I have a 12/240v hot tub with a 50 amp breaker in my disconnect box. What I need to do now is wire the disconnect box to my main box that is in my basement. What wire do I need? or can I use the same disconnect box as my a/c unit that is about 6 feet away?
You will have to check the code on this, but it is highly likely you need a separate disconnect box. I put a hot tub in a couple of years ago in a house I owned. There were pretty specific instructions on the electrical work. I had a three pole disconnect with ground. Ran line to the hot tub. From the disconnect box, I ran the same three conductor + ground to my main box, which had a two pole GFI. Don't remember the wire size, but it was pretty heavy stuff. The usual clamps, etc.
When away, or servicing the tub, just used the disconnect, and tested the GFI now and then. It was a pretty cool design. The tub's electronics used the GFI as a "trip" to shut down in case of overtemperature, etc, etc.,
"I have a 12/240v hot tub with a 50 amp breaker in my disconnect box. What I need to do now is wire the disconnect box to my main box that is in my basement. What wire do I need? or can I use the same disconnect box as my a/c unit that is about 6 feet away? "
There are specific reqts for spas that must be followed. Among them is a means of disconnect located where it's not far from the spa and easily accessible, no electrical switches, fixtures, outlets, disconnects, etc withing a close radius ( it's ~7ft), GFCI, and all metal near the spa bonded to it.
If you're asking if you can share the line with the AC, clearly you don't have the skills to do this yourself. Call an electrician. Is it worth the risk to yourself and guests? What happens if someone is killed and you get sued?
I installed one and you need to check the codes closely, my town required a local ground rod as well as the house ground if set outdoors, the inspector measured the distances from the water edge not the tub edge to any other electricals (in gazebo). I would not share the AC box and chances are the AC conduit does not have enough room for the #6 wire you'll need to run back to the main anyway. Mine was also 50 amps total but had 2 local gfci's one 30 amp for the heaters and a 20 amp for the pumps.
NEC requires 6/3 with ground, GFCI protected, no disconnect at tub location for single family dwelling, but if you install one, it must be 5 feet away from tub. GFCI protected outlet for general use, must be installed between 5 and 10 feet from tub. Anything conductive that's within 5 feet of tub must be bonded together and to tubs grounding system
It is important to read the instructions that came with the hot tub. I had an installation that required the grounding conductor to be the same size as the feeders. I'm glad that I read the manual because the inspector asked to read it too.
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