Wells and black pvc

[Hendrix]

Not too long ago I had a question about running the pump feed in the black water pipe, in a deep well, which all well drillers seem to do. Do you guys see this very often and what, if anything do you do about it? :?

 

[petersonra]

The pump is inside the pipe. how else would you get the wires to it?

 

[hillbilly1]

Are you talking about the wire running underground to the well? I have seen lots of well drillers do that, they just continue the pump wiring to the pressure switch in a small black waterline, don't see it done that way much anymore, but it used to be quite common.

 

[Hendrix]

Are you talking about the wire running underground to the well? I have seen lots of well drillers do that, they just continue the pump wiring to the pressure switch in a small black waterline, don't see it done that way much anymore, but it used to be quite common.

It's done around here all the time in the "burbs".

 

[tom baker]

Well, that is a violation of the NEC rule that requires a suitable, IE a chapter 3 wiring method. One danger is when digging if you find a black water pipe, you would assume that is has water and cut it (it can folded back and crimped), but if it has wires in it, someone could get hurt.

 

[petersonra]

Well, that is a violation of the NEC rule that requires a suitable, IE a chapter 3 wiring method. One danger is when digging if you find a black water pipe, you would assume that is has water and cut it (it can folded back and crimped), but if it has wires in it, someone could get hurt.

What if the wires themselves were suitable for direct burial?

 

[dana1028]

What if the wires themselves were suitable for direct burial?

I agree with Tom...if you put the wires in a wireway system then the wireway must meet the NEC requirements...putting the wires in a plumbing line would mislead folks.

Just plain direct burial cable would be an obvious electrical wiring situation.

 

[kwired]

Well, that is a violation of the NEC rule that requires a suitable, IE a chapter 3 wiring method. One danger is when digging if you find a black water pipe, you would assume that is has water and cut it (it can folded back and crimped), but if it has wires in it, someone could get hurt.

I suppose that is a possibility. Around here the water pipe better be at least 6 foot deep or it is going to freeze in the winter. If not 6 foot deep it is likely not water.

If you are digging and expecting to find an electric line you would certainly have to be thinking that black pipe may be it. If you are not expecting to hit anything and are digging with a machine it will be obvious as to whether it is water or electric by the time you see it.

Not trying to make excuses to use the water pipe for a raceway but the reality is that is what you find sometimes.

I never understood running UF in a raceway or pipe other than physical protection where emerging from underground. If you are going to run a raceway why not pull THWN through it? It pulls easier and cost less than UF. Well guys are not very good electricians.

 

[ActionDave]

...Well guys are not very good electricians.

I don't know about the rest of the country but where I am well guys are some of the worst electricians.

 

[hillbilly1]

Around here the well drillers don't use UF cable, they just use the same wire they drop down the well, no ground, usually #10 five to six hundred feet to the house, by the time it gets to the pump in the well, the voltage drop has to be great!

 

[readydave8]

Around here the well drillers don't use UF cable, they just use the same wire they drop down the well, no ground, usually #10 five to six hundred feet to the house, by the time it gets to the pump in the well, the voltage drop has to be great!

and definetly no connector where wire enters control box.

 

[Hendrix]

and definetly no connector where wire enters control box.

Here they usually shove a piece of nmfc in the water pipe with one of those push on connectors and to a two pole switch or a franklin box.:thumbsdown: