Well is in...but I have some pump wiring and generator questions.

[Rmally]

Hey Folks,

So this morning they finished up installing the well pump, installers said to get a generator during the home build (or until the temp pole is brought in) when we need water. I asked what kind/type/ size and they just said at least a 4,000.

They also left some wire for me to hook-up a plug to plug into the generator....I asked what type of plug to get and they said a 230. I am by no means even a shade tree electrician but where in the world do you by a 230 plug? I went to several stores and none had a 230v plug. Can I assume a 220 plug is the same? I also noticed a few 250 plugs but nothing stating 230. For you electricians, after your done laughing give this newbie some advice please haha.

So here's what I've got......Well is 301 feet deep with 12-13 gallons per minute. The pump is sitting around 270 feet deep. It is a 1 hp pump with a 22 gallon pressure tank sitting outside. For the next 2-3 weeks I will need a generator to run the well, then electrical will be brought in.

Here's a few pictures if that helps (ignore the straps, we had some 60 mph winds coming through so i wanted to make sure it didn't go anywhere).

If more information is needed please let me know.

Generator recommendations would be appreciated, as well as how to hook-up the plug.

Thank you,

 

[fishheadbob]

Many generators have a 230 (220) outlet. An electric drier uses that size plug on a cord. Likely you can find the right plug at Home Depot, but I would ask for help and hope you get a retired electrician and not a kid. I know which HD near me has the retired union electrician: not only can a good employee find it for you, but my guy shows me how, but he knows I'm a good amateur.
Thinking about it more, it might be better for you to bring along your handiest friend, the one with a little electrical knowledge. Water+electricity+expensive pump+expensive generator might be a bad way to learn basic wiring.

 

[wagne223]

Hey Folks,

So this morning they finished up installing the well pump, installers said to get a generator during the home build (or until the temp pole is brought in) when we need water. I asked what kind/type/ size and they just said at least a 4,000.

They also left some wire for me to hook-up a plug to plug into the generator....I asked what type of plug to get and they said a 230. I am by no means even a shade tree electrician but where in the world do you by a 230 plug? I went to several stores and none had a 230v plug. Can I assume a 220 plug is the same? I also noticed a few 250 plugs but nothing stating 230. For you electricians, after your done laughing give this newbie some advice please haha.

So here's what I've got......Well is 301 feet deep with 12-13 gallons per minute. The pump is sitting around 270 feet deep. It is a 1 hp pump with a 22 gallon pressure tank sitting outside. For the next 2-3 weeks I will need a generator to run the well, then electrical will be brought in.

Here's a few pictures if that helps (ignore the straps, we had some 60 mph winds coming through so i wanted to make sure it didn't go anywhere).

If more information is needed please let me know.

Generator recommendations would be appreciated, as well as how to hook-up the plug.

Thank you,

I am a shadetree electrician so take this for what it is worth.......

People commonly use the phrase 220, 230, 240 to describe the recepticals and plugs that use both supply conductors in a typical residential home.
Recepticals that only use one supply conductor are often referred to as "110"

Every homes actual voltage will vary between 220 to 250 volts depending on the supplier and the transformer that supplies your home.

There are dozens of styles and types of plugs and receptacles that will use both conductors and vary by current capacity (amps).


Generator- must be capable of producing 220 - 250 volts at 60 Hertz and be rated at 4000 watts (5-6000 is better for starting the pump)

That generator should have an L14-30R receptacle on it.
That is very common on generators.

To make your connection, you will need to buy an L14-30P plug and have it installed on the gray wire they left laying there for you.

You can then plug the cord into the generator.

Warning, if you install the plug incorrectly you risk damaging the generator, the pump, the control box, or all of them.

Get someone who knows what they are doing or educate yourself prior to trying it.

 

[grsthegreat]

Personally I never recommend less than 7,000 watt running gen for any well pump. Ive seen too many damaged well pumps due to running too small of a generator. Plus, later on the larger generator will help around the place. Some smaller generators do not have the 4 wire , 230 volt outlets. And every 30 amp rated 230 volt gen that I’ve ever dealt with has a twist lock plug.

 

[gary49]

Ok, here's a way to kill two birds with one stone. You're going to need a temporary service and you'll want the well to be powered by it. Hire an electrician and get him to set your temporary service. Tell him you want him to install a breaker interlock and an inlet for generator power. Tell him it needs to be a 240 volt 30 amp twist lock inlet that matches your generator. I agree that the generator needs to be in the 7000 watt neighborhood. A 1 hp pump may require as much as 10 or so running amps and most importantly, will require about triple that to start the pump. Try to buy the generator to inlet cord already made up, if the electrician has to make it, it'll cost more. This way you can run the generator to get water as soon as the temporary service is ready to be hooked up by the utility company. You'll also be able to start building whether the utility has hooked you up or not and you'll be able to have water and build even if there is an outage. You can even reuse the generator, cord and inlet to set up an emergency panel in your new house or whatever it is you're building.

 

[Rmally]

Thanks for all the input, I really appreciate it. We are building a new home and this is my first Well. I will look for a 7000 watt generator and that receptacle.

 

[Valveman]

A 1HP is 9 amps and a 4KW externally regulated or a 2.5KW internally regulated generator will start and run it no problem. A little larger won't hurt, especially if you want to run more than the well pump. I use a 3500 watt generator to test wells with a 1.5HP submersible. The three wire pumps with a control box will start much easier and with a smaller generator than a two wire pump with no control box. Installing a 12 GPM pump on a 22 gallon tank that will only hold 5 gallons of water will make the pump cycle too much and too often. You might consider a much larger tank or add a Cycle Stop Valve.
How a Pressure Tank Works and why you need a Cycle Stop Valve on Vimeo

 

[Rmally]

A 1HP is 9 amps and a 4KW externally regulated or a 2.5KW internally regulated generator will start and run it no problem. A little larger won't hurt, especially if you want to run more than the well pump. I use a 3500 watt generator to test wells with a 1.5HP submersible. The three wire pumps with a control box will start much easier and with a smaller generator than a two wire pump with no control box. Installing a 12 GPM pump on a 22 gallon tank that will only hold 5 gallons of water will make the pump cycle too much and too often. You might consider a much larger tank or add a Cycle Stop Valve.
How a Pressure Tank Works and why you need a Cycle Stop Valve on Vimeo

Thank you for the information! I will certainly get a cycle stop valve today.

 

[Rmally]

Hey electrical folks.....real quick question.

I bought the L14-30 plug and spoke to the well pump guy via phone. He said to connect the black and white to hot. He said both the wires need to be hot and the bare wire to ground.

Here's a picture of the plug, would the two hot wires go into X and Y? There is also a G and W, I assume the G is ground and no idea what the W is. Just want to verify before I connect this to the generator.

Thanks!

 

[SSdoxie]

connect the black & white to the X & Y and the bare ground to G. The W post would have the white wire connected there if the cable was 4 wires, in that case there would be black & red for the load power wires to X & Y and the white used as Neutral then ground to G.