swimming pool safety

[Brendan Welch]

My daughter wants to use an audio-visual cart at a swimming pool. The
wall socket at
the pool has a GFI. The cart has its own dedicated extension cord;
i.e., the female
end is not loose like an off-the-shelf cord. The cart has 110 VAC
sockets. She will use
these sockets for a CD player, and for an amplifier which feeds an
underwater speaker
(plus a regular in-air speaker) for water ballet swimmers.

What is the best and legal protection? I suggest just replacing the
110 VAC sockets of
the cart with GFI ones. But she is worried that if any accident
happens, no matter how
innocent, the hurt party could sue her, me, or the YMCA which runs the pool.

Does anyone make such carts with their own GFI's? Is it required that
an electrician
be the one who inserts a GFI? Any other suggestions? Any
interpretations of the
National Electric Code?

[hr(bob) [e-mail]]

My daughter wants to use an audio-visual cart at a swimming pool.  The
wall socket at
the pool has a GFI.  The cart has its own dedicated extension cord;
i.e., the female
end is not loose like an off-the-shelf cord.  The cart has 110 VAC
sockets.   She will use
these sockets for a CD player, and for an amplifier which feeds an
underwater speaker
(plus a regular in-air speaker) for water ballet swimmers.
What is the best and legal protection?   I suggest just replacing the
110 VAC sockets of
the cart with GFI ones.  But she is worried that if any accident
happens, no matter how
innocent, the hurt party could sue her, me, or the YMCA which runs the pool.
Does anyone make such carts with their own GFI's?  Is it required that
an electrician
be the one who inserts a GFI?  Any other suggestions?  Any
interpretations of the
National Electric Code?

I don't know the NEC, but with a GFI at the wall, I don't see how
another GFI at the cart is going to make any improvement. The GFI
looks for outgoing and return currents to be equal, when they are not,
then the device opens the circuit on the HOT side of the AC power
line. The Test button in the GFI deliberately puts an unbalance on
the line and the unit should respond by tripping.

[Twayne]

Post by Brendan Welch
My daughter wants to use an audio-visual cart at a swimming pool. The
wall socket at
the pool has a GFI. The cart has its own dedicated extension cord;
i.e., the female
end is not loose like an off-the-shelf cord. The cart has 110 VAC
sockets. She will use
these sockets for a CD player, and for an amplifier which feeds an
underwater speaker
(plus a regular in-air speaker) for water ballet swimmers.
What is the best and legal protection?

If there is already a GFCI protected outlet, use that. Everythign
downline from it will be protected.

Check the pool management requirements; talk to them.

Keep it as far from the water as possible

Take precautions against people burning themselves

I suggest just replacing the

Post by Brendan Welch
110 VAC sockets of
the cart with GFI ones.

Why, when there is already one installed by the pool?

But she is worried that if any accident

Post by Brendan Welch
happens, no matter how
innocent, the hurt party could sue her, me, or the YMCA which runs the pool.

Of course. That's why you get insurance for public events. Hasn't the
CA asked you to sign waivers yet? If not, be prepared - they're not
going to take any resonsiblility for your screwups/problems. Someone
could burn their tongue on a hot hotdog and sue you, you never know.

Post by Brendan Welch
Does anyone make such carts with their own GFI's?

Not that I know of.

Is it required that

Post by Brendan Welch
an electrician
be the one who inserts a GFI?

Definitely!

Any other suggestions? Any

Post by Brendan Welch
interpretations of the
National Electric Code?

Yeah, talk to the CA for their requirements so you don't get sent home
before the event hardly even gets started! If they send you to bldg
mgmt, then go there. Etc.