Well Casing Grounding

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shortcircuit2

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South of Bawstin
This post is to alert all electricians to ground metal well casings with the EGC that runs to the well.

I drill and tap the casing for a 1/4-20 nut and bolt to attach the ground wire that is run out with the branch circuit conductors.

An ungrounded well casing is extremely dangerous condition that can result in death.

Don't say "the well guy hooked it up"...check for yourself.

NEC 250-112(M) for those of you who are unaware...

shortcircuit
 
shortcircuit2 said:
This post is to alert all electricians to ground metal well casings with the EGC that runs to the well.

I drill and tap the casing for a 1/4-20 nut and bolt to attach the ground wire that is run out with the branch circuit conductors.
Click to expand...

The casing is automatically grounded with the EGC when you attach a short nipple with a metal box into the threads of the casing top. Of course, you must bond the metal box with the EGC.
 
Plastic Casing- no bond

Plastic Casing- no bond

Dennis Alwon said:
The casing is automatically grounded with the EGC when you attach a short nipple with a metal box into the threads of the casing top. Of course, you must bond the metal box with the EGC.
Click to expand...

Hi Dennis, Some well seals when bolted into the casing top get isolated from centering the metal halves in the driven casing. I have not set any wells East of Reno, so I have never experienced setting a metal casing. All deep submersibles I have set are 3 wire 240v with grounding EGC to the motor impeller shell side of the screen. Sometimes those come loose over a period of years and do present a possible hazard during repair.

Most supply is 50 year Yardney poly so no metal bonding except on the loose motor assembly. I am interested to know if metal shaft case is still being used in the field in the East and is it lightning related? rbj
 
shortcircuit2 said:
This post is to alert all electricians to ground metal well casings with the EGC that runs to the well.

I drill and tap the casing for a 1/4-20 nut and bolt to attach the ground wire that is run out with the branch circuit conductors.

An ungrounded well casing is extremely dangerous condition that can result in death.

Don't say "the well guy hooked it up"...check for yourself.

NEC 250-112(M) for those of you who are unaware...

shortcircuit
Click to expand...


This shouldn't be news to anyone.
 
gndrod said:
Most supply is 50 year Yardney poly so no metal bonding except on the loose motor assembly. I am interested to know if metal shaft case is still being used in the field in the East and is it lightning related? rbj
Click to expand...

Every casing I have seen has been metal but I will be honest-- I haven't looked in a year or so. In this area they have a special license for the well pump installer to wire the pump up to the pressure switch. The EC takes it from there.

We seldom go out to the pump house since the pressure tank is normally set in the crawl space.
 
Dennis Alwon said:
The casing is automatically grounded with the EGC when you attach a short nipple with a metal box into the threads of the casing top. Of course, you must bond the metal box with the EGC.
Click to expand...


I lost you, what metal box? Not sure how you do your wells...
 
stickboy1375 said:
I lost you, what metal box? Not sure how you do your wells...
Click to expand...

I don't wire them as mentioned in my second post. Here is what is done. The casing comes out of the ground and has a metal cap where the water line exists. It also has a 3/4 threaded entry for the wire to exit the casing. The installers usually put a 3/4" short nipple and then add a 4" sq. box on top. The connection from the uf to the pump wire is made in this box.
 
Dennis Alwon said:
I don't wire them as mentioned in my second post. Here is what is done. The casing comes out of the ground and has a metal cap where the water line exists. It also has a 3/4 threaded entry for the wire to exit the casing. The installers usually put a 3/4" short nipple and then add a 4" sq. box on top. The connection from the uf to the pump wire is made in this box.
Click to expand...

Okay, we tend to exit the well casing 4' down with a pitless adapter for the water, tends to freeze up north, but the electric exits the top metal cap and gets piped back to the house (usually with well pipe since we don't do that part of the job... :roll:) and the well drillers pull well wire back to the house, which will get spliced inside the well casing... no box at all at the well head.
 
Well Casing Grounding.

Well Casing Grounding.

Dennis Alwon said:
The casing is automatically grounded with the EGC when you attach a short nipple with a metal box into the threads of the casing top. Of course, you must bond the metal box with the EGC.
Click to expand...

I do not allow, well people to do any part of the wiring, other than to drop the pump into the well. The well caps in this area for the most part do not have a threaded cable entry.

I ask the electrician to use pvc from the house to the well casing (but I will accept uf) I like to see a plastic box installed about a foot below the top of the well casing with a pvc nipple extending from the top of the box to the well cap. Then securing the box to the casing by drilling through the box and the casing using a stainless steal nut and bolt, then attaching the egc to that bolt. I know that may create a minor violation,(A terminal used for grounding will serve no other purpose) then the pump conductors are terminated to the circuit conductors in the box outside the casing.

I have seen wire nuts used inside the casing rusted in about a year.
 
romeo said:
I ask the electrician to use pvc from the house to the well casing (but I will accept uf) I like to see a plastic box installed about a foot below the top of the well casing with a pvc nipple extending from the top of the box to the well cap. Then securing the box to the casing by drilling through the box and the casing using a stainless steal nut and bolt, then attaching the egc to that bolt. I know that may create a minor violation,(A terminal used for grounding will serve no other purpose) then the pump conductors are terminated to the circuit conductors in the box outside the casing.

I have seen wire nuts used inside the casing rusted in about a year.
Click to expand...


I always use direct burial rated wirenuts and splice right inside the well casing.

I also drill a hole through the casing and nut and bolt a lug inside to attach the egc to.

I don't think you can require what you describe. You can ask of course but.....
 
romeo said:
I do not allow, well people to do any part of the wiring, other than to drop the pump into the well. The well caps in this area for the most part do not have a threaded cable entry.
Click to expand...

You would have no choice here since there is a special limited license permitting them to do the wiring to the pressure tank.
 
Well Casing Grounding

electricmanscott said:
I always use direct burial rated wirenuts and splice right inside the well casing.

I also drill a hole through the casing and nut and bolt a lug inside to attach the egc to.

I don't think you can require what you describe. You can ask of course but.....
Click to expand...

I agree, I can not require. As I said I ask that it be done that way,because I think it is a good method and most EC agree.

The direct burial wirenuts work well and I have accepted the method that you use.
 
romeo said:
I agree, I can not require. As I said I ask that it be done that way,because I think it is a good method and most EC agree.

The direct burial wirenuts work well and I have accepted the method that you use.
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I don't want to stir things up because you never know when I'll be working in your area. :wink:

However I can't let this go by without a response.

My response: Thanks for your opinion, but I'll just do it my way which is perfectly acceptable, legal, and works just fine in 99% of the wells around here. And, I really don't think you should even be suggesting how something like this should be done just because you think it is a good method since it is only your opinion.


Some EC's may feel that by doing it their way that they are not obeying you and that you will be pissed off and bust their chops on the rest of the job. While this may not be true, it's a situation that they should not even be put in and it is real.

The bottom line is why not just inspect and leave the design work out of it? Who needs the extra tension?

I think most guys here will back me on this.
 
Grounding versus Bonding

Grounding versus Bonding

electricmanscott said:
My response: Thanks for your opinion, but I'll just do it my way which is perfectly acceptable, legal, and works just fine in 99% of the wells around here.
Click to expand...

I already agreed to that.


Some EC's may feel that by doing it their way that they are not obeying you and that you will be ticked off and bust their chops on the rest of the job.

If you knew me better,you would know as the local EC do, that would never happen, I have total respect for their rights, and often ask for their opinions.

electricmanscott said:
The bottom line is why not just inspect and leave the design work out of it? Who needs the extra tension?
Click to expand...

Because I am often ask how I would like to see it done.
 
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jrclen said:
Last year I saw my first 4" PVC well casing. Kind of surprised me. I hear that is common in other areas. It did have the cast aluminum cap.
Click to expand...

Haven't seen a (new) metal well casing in years. All I see is PVC.
 
romeo said:
Because I am often ask how I would like to see it done.
Click to expand...


I have to say that is pretty sad. Asking that on such a basic electrical job would be a red flag to me and I would be very thorough on the inspection.

But I guess if they are asking then it makes sense to tell them how you like it. :)
 
jrclen said:
Last year I saw my first 4" PVC well casing. Kind of surprised me. I hear that is common in other areas. It did have the cast aluminum cap.
Click to expand...
Most of the well casings around these parts have been made of PVC for years.
 
I would think (maybe incorrectly) that any inspector that is asked "How would you like to see it done" should respond "By the code" be it national or local. Now if an inspector turned me down I would ask how he thinks it should be done, then I would ask for references to code.
 
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