I have a submersible pump with a factory installed SJOW power cord with a 15 amp 120 volt make factory end. I would like to cut the make cord end off and land the conductors into the terminals in the pump control box. The SJOW cable will enter the control box via a sealed conduit. The factory provided control box does not have a receptacle to plug the cord into. My inspector feels that if the pump comes with a cord end on it, then it needs to be plugged into a receptacle. Any takers?
Submersible pump
- Thread starter jketterl
- Start date
- Status
ptonsparky
Tom
- Occupation
- EC - retired
Put a receptacle on the load side of the control box. Plug the pump in.
IMO, your inspector is correct.
IMO, your inspector is correct.
TOOL_5150
Senior Member
- Location
- bay area, ca
bobsherwood
Senior Member
- Location
- Dallas TX
I agree also... maybe a short cord out of the control box with a female cord cap???
Cow
Senior Member
- Location
- Eastern Oregon
- Occupation
- Electrician
Can you call the manufacturer and get their blessing to cut the end off?
G0049
Senior Member
- Location
- Ludington, MI
The factory cord on some submersible pumps contains a tiny plastic tube to prevent pressure differntial inside the pump housing when it warms/cools. Cutting the end off of one of these cords could defeat that ability. Not a good idea.
partimer31
Member
If you cut the end off what happens to the UL listing of your pump?
And to add, where is it disconnect now.
Now that I said what I wanted to say, it's (blank), you can do what
what you want. You have my blessing. Just don't call back the electrical inspector.
And to add, where is it disconnect now.
Now that I said what I wanted to say, it's (blank), you can do what
what you want. You have my blessing. Just don't call back the electrical inspector.
Pierre C Belarge
Senior Member
- Location
- Westchester County, New York
400.8 does not permit the cord to be used for permanent wiring.
As has been posted, install a receptacle at the equipment.
As has been posted, install a receptacle at the equipment.
buck33k
Senior Member
- Location
- Washington state and North Carolina
Not sure I see it your way Pierre. I don't think 1 through 7 in 400.8 applies to our pump. Even if it did, 400.7 allows for the prevention of vibration and the design would permit removal and repair.
In my area, septics are wired as the OP describes. Pump and all floats are splice in a sealed carlon box within the pump chamber. Typically the cord cap is removed to accomplish this. A pump disconnect is located within sight. A recepticle in this environment would not be practical. IMO
scwirenut
Senior Member
- Location
- Sumter, South Carolina
i have installed many Receptacles within this "pump chamber", hand hole, not one failure. sometimes the code is not practical. a buddy of mine did as you and cut the cord end off, a week after install the pump failed , the septic guy said the pump warranty was void because of cut off end. my buddy ended up eating a new sump pump........
- Location
- Massachusetts
Just a heads up, if you decide to go with 'connection of portable stuff' per 400.7(3) or 'frequent interchange' per 400.7(6) or 'removal and repair' per 400.7(8) that you are required to use a plug and receptacle on the cord.
See 400.7(B)
This sump pump / ejection pump connection is in my opinion a no mans land, the NEC does not seem to allow what seems to be an extremely common practice. (Cords run through raceways and holes only to be hard wired)
hurk27
Senior Member
- Location
- Portage, Indiana NEC: 2008
We do quit a few lift stations, and almost all the pumps come from the factory with 25-50' of SJOWHD type cord, but not with a plug on the end, to be ran in the conduits to the pit.
So this is wrong?
Home lift stations I have done we first tried the WP box and receptacle in the top of the pit (home owners don't like the looks of the plug post next to the pit)
But even filling the blade hole with dielectric grease we had failures, so we changed to a female cord cap, on the end of the UF filling the back side and blade holes of it with the di grease, this seemed to work as we had no more failures.
The purpose of this tube is not to prevent pressure differntial inside the pump, it allows a submerged float chamber on some pumps a way for the air to escape when water tries to come up into the float chamber, like a pop bottle turned up side down and put under water wont allow water to enter it, the float needs a way for the air to escape to allow the water to enter and raise the float, if you plug it off the pump cant come on, or if it is running it wont shut off.
quogueelectric
Senior Member
- Location
- new york
Just mount a simplex single receptacle wired to the terminals on the pump controller to make everyone happy we are talking 10 bucks in material now.
- Location
- Illinois
- Occupation
- retired electrician
Wayne,
Is it really a float inside that type of pump? I always thought it was a differential pressure switch.
buck33k
Senior Member
- Location
- Washington state and North Carolina
Bob
Your right. My examples of 400.7 (3), (6), and (8) are not valid if the cord is not equipped with an attachment plug. Otherwise it would be a permanent wiring method as Pierre stated. Thanks for that.
This gets me thinking about my example of the septic chamber. Maybe even the float cords need to be connected with attachment plugs. Many times they are wired in series with the pump or alarm.
hurk27
Senior Member
- Location
- Portage, Indiana NEC: 2008
I have seen both, the one with the little ball or cylinder that floats up and hits a switch, and the diaphragm type. I haven't taken apart any in a while, but you might be right as the type with the little float in them were prone to failure from stuff getting into the float area, so the diaphragm might be the only one used now.
But I also now remember those little tubes on pumps with external floats and remember now they were for preventing pressure building up in the pump motor when it heats up. so goo49 is also correct. must of been a late nite for me :roll:
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