well case grounding

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I am in the electrical industry but have been out of the physical installation for some time now and a friend asked about hooking up a low water pump shutoff (Pump Saver Model 235) to his existing system. While talking, I asked if he knew if his well casing was properly grounded since he had recently bought the house. He wasn't sure; so I would like to see if there is a visual showing the proper grounding methods used today. I also am new to Mike Holt's forum and want to see how it works.

Thanks,
M. G. Wright
 
After 30+ years, I closed an electrical contracting business in Phoenix and started work as a plan reviewer. My contracting business was mostly commercial/ Industrial related and I did little residential; I was recently introduced to Mike Holt's Forum by a fellow reviewer in another municipality. I intend to open an account at my office work station in the next few days now that I've obtained approval from our IT department.

It seems so odd to me that I hadn't heard of this forum some time ago.
Just shows to go you, we don't know it all.
I'm just trying to help a friend that bought some property in the middle of nowhere. I'll probably have to go up and hookup the pumpsaver for him.

Thanks for any support you can provide. I've viewed the wiring
diagram(s) for a 5HP pump and a CT is required. The information doesn't say whether it's provided with the pumpsaver or if it has to be purchased seperately. I'm betting that it's not provided based on wording. If any of your readers have installed these, please let me know.

Thanks,
MG Wright
 
I am also interested in this. Now that I think of it, Every house I have done that has a well, the well digger always does all of the connections from the pressure switch to the pump, and I just have to feed the pressure switch. Maybe I should be checking to make sure he complies with 250.112(M).
 
The method I accept for grounding a well casing is a lug attached to the casing via a 1/4" hole drilled through the casing using a stainless steel nut and bolt. I would like some opinions on this method. Should I require a tapped hole or a ground clamp ?

P.S. I do not permit the well pepole to do the wiring from the pressure switch to the well pump, they don't like it , the builders and some of the electricians don't like it but thats to bad. ( no licince no electrical work )

I can't understand why some electricians are reseptive to giving electrical work away to unqualified personsons.
 
What a timely thread.

I'm getting ready to have my electrical circuit out to my well re-done.
It is romex in pvc, and if i dug down i'd probably find water elbows in the conduit. I was thinking about the well casing the other day and was wondering if it was connected to the GES. It doesn't appear to be.

I can't understand why some electricians are reseptive to giving electrical work away to unqualified personsons.
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When i get to my other computer i'll check the laws in the State of Texas. I know that there is an exemption from the State electrical law for installers of wells, but i don't know exactly what the division of work is. I'll post it when i get it.

Eric Stromberg, P.E.
 
Romeo, that's pretty much exactly what I do. There is generally a bell box mounted to the top of the casing for the well pump, I drill and tap for a 1/4-20, and install a lug. I might throw a nut on it if I'm not too happy with the tap job, or what have you.

eric stromberg said:
I was thinking about the well casing the other day and was wondering if it was connected to the GES. It doesn't appear to be.
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Remember, it doesn't have to be used for a grounding electrode. 250.52(A)(1) permits the use of the casing when trying to get 10' of metallic water pipe, if desired.

250.112(M) requires it to be connected to the pump EGC, in any case. :)
 
MG WRIGHT said:
I was recently introduced to Mike Holt's Forum by a fellow reviewer in another municipality.
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M.G., welcome to the forum. :)

I intend to open an account at my office work station in the next few days now that I've obtained approval from our IT department.
Click to expand...
You might try to change your password to something memorable, and use the same screen name for home and work. You're easier to remember that way. ;)
 
Georgestoltz I require some kind of box at the top of the well casing. I like to have the connections made in a box and not inside the well casing,I have seen too many rusty wirenuts inside of well casings. I am aware that there are wire connectors made for the purpose but are not always used.
 
I would be reluctant to drill and tap the well casing. I have heard of wells with 30 PSI static pressure from artesian pressure.
I typically have a 3/8-16 x 1" long hex head cap screw welded to the well casing. I then install a compression lug to the equipment grounding conductor. Most of the wells I work on are 50 hp 460 V
One challenge with a 30 psi artesian well is to seal the drop cable to the well motor. We use a 18" lenght of conduit, run 36" wires thru it, and pour the conduit with 3M epoxy.
 
romeo said:
Georgestoltz I require some kind of box at the top of the well casing. I like to have the connections made in a box and not inside the well casing,I have seen too many rusty wirenuts inside of well casings. I am aware that there are wire connectors made for the purpose but are not always used.
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I drill and tap for the egc and or gec connection.
Anybody ever use a 6" ground clamp?

I always make my power connections in the well casing. I don't see how there is a violation there with that.
 
I also drill and tap for 1/4-20 bolt with nut on top of nut. I use wirenuts suitable for damp location. Grounding the well casing is VERY important.

I just did a well 200 feet out in the back yard away from the house. I mounted a 4x4 post next to the well pipe with a disconnect (AC pullout), then into a 6x6x4 steel weatherproof enclosure with a definite purpose relay (240 volt coil) with one side switched through the pressure switch at the storage tank located 15 feet from the well pipe. The well is for irrigation purposes.

When I do not have a disconnect at the well pipe, I use a breaker lock kit at the panel...

shortcircuit2
 
I appreciate all your helpful comments. There are many ways to do this and since the pump is only 5 HP, most all applications mentioned here would do the job well (pun intended).

Thanks for the backfeed (can't seem to stop the electrical jargon).

MG Wright
 
romeo said:
Georgestoltz I require some kind of box at the top of the well casing. I like to have the connections made in a box...
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I'm picturing this: The casing is bonded through the fasteners holding the bell box on the casing, through the box, through the (green :D ) screw, to the EGC? Sounds as though it would work all right, I reckon.

The connection I was speaking of was actually a lug outside the casing, not inside. (Not saying it's drier outside, just being more clear on my end.)

Scott said:
Anybody ever use a 6" ground clamp?
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Nope. I can't imagine how big the lug would be for that. :shock:

M.G., stick to the plan reviewing gig, your puns are awful. :lol: :D :wink:
 
Hi MG- You want to create a permanent, low-impedance path for ground-fault current that is capable of carrying the maximum fault current likely to be imposed on it. NEC 250.8, 250.10 and 250.12 give some guidance. -Paul-
 
the nh well water board here (made up of mostly well drillers)
allows them to run to the pressure sw and or controller. when i was inspecting
i couldn't believe what some were doing... some would run the pump
cable (not allowed outside of well casing) stapled back to the panel
some of the (not all but most) biggest bunch of hacks i've seen.
also some don't particularly like bonding the casing, huge lightning rod..
takes out the pump so they say..
 
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