Home Automation - Wiring a boat lift--Am I OK?

I am installing a boat lift that operates on 2 3/4 hp motors rated at 5.5A each. I have installed 6/3 w/ground UF cable underground and running about 160 feet from house panel to planned breaker box at lift. My main panel is 200A service and I have physical room for two more double pole breakers. SO I plan to add a 40A breaker, connect a 6/3 romex to it, drop under house, splice (with lugs) to the UF cable and take the UF to a 15A breaker in a outdoor approved box at lift and then connect from breaker to motor switches. Do I have to run the ground wire all the way into the main panel or can I ground to the water pipe under the house with the UF cable ground? Does everything else sound OK? Any suggestions?

I am NOT an electrician, but I installed wiring for my boatlift/boathouse in '95. Ran 6/3/wg 308' from panel to a wire-nutted junction box to a breaker box in boat house, single 3/4-hp 220v motor, split legs to a two-light circuit, and to a two-outlet receptacle circuit. Ground to panel only. Boatlifts require gfci (especially when my all-aluminum pontoon boat is hanging in steel cable/steel frame lift). I put double pole 40 amp gfci breaker in panel to feed all. Have no clue if it was to code, but it works fine. Ask Sprky . He thinks I'm just waiting to fry myself. LOL

[This message has been edited by OldGuy (edited May 16, 2000).]

[This message has been edited by OldGuy (edited May 16, 2000).]

hello chezhed,
as long as u make your connections in a junction box of the size 4 x 4 x 2-1/8 or equvelevent and use wirenuts or if u use lugs and cover the splices well and install a gfci breaker u will be just fine. whin we cover split bolts we put a layer of cheap electrical tape then a layer of mastic then a layer of 33+ tape.

Thanks guys.
Can you get wire nuts for #6 wire? My local Lowe's doesn't seem to carry them.
Which breaker should be the GFCI type, at the boat house (please say yes) or at the house panel (please don't say both)?

hello chezhed,
yes u can get wirenuts for #6 they r eather blue or gray, but heres a thought why not just run the uf all the way to the panel splices make for a troubel spot. as to the gfci breaker u could install it in the main panel or at the boat house but not both, if i was u i would install at the boat house.

Sprky, I wanted to run the UF all the way to the panel but was unable to get that big of a cable to the panel in the house. That is one big cable to try and push up thru a blind hole already pretty full with wire and I had no room to drill new holes without tearing out lots of drywall and coming thru another stud. Thanks again, I think I am ready.

Most boatlift controls come with gfci in line between power source and switch now. If your's has it, it should be fine. I just wanted ALL on gfci out there-150' pier, dock, boathouse, overhead deck, w/outlets and lights, etc. The only problem that I've had with mine is air moisture getting in that junction box and tripping gfci. Sprky had best recommendation (run all from panel to boatlift without j-box), if you can. I had to cut into a little sheetrock to get there also, but I agree with Sprky. He's always right. Good Luck!

[This message has been edited by OldGuy (edited May 18, 2000).]

Ah well, I still had to cut into the sheetrock just to get a number 6 cable into the box but there was no way without doing a lot of ripping to get that UF in there, so splicing is definite (found wire nuts by the way and they are blue,sprky). As for everything on GFCI, I have another whole cable run for lights, outlets, etc. My original dock contractor told me I would need #10 wire to the lift and I buried it. Then the replacement contractor contacted lift mfg and we found out #6 was recommended, so I have two circuits and will GFCI the house panel for the #10 and run it on 120V!