220V electricity and 110V

[robstaples]

I'm sorry I didn't write more in #27. If you purchase the step down transformer, you or your electrician wires it to the 220v well supply at the pressure switch. Then just mount it on the wall and plug into it for 110 v. With an additional 3way plug, you plug your watersoftener in to one and a light into the other outlet. They come in sizes , but the 500 watt is $50.00. The 110 v secondary is isolated and this setup will be safe and legal

500W UP/DOWN TRANSFORMER | All Electronics Corp.

 

[buickanddeere]

As a water well professional I see this all the time. Most of these setups do not use a neutral. They instead come off one leg of the pressure switch and tie the neutral in with the ground. Not legal but it works. If you have a dedicated neutral you're good to go.

Thanks for telling the "know nothings" and the " I don't care as long as it works" types to go ahead and run neutral current on the ground system. This is how electricians get unexpected shocks, phantom equipment operation occurs and livestock are tingle voltage shocked.

 

[buickanddeere]

We can pretty much expect the hydro to go out every time the wind blows. Seriously it is a weekly occurrence. Ontario Hydro/Hydro One in this area is THE most unreliable, over priced utility we have.

An example for you; I came home in a rain storm, the hydro was on. The rain stopped, the sun came out and the hydro went off. The wires got hit with a ray of sunshine. Our outages last anywhere from 1-14 hours.

It's going to get worse before it gets better with the Dalton and Whyne green energy farce.

 

[buickanddeere]

A properly speced fuse for the application will limit fault current to lower levels than a breaker and operate faster than a breaker .

 

[aczlan]

One could also skip the 120v step and use a 220VAC to 24VDC power supply (such as: AC 110-220V DC 24V 1A 24W Switch Power Supply Transformer for LED Strip Light: Science Lab Power Supply Units: Amazon.com: Industrial & Scientific ) and a 220V capable light (such as: LE® 10W Super Bright Outdoor LED Flood Lights, 100W Halogen Bulb Equivalent, Waterproof, 660lm, Warm White, 3000K, Security Lights, Floodlight - - Amazon.com )

Aaron Z

 

[Looking4new]

It's going to get worse before it gets better with the Dalton and Whyne green energy farce.

No Chit! don't forget that Wynne sold off part of Hydro and what they are not saying is that the Ontario goobermint backed/lent the money to the buyers...The union.

 

[Looking4new]

A properly speced fuse for the application will limit fault current to lower levels than a breaker and operate faster than a breaker .

THAT is exactly why I am using fuses in this case.
I also will NEVER run a common to ground. I may be dumb, but I am not stupid, I don't think.
The step down transformer makes something else to go wrong/break. I think with the transformer already in the circuit for the water softener (supplied with it) that the 2 110V circuits off the 220 legs will work. I can put a lower value LED light in the lamp, it is only for close up work around the area. None of the other basement lights will be on during an outage except for the light over the sump pump, which will be wired in on another 110V circuit.
The genny has 4 of 120V gfi's, 1 of 125V 3 wire twist lock and the 125/250V 4 wire twist lock.
2 of the gfi's I am not using.

 

[ultrarunner]

I would rather have fuses in this application. The rest of the house is stab lock breakers. My shed is fuses as well.

I still own property with both Edison Fuse Main(s) and Cartridge Fuses... really very common around here up to the early 1960's...

 

[Looking4new]

Thanks for the advice guys. I am still going to get an electrician to look over my shoulder and tell me what goes where. I am going to get the rest of the parts in about an hour.

 

[buickanddeere]

No Chit! don't forget that Wynne sold off part of Hydro and what they are not saying is that the Ontario goobermint backed/lent the money to the buyers...The union.

Far worse are the billions paid to subsidize wind, solar and Natural Gas. Then pay NY & Michigan to take the surplus power. The General Public seem to be unaware of the Auditor General's report.

 

[buickanddeere]

No Chit! don't forget that Wynne sold off part of Hydro and what they are not saying is that the Ontario goobermint backed/lent the money to the buyers...The union.

Far worse Is the 40+ billion paid to subsidize wind, solar and Natural Gas. And to cancel some gas plants to purchase votes in the election. Then pay NY & Michigan to take the surplus power. The General Public seem to be unaware of the Auditor General's report.

 

[Looking4new]

Far worse are the billions paid to subsidize wind, solar and Natural Gas. Then pay NY & Michigan to take the surplus power. The General Public seem to be unaware of the Auditor General's report.

AND (a few years ago now) let a substation in Ohio shut our hydro down for almost a week. That is unacceptable in my opinion. Putting the blame on a foreign country for shutting down most of the provinces lights.

 

[Industrial Toys]

I sometimes cheat, if I need 110 on a 220 circuit, by using the ground wire as a return. Not to code and only for very small loads. I don't like the X-Former idea as it uses a little power all the time. No big deal, except there are dozens of such small energy stealers thoughout my place.

Ontario hydro hired forestry crews from upstate NY about ten years ago to maintain the lines around here. I guess, no one in Ontario can run a bucket truck and chain saw! Probably too expensive for WSIB coverage..

Now the lines are again overgrown and any amount of snow, ice or wind will ensure an outage. That's OK! I just ordered another 3000 litres of (cheap!) diesel for the genset. I don't even bother to call anymore, but it's funny because the crews usually pull in anyway, attracted by all the outside lighting.

Those men on the trucks have my utmost respect and deserve every penny they make. I can't say the same for all the bureacrats.

 

[buickanddeere]

AND (a few years ago now) let a substation in Ohio shut our hydro down for almost a week. That is unacceptable in my opinion. Putting the blame on a foreign country for shutting down most of the provinces lights.

I was there when it happened. The way the electrical distribution grid was connected, loaded and protected at that time. There was a domino effect as Ontario back at that time still had heavy industry that placed high demand on the grid. Two First operator's and a Shift operating supervisor set a record for the quickest time from the cafeteria back to the control room when the units tripped. I had told the engineers years prior that each plant should have backup class IV power . They laughed at me the time. Saying the grid would never go down.

 

[buickanddeere]

I sometimes cheat, if I need 110 on a 220 circuit, by using the ground wire as a return. Not to code and only for very small loads. I don't like the X-Former idea as it uses a little power all the time. No big deal, except there are dozens of such small energy stealers thoughout my place.

Ontario hydro hired forestry crews from upstate NY about ten years ago to maintain the lines around here. I guess, no one in Onatrio can run a bucket truck and chain saw! Probably too expensive for WSIB.

Now the lines are again overgrown and any amount of snow, ice or wind will ensure an outage. That's OK! I just ordered another 3000 litres of (cheap!) diesel for the genset.

How many hundreds of dollars so you think a 200VA transformer is going to cost you annually ? Anybody running neutral current on the ground system does not understand electricity . Too much thinking that " if it works it must be right ".

 

[Industrial Toys]

Actually, I think, anybody doing that understands electricity more then most! I did this on our underground pump house to feed a light that indicates the pump is running. Very handy if you leave water running somewhere.

I guess the worst thing is the possibility of removing the ground at the panel and getting a shock off it if you are grounded. But the same thing can happen if disconnecting a neutral.

And like I said, it's not one transformer, it's adding more and more. They all make unnecessary heat which equates to watts. I don't mind paying for something I get use of, but this is just wasted energy 24/7, no matter how little.

 

[Looking4new]

I am all for the guys that get their hands dirty making a good $$$ or three. But since when does the CEO of Hydro One need a $150,000.oo/year car allowance + fuel allowance when he flies most of the places he goes for free? That is on top of the big buck$ he already makes to sit on his duff* and do absolutely nothing productive. *duff was not my first choice of words, but it will do

 

[Industrial Toys]

I thought when Maurice Strong appeared on the scene, that Hydro was saved, but his position as head of Hydro was short lived and I never really found out what happened.

It's always those that have it made for life, that make decisions so damaging for the rest of us.

 

[CobyRupert]

I did this on our underground pump house to feed a light that indicates the pump is running. Very handy if you leave water running somewhere.

I guess the worst thing is the possibility of removing the ground at the panel and getting a shock off it if you are grounded. But the same thing can happen if disconnecting a neutral.

I've thought about doing this for same application. BTW, I googled 220V pilot light and the first one I found was $4.29 AC 220V Red LED Power Indicator Pilot Single Light Lamp 22mm - Led Household Light Bulbs - Amazon.com

Other than getting a shock off a lifted ground (as you noted: same danger as a lifted neutral) the difference is that all the metal enclosures, boxes, frames, cases, etc. (i.e. the things people normally touch) connected to that ground system could also be lifted to 120V (which is a lot different than a lifted neutral (i.e. most people don't go touching the conductor inside the white wire).

Another purpose of a (green) equipment ground conductor is to drain static electricity. If you're running amps down the ground conductor to the earth grounded end, Ohm's Law says that anything connected to other end will have a voltage rise (including all earlier mentioned metal enclosures, boxes, frames etc..) that sensitive people, electronics, and large animals touch. This is not usually a large voltage rise (depending on conductor length, gauge (resistance) , and amperage), but could lead to some unintended consequences. (Wonder if pacemaker's would be susceptible to this? I know cows are more susceptible to mastitis in these cases grounds. - But I doubt you have them in your well house.

 

[Industrial Toys]

I see your point. IF the ground were to break, the pump and other metal equipment could become live (through the light) when the pump is running. Probably not a fatality waiting to happen, but given the very dangerous wet environment, probably not a good idea. I will see if I can source a long life 220v bulb. The present 110v has been working for decades.

Thanks for the heads up.