitry to do its job and cut power instead of a mechanical linkage to break the connection.

 

[mpoulton]

Are you saying to use the "test" button as a switch? I wouldn't - rated or not - because then you're relying on the detection circuitry to do its job and cut power instead of a mechanical linkage to break the connection.

Switch-rated blank-face GFCI's do not have a "test" button. They have an "off" button and an "on" button. It's specifically designed and intended to be used this way. That's what they're for. There is absolutely no reason not to use it for what it was intended, as a control switch for a whirlpool motor. You are correct that the device uses the trip circuit to deactivate the relay when you do this, but that's not a problem. It's no different than any other electronically controlled relay.