- Location
- Tennessee NEC:2017
- Occupation
- Semi-Retired Electrician
I did some work for a customer and they ask me if I could connect their well pump up so they could have the water tested to see if it was potable for the house.
I told them I could do the electrical but they should get a plumber to check the water lines and make sure the well water wouldn't get into the "city" water.
I got a plumber that I know and he checked the system out and determined it was not tied into the utility water. So I connected the wires in the panel to a 2-pole breaker so he could run the pump to draw up some water for testing.
I had power to the well but nothing worked. The set-up they had was a Franklin Electric pump and disconnect. In the disconnect there is a relay and a capacitor. Also, a line/load terminal. There is also a pressure switch and it looks like they are only breaking one leg of the 240V.
The pressure switch checked good and I had power to the cap and relay. I did finally hear the disconnect humming so I killed the power and we pulled up the pump.
We then turned the power back on to see if the pump was working at all. It wasn't and got hot real quick.
The plumber wasn't familiar with that pump. He said the ones he had dealt with only had the 240V line in, then through a pressure switch to the pump. Also, he said usually there was just a disconnect without a cap and relay.
Question is why would there be a different setup for various well pumps? My guess would be the type motor being used and the size.
The pump/motor they have says 1/2 HP continuous duty. They would like to know if they could replace the motor with one that didn't require the cap and relay.
The well is about 50' from the house and in about 20' of water. They also plan on running two other lines to locations outside, each about 100'.
So any of you experienced with wells, please chime in.
I told them I could do the electrical but they should get a plumber to check the water lines and make sure the well water wouldn't get into the "city" water.
I got a plumber that I know and he checked the system out and determined it was not tied into the utility water. So I connected the wires in the panel to a 2-pole breaker so he could run the pump to draw up some water for testing.
I had power to the well but nothing worked. The set-up they had was a Franklin Electric pump and disconnect. In the disconnect there is a relay and a capacitor. Also, a line/load terminal. There is also a pressure switch and it looks like they are only breaking one leg of the 240V.
The pressure switch checked good and I had power to the cap and relay. I did finally hear the disconnect humming so I killed the power and we pulled up the pump.
We then turned the power back on to see if the pump was working at all. It wasn't and got hot real quick.
The plumber wasn't familiar with that pump. He said the ones he had dealt with only had the 240V line in, then through a pressure switch to the pump. Also, he said usually there was just a disconnect without a cap and relay.
Question is why would there be a different setup for various well pumps? My guess would be the type motor being used and the size.
The pump/motor they have says 1/2 HP continuous duty. They would like to know if they could replace the motor with one that didn't require the cap and relay.
The well is about 50' from the house and in about 20' of water. They also plan on running two other lines to locations outside, each about 100'.
So any of you experienced with wells, please chime in.