Electric Question - Water well sub panel

[Bellville]

After reading with great interest the thread on the 220 volt outlet I thought I might post my plan for getting power to the well and make sure I am on the right track.

First off starting with a 50 amp breaker in my main panel, I will run 6 - 3 with ground in buried conduit 110' over to the well site.

This will terminate in a Square D, Nema 3, QO, 100 amp, 6 space, load center. I have purchased a separate ground bar and will not have the neutral and ground connected to each other in the sub panel.

Then coming off a 30 amp breaker in the sub panel I will run 10 - 3 in conduit about 10' over to the well contact points.

The reason I want to install a load center is that eventually I will have a well house built over the well and would like to have a light and outlet for 110. It is also possible I may like to make a short run of 12 - 3 to the front gate so my wife could have Christmas lights.

Any input on my plan would be appreciated.

Thanks

 

[DTCOOPER]

Jack,
Aside from you using overpriced distribution gear /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif (just kidding, I sell GE and Siemens) /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
Everything looks fine.. As I offered to all others here on TBN before, I will saell you any electrical parts you need, at cost, plus UPS shipping. No mark-up on them..

Let me know if you need anything else,
Daniel

 

[Bellville]

Daniel, thanks for the response, just wanted to make sure I was doing it right. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[slowzuki]

Thats a pretty generous offer! My electrician chose Siemens because he was close to that supplier, I've found the 50 amp breakers to be a bit pricy for Joe off the steet to buy.

We have similar setup, our electrical entrance lands at our wellhouse in a Siemens 200 amp panel with a 220 v outlet for the sawmill and a 110 V for misc stuff. The main lugs of the panel will eventually head up the hill to our shop and another 200 amp panel.

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Jack,
Aside from you using overpriced distribution gear /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif (just kidding, I sell GE and Siemens) /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
Everything looks fine.. As I offered to all others here on TBN before, I will saell you any electrical parts you need, at cost, plus UPS shipping. No mark-up on them..

Let me know if you need anything else,
Daniel

)</font>

 

[woodlot]

Bell - The basic plan sounds good. Just one thing. Your underground run in conduit should not be cable (romex). You should use individual conductors rated for use in wet location, sorry I cant remember the exact classification for the wire, its something like THWN. Dircect burial cable in conduit is a code violation, it may overheat. DB is designed to disipate heat directly to the dirt surrounding it, it can't do that when encased in conduit.

 

[djradz]

Jack, why 10-3 to well pump contact points? As the neutral will not be connected, I think you can just run 10-2. You may even get by with 12-2 depending on the load and distance, and save quite a bit in cable cost, if the run is very far.

 

[woodlot]

If he's using a 30 amp breaker he'll need to run 10awg no matter what. I agree about using 10-2 w/g. No need for the neutral if wiring the pump 220vac.

 

[mudcat]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( If he's using a 30 amp breaker he'll need to run 10awg no matter what. )</font>

And what makes you state such?

 

[buckeyefarmer]

Probably article 310-15 of NEC since he's in US.

Wiring size and overcurrent protection will really depend on motor amps & distance. Most likely would use THHW, and if he's using #10, would need 30 AMP breaker...
But your point might be he could use #8 wire, and still protect with a 30Amp breaker.

 

[Bellville]

Woodlot,

thanks for the heads up on the wire type, I will make a change in plan.

Djradz

Thanks, I actually meant to say 10-2 with ground, not 10-3.

Thanks all for the input, just need to rent a ditch witch now and on to the trenching............

 

[mudcat]

No, my point is there is another set of rules for wire size and overcurrent protection for motors. It is called article 430.

 

[LarryD]

<font color="blue"> a well house built over the well </font>

Did you really mean next to the well? I would move my pumphouse far enough away that I could get a drill rig over the well if I ever needed to. A simple dog house over the well head is all you need.

 

[Gator6x4]

My two cents worth. I would use what is refered to in some states as mobile home wire. The wire can be buried directly in the ground, contains four wires and will carry 100 amps. Place a 100 amp breaker in your main box. Wire off the 100 main breaker using both legs of the breaker. Attach the other two wires to grounds in your main box. Wire into the 100 amp panel at the well house through the service disconnect. You now have a sub panel. Do not place a ground rod at the well house. Grounding will be through your main panel.

 

[Bellville]

Larry, yes I am going to build a well house over the well. The driller told me to make sure I could take the roof off without demolishing the building and I would be good to go.

Gator, thanks for the idea, but I am hung up on the idea of using conduit.

 

[buckeyefarmer]

right, article 430-6 for motor circuits, references you back to article 310 for conductor sizing. Article 430 provides the ampacity in determining conductor size.

 

[mudcat]

430.52, 310.16, 240.4d, 240.4g . You can basically divide the code book into two sections; rules for motors, and rules for everything else. I could run #14 for a 3hp single phase 240V motor and protect it with a 30amp breaker. Sounds crazy, but is perfectly legal!