220V electricity and 110V

[Looking4new]

I don't know if this is do-able or not, but I want to take 110V hydro off one of the 220V legs of the power that is going to my well pump. The pump is 220V and draws 5amps. There are 27.5 amps available in the 220 circuit. The way I understand it is that the 27.5-5 amps leaves 22.5amps I want to use 1 leg of the 220 circuit so that would be 11.25 amps -2% would be 11.025 rounded down to 11 amps of 110V juice. This juice would be for my water softener and a led light over top of the whole issue. Is this even do-able? I don't want to toast my house.

 

[SPYDERLK]

That is no problem if the water softener draws less than 22A. If it does draw that much that would not be ideal tho because the leg its on would be fully loaded -- 5 + 22 =27 -- and may pop the breaker during the brief demand surge when the pump starts. Are there 3 wires or 4 wires in the line youre tapping off of? ... I kinda wonder at a ?27.5A? breaker on a pump that only draws 5A. More than enuf. :confused3:

 

[Billrog]

A water softener sure wouldn't draw enough amps to interfere with your plans I wouldn't hesitate.

 

[roadhunter]

I'm no electrician but you might be able to just add a subpanel that is fed by your 27.5 amp circuit which would allow you the flexibility to add a breaker sized for your pump as well as additional breakers for the light and water softener. Make sure you use the right sized wire and breakers and keep the grounds and neutrals separated.

 

[Looking4new]

The lamp draws 4 amps, the water softener draws 2.1 amps. From the 220V line there are wires as follows. 1 red, 1 black (these are both hot, 1 green (ground) 1 white (which in my meager understanding is common in 110V circuits. Do I need it in 220V?

 

[robstaples]

Are you out of breaker panel space? Or is your water softener along the way to your well? Where is your pressure switch? Well circuit only hot while pumping - down stree from pres sure switch. A simple safe and code would be to use a 220/110 transformer. Your loads are ready low so it wouldn't be very big or expensive

 

[buckeyefarmer]

Is your start capacitor inside your house or in the well?

 

[haroldy]

you do not need white in 220 volt circuts

 

[robstaples]

What kind of LED lamp draws 4 amps - 480 watts at 120 v? Really a lot of light!

 

[Looking4new]

The pressure switch is in the water line beside the pressure tank in the house. The pump is down hole in the drilled well.
The water softener is down stream from the tank and pressure switch.....The water softener has its' own transformer that plugs into 110V (24V 2.1A)

 

[zzvyb6]

Consider using a water powered softener (Mine is a Kinetico).

 

[kenmac]

Maybe I'm missing something, but How do you intend to protect the wire after you come off 1 leg of the 220 ?

 

[CobyRupert]

Maybe I'm missing something, but How do you intend to protect the wire after you come off 1 leg of the 220 ?

I'm guessing with whatever is protecting his 27.5 amp (??) circuit.
What is a 27.5smp circuit?
Is this circuit from a generator?

 

[Looking4new]

I'm guessing with whatever is protecting his 27.5 amp (??) circuit.
What is a 27.5smp circuit?
Is this circuit from a generator?

yes. It goes through a manual transfer switch then on to the fuse panel that is for the well pump. I didn't want to mention the transfer switch and genny because I figured like in other threads about gennys there would be a hot 'n' heavy discussion about the virtues of using a genny and mains hydro a the same time and back feeding and all that. There will be NO backfeeding as the transfer switch is there.

The circuit for the light and watersoftener will be off a 2 circuit fuse box which will be off one leg of the transfer switch on the genny side ONLY. And I only intend to use 1 fuse and stick another one in the other hole just to plug the hole and act as a spare. Those fuses will be 15 amp fuses. The wiring will be 14/2 indoor wiring.

 

[BigRol]

What kind of LED lamp draws 4 amps - 480 watts at 120 v? Really a lot of light!

excactly,look again at the led draw .4 sounds more reasonable

 

[4570Man]

What kind of LED lamp draws 4 amps - 480 watts at 120 v? Really a lot of light!

Man, I want one of those. It should really light up the shop.

 

[SPYDERLK]

The pressure switch is in the water line beside the pressure tank in the house. The pump is down hole in the drilled well.
The water softener is down stream from the tank and pressure switch.....The water softener has its' own transformer that plugs into 110V (24V 2.1A)

,,,:confused2:,,,You cannot draw power "down stream" from the pressure switch unless the pressure switch is closed - running the pump.

... And if that transformer puts out 2.1A at 24V it only draws ~ 0.5A from the 110V line.

 

[Looking4new]

excactly,look again at the led draw .4 sounds more reasonable

Sorry about that, I took what my young lad said (he's 48).
This is a GE led bulb 11W 110mA 800Lumins.

 

[kevinwak]

yes. It goes through a manual transfer switch then on to the fuse panel that is for the well pump. I didn't want to mention the transfer switch and genny because I figured like in other threads about gennys there would be a hot 'n' heavy discussion about the virtues of using a genny and mains hydro a the same time and back feeding and all that. There will be NO backfeeding as the transfer switch is there.

first off, I am no professional and my advice may be only worth nothing. But.... Typical 220V applications such as pumps and table saws etc are only using three wires. The black leg, the red leg and the ground. The white, neutral, is used to make a 120V circuit with one of the hot legs. This is typically seen in stoves and dryers. They have fours wires including ground. The elements are running 220 volts and all the controls are 120 volt. Think of the neutral wire as 0. The red wire as 120 and the black wire as negative 120. Either the red or black connected to the white is 120 volts difference. The red to the black are 240 volts apart

Basically since you have red white and black it is doable. Probably the simplest way would be to install a sub-panel on the wire. The sub panel will have four spots to connect, one for the ground, one for each hot leg and one for the neutral. You will then be able to put In 120V and 220V breakers. Since this will maybe be off of a generator you should try and balance the load, the 240V pump is pulling equally off of each leg. You then should have your softener connected to one leg and your light to the other. If at all unsure please consult with an electrician, as I would hate for anybody to get hurt from misinterpreting advice they read online.....

 

[Looking4new]

,,,:confused2:,,,You cannot draw power "down stream" from the pressure switch unless the pressure switch is closed - running the pump.

I am going to draw the power from the dedicated fuse box for the pump. Having rethunk it.