Well pump wiring

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27hillcrest

Senior Member
A little confused as to how to wire the well pump. The well guy left me a Franklin Electric control box to wire in the pump. After looking things over the control box has L1, L2 (240 volt feed from panel) B(main) Y and R(start).
Coming out of the well there are 3 wires Black, Red (240volt pump leads) Green (ground) No Yellow. There is a presure switch for the pump witch is easy enough. The question is do I need a yellow wire to the pump? Or is there a different control box needed? Link to control box wiring.
http://www.mikeholt.com/code_forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=222&stc=1&d=1162848155
 

starbright28

Senior Member
Location
Minnesota
Let me see if I understand you correctly. From the pump itself, the wire colors you have are red, black and yellow? or am I mis-reading your question.

I know you need to have the power connected to L1 & L2. Your red wire is controlling the "call" for the pump to turn on. You should only need the power and the control wire to go down to the pump.

Anyone can correct me if I am stating any of this wrong.

(I had a well call this summer to my Grandma's in which the box to these wires and this diagram looks familar)
 

mdshunk

Senior Member
Location
Right here.
It sounds like they gave you a starter for a pump with seperate start and run windings, and they only ran cable for a single winding pump. There may be a regular single winding pump on the end of that cable, OR they used the green ground for the yellow and didn't ground the pump. I've seen both mistakes often enough.
 

27hillcrest

Senior Member
mdshunk said:
It sounds like they gave you a starter for a pump with seperate start and run windings, and they only ran cable for a single winding pump. There may be a regular single winding pump on the end of that cable, OR they used the green ground for the yellow and didn't ground the pump. I've seen both mistakes often enough.

Is there an ohm test I can use to figure out if they used the green as the yellow?
 

mdshunk

Senior Member
Location
Right here.
27hillcrest said:
Coming from the pump there is a Black Red and Green. That's all.
Thanks for the help
You can physically see the connections at the pump, then? If that's the case, then you don't need the starter box. It's for a different type of pump (one with seperate start and run windings). You run your pump straight off the pressure switch (or contactor, if the pump is beyond the horsepower rating of your pressure switch).
 

27hillcrest

Senior Member
mdshunk said:
You can physically see the connections at the pump, then? If that's the case, then you don't need the starter box. It's for a different type of pump (one with seperate start and run windings). You run your pump straight off the pressure switch (or contactor, if the pump is beyond the horsepower rating of your pressure switch).
I can't see the pump itself all i can see are the wire they left hang out the top of the well casing. Black, Red, Green. Sorry for the confusion. So I will need to call the pump guy and find out what type of pump they put in?
 

mdshunk

Senior Member
Location
Right here.
27hillcrest said:
So I will need to call the pump guy and find out what type of pump they put in?
Yeah you need to call him. They either hooked up the pump somehow wrong to that 3-wire pump cable and you need a 4th wire, or they mistakenly gave you that starter box when you don't need it. I can see it going either way, frankly. I have seen well guys use the 4-wire pumps and not ground them, using the green of the 3-wire cable in place of where you'd use yellow in 4-wire cable. \

Matter of fact, call him at home right now... don't hold us in suspense.:D
 

stickboy1375

Senior Member
Location
Litchfield, CT
If he only left you two wires to hook up its a two wire pump, no control box needed, and he left the control box by accident...dont forget to bond the ground wire to the well casing...:)
 

hillbilly

Senior Member
Stickboy is right, you don't need the control box for a 2 wire pump. All you need is the (2 pole) pressure switch.
steve
 
Location
NE (9.06 miles @5.9 Degrees from Winged Horses)
Occupation
EC - retired
Don't even hesitate, get your well guy back on the job while you are there. See if you can get one of the Franklin installation manuals from him or visit their web site for a PDF copy. One of the best you will find. The method they list for getting a balanced current draw for pumps running on a hi leg open delta three phase system is worth the visit alone.
 

stickboy1375

Senior Member
Location
Litchfield, CT
so are you saying they are that stupid they don't know what pump they installed in a well? I find it hard to believe...but of course i've been wrong before... :)
 

27hillcrest

Senior Member
Things just weren't adding up when I looked at control box and the amount of wires to be terminated. I hate it when you get things all installed and things don't seem to work.
That's why this forum is the berries'
Thanks to all!!
 
Location
NE (9.06 miles @5.9 Degrees from Winged Horses)
Occupation
EC - retired
Don't mean to imply they don't know what they put in the well, just don't trust them to "ground" the pitless adapter. Reading the Franklin manual is just plain educational. If they left a black rubber cable hanging out with three conductors still jacketed, it probably isn't. State (here) Well Inpectors frown big time on unauthorized persons (electricians, etc) removing that cap. That is why I say have the installer with you.
 
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stickboy1375

Senior Member
Location
Litchfield, CT
ptonsparky said:
Don't mean to imply they don't know what they put in the well, just don't trust them to "ground" the pitless adapter. Reading the Franklin manual is just plain educational.

Umm I think it's our job to bond the well casing... I've never grounded a pitless adapter before, My arms are just quite not long enough...
 

stickboy1375

Senior Member
Location
Litchfield, CT
I didnt know you had a well inspector? To be honest, I probably should have asked if this was residental or not... how do we even know this pump is single phase or 3 phase?
 
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Location
NE (9.06 miles @5.9 Degrees from Winged Horses)
Occupation
EC - retired
Most new well casings in Nebraska are plastic. The submersible pump hangs on plastic pipe as well. The Pitless adaptor is the part that shows above ground and is what needs to be bonded to the equipment ground that should also terminate on the actual pump motor. These are the items that dogs soon learn to ignore when and if there is a problem. All wells are supposed to be registered with the State.
 

mdshunk

Senior Member
Location
Right here.
ptonsparky said:
The Pitless adaptor is the part that shows above ground ...
Here in the northeast, the pitless adaptor is 3 to 10 feet below grade. It is most common for the well guy to terminate the pump, run his cable to the well head, and leave it at that. There is no such thing as a well inspector in my area, and I've never heard of one before. The wells are certainly registered, and that's about the extent of it. The electrical inspector checks the branch circuit to the well head. It's always been the electrician's job to bond the well casing. Plastic well casing = nothing to bond.
 
Location
NE (9.06 miles @5.9 Degrees from Winged Horses)
Occupation
EC - retired
Pump installers are allowed to run their cable to the point of first disconnect, ie the controller in residential and ag applications. The electrician is supposed to take over from there so we often have no idea what has happened beyond the controller. The well inspectors, all three, are starting to make an improvement in that area.
 
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