Irrigation Pump

[A/A Fuel GTX]

Does a 240V irrigation pump located outdoors require GFI protection. Would cord and plug connection vs hardwire make any difference?

 

[augie47]

I don;t see where a 240 volt irrigation pump would require GFCI either way.

 

[A/A Fuel GTX]

I couldn't find any requirements in the NEC but just wanted to verify I didn't miss anything. Given the close proximity to water that these pumps are often installed in and reading about the electrocutions in these areas, just wondering if it may be a good idea.

 

[kwired]

I couldn't find any requirements in the NEC but just wanted to verify I didn't miss anything. Given the close proximity to water that these pumps are often installed in and reading about the electrocutions in these areas, just wondering if it may be a good idea.

How many of those electrocutions are directly associated with the pump and how many are associated with any 120 volt equipment in the vicinity? Then you have the issue with bodies of water and "stray" voltage where a GFCi will not protect anyone at all as the voltage is between EGC's and earth.

 

[GoldDigger]

How many of those electrocutions are directly associated with the pump and how many are associated with any 120 volt equipment in the vicinity? Then you have the issue with bodies of water and "stray" voltage where a GFCi will not protect anyone at all as the voltage is between EGC's and earth.

But when the pump is connected to pipes which are immersed in a body of water, the common thread to most of the electrocutions I have seen seems to be lack of continuity between the pipe and the EGC so that a fault to the shell in the pump motor does not trip a breaker.
Fixing that is the primary solution, but use of a GFCI on the supply to the pump would also prevent injury as long as the GFCI threshold is low enough or the fault is egregious enough to trip it.
So far I have not seen an electrocution case (as opposed to noticeable shock) that ended up to be related to stray voltage.
If there is no connection between the local ground and the EGC or between the EGC and the neutral, then grounding will not pull the applied voltage on the pipe and water down low enough to prevent injury, but I would not categorize that as stray voltage, since it results from a fault rather than from normal operation.

 

[kwired]

But when the pump is connected to pipes which are immersed in a body of water, the common thread to most of the electrocutions I have seen seems to be lack of continuity between the pipe and the EGC so that a fault to the shell in the pump motor does not trip a breaker.
Fixing that is the primary solution, but use of a GFCI on the supply to the pump would also prevent injury as long as the GFCI threshold is low enough or the fault is egregious enough to trip it.
So far I have not seen an electrocution case (as opposed to noticeable shock) that ended up to be related to stray voltage.
If there is no connection between the local ground and the EGC or between the EGC and the neutral, then grounding will not pull the applied voltage on the pipe and water down low enough to prevent injury, but I would not categorize that as stray voltage, since it results from a fault rather than from normal operation.

This is different than no equipment grounding conductor or a compromised equipment grounding conductor on pretty much anything else how? You can not protect from everything. What if same pump were 480 volt three phase? Voltage potential would be higher yet would likely be exempt from GFCI requirements, somewhere the installer maybe should pay closer attention to equipment grounding connections.

A few years ago a small child was electrocuted near where I live from an energized submersible well casing. They found a bad/improper splicing method in the EGC of the supply circuit to this well. A good EGC likely results in OCPD opening. True GFCI probably would have saved this child, so lets GFCI every thing out there, and at every voltage. I honestly think maybe not just too bad of an idea, but the added cost will sure get consumer attention. It still will not protect many of the cases in marinas and similar areas where there was a voltage on an otherwise good EGC.