Best practice for connections inside of well head

[JoeNorm]

I have run THHWN into a well head and have to connect to the submersible pump cable.

Should I use butt splices and waterproof heat shrink or is this overkill? It's definitely a wet location but above the water table.

thanks

 

[augie47]

I'd say that;'s a good plan but FWIW 95% of the ones I see are wirenuts

 

[Dennis Alwon]

I have never seen it done that way. We always have a 3/4" rigid nipple threaded into the well cap and install a wp box. Make splices in there. You may need to install a dp switch depending on your install.

 

[Buck Parrish]

Some areas may require what Alwon said. But I just use red wire nuts, they're fine. If you're worried about moisture you could put a little Scotch 33 over the wire nuts. Leave your wire nuts so they can drain if moisture gets in them. Like @augie47 said almost all the ones I've seen are just red wire nuts.

 

[Dennis Alwon]

So you guys are making an open air splice at the well head? That can't be compliant. I get it- Gus (@augie47 )is inspecting it- that explains it all lol

 

[JoeNorm]

I often see the splice in the well-head. I was thinking i'd use mechanical butt slices with tape or heat shrink as opposed to the wire nuts

 

[VirutalElectrician]

So you guys are making an open air splice at the well head? That can't be compliant. I get it- Gus (@augie47 )is inspecting it- that explains it all lol

Mine is an open air connection with red wire nuts. Been that way since I watched the original electrician of this house installed it when I was 5 years old back in 1974.

 

[Buck Parrish]

I often see the splice in the well-head. I was thinking i'd use mechanical butt slices with tape or heat shrink as opposed to the wire nuts

A wire nut makes a better connection then butt splices every day of the week. Red wire nuts have a little metal inside that cuts into the copper.

 

[Dennis Alwon]

I guess if you are inside the well cap then it would be compliant but again I have not seen it that way. How do you bond the well casing, assuming metal piping.

 

[augie47]

I guess if you are inside the well cap then it would be compliant but again I have not seen it that way. How do you bond the well casing, assuming metal piping.

Pigtail on the EGC red wire nut to 250.8 acceptable screw in the casing

 

[Dennis Alwon]

Pigtail on the EGC red wire nut to 250.8 acceptable screw in the casing

So you thread it on the inside of the pipe? Idk, we always used a JB it just made sense to me.. no well casing drilling as the box is grounded into the nipple etc.

 

[ptonsparky]

I've seen ground screws or drilled and tapped as needed. Generally the pump installer makes those connections.

Red wire nuts.

Many of the newer installs use VFD that fit in the well head.

 

[Dennis Alwon]

I have heard most of the new wells have plastic casings now. I had not seen them as I have been out of the field for quite some time.

 

[ptonsparky]

The top riser is metal. 8-10' ? Maybe less.

 

[tthh]

If you are going to heat shrink, the type you want is called "dual wall adhesive" heat shrink tubing. It has some waterproof adhesive inside that melts and gushes out when you heat it up making a water tight seal.