NEC Article 680 Practice Questions: Swimming Pools & Spas

Clearance distances, GFCI rules, and the 8 AWG equipotential bonding grid — Article 680 is a favorite for special-occupancy questions because every answer is a specific number.

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18 Article 680 questions in the bankWritten in the PSI computer-based exam formatEvery answer cites the NEC section

What Article 680 Covers on the Exam

Article 680 governs pools, spas, hot tubs, and fountains, and it shows up on the exam because its rules are numeric and unforgiving: receptacle distances from the pool wall (no closer than 6 ft, at least one between 6 and 20 ft), luminaire restrictions over the water, GFCI protection for pool pump motors, and the equipotential bonding grid of 680.26 built with 8 AWG solid copper. If a question mentions water, the answer is usually a distance or the word "bonded."

Tested subtopics from Article 680

Receptacle placement around pools: the 6 ft / 20 ft rules — 680.22(A)
Luminaires and ceiling fans over pools — 680.22(B)
Equipotential bonding: what must be bonded and with what — 680.26
Underwater luminaires and low-voltage contact limits — 680.23
GFCI requirements for pool pump motors and equipment — 680.21(C) and 680.5

Drill a different article

18 questions in our bank cite Article 680. Practice the other high-yield articles too:

Art. 110 — General Requirements Art. 210 — Branch Circuits Art. 220 — Load Calculations Art. 230 — Services Art. 240 — Overcurrent Protection Art. 250 — Grounding and Bonding Art. 300 — Wiring Methods Art. 310 — Conductors & Ampacity Art. 314 — Boxes & Box Fill Art. 430 — Motors Art. 450 — Transformers

How to Study Article 680

Learn Article 680 as a set of distances and one material spec: receptacles at least 6 ft from the inside pool wall (and at least one general-purpose receptacle 6–20 ft away), luminaires at least 12 ft above the water unless GFCI-protected and listed, overhead conductor clearances from 680.9, and the equipotential bonding conductor — 8 AWG solid copper connecting the perimeter surface, pool shell, metal fittings, and equipment. The bonding grid does NOT have to connect to a panelboard or electrode; that counterintuitive fact is a recurring exam question.

Then put it under exam conditions: the free diagnostic scores you across every category and shows whether swimming pools & spas is actually a weak area — or whether your study time belongs somewhere else.

Sample Questions (From Our Real Question Bank)

Here are 4 real questions from our question bank. The free diagnostic quiz has 10 more.

NEC NEC 680.22(A)(1)Swimming Pools & Special Installations

1. Per NEC 680.22(A)(1), where a permanently installed pool is installed, at least one 125-volt, 15- or 20-ampere receptacle on a general-purpose branch circuit shall be located not less than how far from the inside wall of the pool?

A5 feet
B6 feet
C10 feet
D20 feet

Show explanation

NEC 680.22(A)(1) requires at least one receptacle to be located not less than 6 feet (1.83 m) from the inside wall of a permanently installed pool.

NEC NEC 680.26(B)(2)Swimming Pools & Special Installations

2. Per NEC 680.26(B)(2), the perimeter surface to be bonded around a permanently installed pool shall extend how far horizontally beyond the inside walls of the pool?

A1 foot
B2 feet
C3 feet
D5 feet

Show explanation

NEC 680.26(B)(2) requires the perimeter surface bonding to extend 1 m (3 ft) horizontally beyond the inside walls of the pool.

NEC NEC 680.26(B)(1)Swimming Pools & Special Installations

3. Per NEC 680.26(B)(1), when equipotential bonding uses a copper conductor grid for a conductive pool shell, the grid shall be constructed of minimum what size bare solid copper conductors?

A12 AWG
B10 AWG
C8 AWG
D6 AWG

Show explanation

NEC 680.26(B)(1)(b) requires the copper conductor grid to be constructed of minimum 8 AWG bare solid copper conductors.

NEC NEC 680.13Swimming Pools & Special Installations

4. Per NEC 680.13, the maintenance disconnecting means for pool, spa, fountain, or hot tub equipment shall be located not less than how far horizontally from the inside walls of the pool?

A3 feet
B5 feet
C10 feet
D20 feet

Show explanation

NEC 680.13 requires the maintenance disconnect to be not less than 1.5 m (5 ft) horizontally from the inside walls of the pool, spa, fountain, or hot tub.

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Frequently Asked Questions

How far must receptacles be from a swimming pool?

Per 680.22(A), general-purpose receptacles must be at least 6 feet from the inside wall of the pool, and at least one receptacle must be located between 6 and 20 feet from the pool wall. Receptacles for pool pump motors are permitted between 6 and 10 feet if GFCI-protected and locking type.

What is equipotential bonding under 680.26?

Equipotential bonding connects all conductive surfaces around a pool — the pool shell, perimeter surfaces, metal fittings, ladders, and equipment — with a solid 8 AWG copper conductor (or structural reinforcing steel) so that everything a wet person can touch is at the same potential. Notably, the bonding grid is not required to be connected back to a panelboard, service, or grounding electrode.

Do pool pump motors need GFCI protection?

Yes — pool pump motors on branch circuits rated 150 V or less to ground require GFCI protection regardless of receptacle or hard-wired connection (680.21(C) in the 2023 NEC, with the 2023 edition expanding GFCI coverage of pool equipment through 680.5).