Non-fusable well pump disconnects

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donselec

donselec

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Location
Aurora, CO, USA
I've been using non-fusable disconnects for the well pump in new residences, next to the pressure tank, and it's always passed. But a home inspector said it needs to be fusable. Could he possibly be right? It's on a 2P 20-amp breaker from the main panel.
 
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infinity said:
What does the well pump manufacturer say? Do their pumps require fuses?
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This I don't know, I was wondering if anyone else had experience with this question, when installing a well pump circuit. I would think you're right though, if the paperwork that came with the motor said it needed a fused circuit, then it would. Has anyone else run into this?
 
a well pump is of course just a motor. as such it does not rquire a fuse at the disconnect. if this is a home inspector then he sure does not know his code. he just THINKS it needs one. Opininions dont count. I have installed dozens and dozens of well and septic sytems and never have I ever used a fuse disconnect.
 
stew said:
a well pump is of course just a motor. as such it does not rquire a fuse at the disconnect. if this is a home inspector then he sure does not know his code. he just THINKS it needs one. Opininions dont count. I have installed dozens and dozens of well and septic sytems and never have I ever used a fuse disconnect.
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Stew, thanks for your response.
 
donselec said:
I've been using non-fusable disconnects for the well pump in new residences, next to the pressure tank, and it's always passed. But a home inspector said it needs to be fusable. Could he possibly be right? It's on a 2P 20-amp breaker from the main panel.
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I have always used a dp switch for my disco and I have never had a problem. How would the inspector know if the pump required a fuse--did he pull the pump up???HAHA

I have had an inspector tell me I needed a 3pole siwtch at the well head to disconnect the pump on a 3 wire pump (common, running and starting). He insisted the disco needed to be within site of the well.

Of course, I was young and complied with his request. Now I put a locking WP cover on the DP switch (usually under the house at the holding tank) and that's it.
 
Your comments have been helpful. I think most modern motors have thermal protection built in, and it's hard to imagine a well pump, immersed in water at the bottom of a 300' deep well would ever catch on fire. I ran into a similar situation with gas furnaces. We used to use those "SSU" switches with fuses, remember? But now modern furnaces have built-in circuit protection. All I use now is a regular spst switch on the furnace, and of course the breaker in the panel.
 
Not to put down home inspectors but the ones that I deal with on occasion seem to make quite a few mistakes when it comes to electrical code requirements. More so then not, they cite things that aren't really code required. You may need to have the HI clarify his position as to why the fuses are needed. IMO they are not.
 
A motor must have a disconnect, overload protection, and short circuit-ground fault protection.
Your disconnect is the non fused disconnect.
Overload is most likely by an internal overload.
The short circuit-ground fault is by the inverse time circuit breaker.
Unless the motor specifically requires fuses, your installation is OK
Have the inspector cite you a code rule from Art 430, part IV.
 
Where do you install your disconnect? It's suppoed to be within sight of the motor (well pump) - which would put it outside. I can't remember ever seeing a disco outside for a well pump.

Brett
 
bjp_ne_elec said:
Where do you install your disconnect? It's suppoed to be within sight of the motor (well pump) - which would put it outside. I can't remember ever seeing a disco outside for a well pump.

Brett
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It does not have to be within sight of the motor if it is by the controller (pressure switch) and has a means for locking it off. In our area the holding tank and pressure switches are often in the crawl space of the home.
 
Dennis,
It does not have to be within sight of the motor if it is by the controller (pressure switch) and has a means for locking it off.
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The exception permitting that application has been tightened in recent code cycles. Of course 430.102(B)Exception(a) would apply to a submersible pump. If the motor is not a submersible, it would require a disconnect within sight even where the controller disconnect can be locked open. Note that there must always be a disconnect within sight of the controller.
Don
 
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