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I want to put an outdoor shower between the edge of my house and the hot tub (there's about 4' of clearance). It'll just have a simple downward-facing showerhead. But my spa disconnect panel is on the house wall (far enough away to meet the 5' requirement), but would only be say 2-1/2' or 3' from the showerhead, horizontally, and maybe 1-2" lower vertically. I don't expect it'd get much water from the shower, but it's possible. Of course it's an outdoor panel so it also gets rained on, normally.

But wondering if there's some kind of code involved here, I didn't find anything about outdoor showers, and obviously I wouldn't put it directly "in" the "cone of expected water" :) but... anyone with code references or advice here?

ThreePhaseEel
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Ben M
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  • How high up on the wall is this disconnect box? It seems a bit awfully high if its only 1-2" below where you're putting the shower... – ThreePhaseEel Jul 27 '17 at 11:39
  • The shower head will be lower that average. Also I mean the top of the box would be there, the actual breaker handle is probably 8" lower than that. It will be higher than the average breaker but still well within code height. – Ben M Jul 29 '17 at 17:38

1 Answers1

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I can find nothing in the National Electrical Code to prevent you from doing this.

It is the hot tub that is required to be at least 5' away from the disconnect.

680.12 Maintenance Disconnecting Means. One or more means to simultaneously disconnect all ungrounded conductors shall be provided for all utilization equipment other than lighting. Each means shall be readily accessible and within sight from its equipment and shall be located at least 1.5 m (5 ft) horizontally from the inside walls of a pool, spa, or hot tub unless separated from the open water by a permanently installed barrier that provides a 1.5 m (5 ft) reach path or greater. This horizontal distance is to be measured from the water’s edge along the shortest path required to reach the disconnect.

Light fixtures and switches are regularly close to showers indoors and I would argue this is similar even though it is outdoors. Electrical panels are not allowed in bathrooms, but this is not a panel and a lone shower does not constitute a bathroom.

Still, if feasible I would place it further away just as a safety measure.

Good luck and stay safe!

ArchonOSX
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