wire for well pressure shut off?

[farmerpsv]

well is being installed today on our new house and just got a call from my wife that a "wire for the pressure shut off switch" needs to be run. can anybody clue me in on this? this is a submersible pump, have always had above ground pumps with electric going directly to the pump. does a circuit need to be run for this?
thanks,
paul

 

[tawilson]

Sure do. The pump down in the well needs power. Heres a wire kit you can get at Sears. Any plumbing supply house has it too. Sears pump wire kit They also have a 2 wire kit. Depends on your pump.

 

[tawilson]

You'll also need to control the pump. I've always figured I'd need a 230v controller, like Sears sells under pump accessories, controlled by a pressure switch to control the pump. A friend says that's old style and people now are just using the pressure switch. I'm not sure how that would work.
And to clarify my first post, that wire at Sears is to run down the well with the pipe and be connected to the pump wires with the connectors provided. The wire to the well from the house will just be an underground rated cable.

 

[beenthere]

For my submersible, all I had to provide was the 220 power line to the control box. The wire that went down with the well pump was furnished by the installer.

Not sure how to translate the message from your wife, but twilson may have it right on. If me, I'd contact the installer directly and learn first hand what is needed.

Frustrating when an installer (I am dealing with a shower installer now and getting information needed to prepare the rough work for them is like pulling hens teeth) doesn't communicate what is going to be needed on site, until they are ready to show up. After ordering the shower base, and the plumbers are there to do the rough-in plumbing, they are asking me what size the drain hole will be. I ask "Isn't that standard with shower bases?" and I get a 'dumb' look like "How should we know?", as if they don't install them and hook them up several times a week in new homes. Duh?

The shower base came, at about 250 #'s, and after it was set I picked up the shower drain from the plumber as the rough-in hole just didn't look big enough. Sure wasn't, and I had to pull the shower base out and cut it bigger. Pushed it back ready for the plumber to 'plumb' in the drain. When he came, we still had to lift the shower base up to secure the shower drain nut, as there wasn't room to turn it tight from below. Seems this is the kind of surprise that could have been addressed sooner, but one trade doesn't like to do for another trade as I see it. Pretty inefficient.

 

[Highbeam]

A typical submersible pump gets 3 wire connection all the way at the pump. Those 3 wires need to provide 220 power and a ground for the pump. Not pressure. The wires are energized or not based on the switches that are not mounted on the pump but are typically mounted at the pressure tank.

Look at the pump as a 220 volt lightbulb. The switch is somewhere else on the circuit.

 

[GaryQWA]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( well is being installed today on our new house and just got a call from my wife that a "wire for the pressure shut off switch" needs to be run. can anybody clue me in on this? this is a submersible pump, have always had above ground pumps with electric going directly to the pump. does a circuit need to be run for this?
thanks,
paul )</font>

They must be doing the excavation from the house to the well and want to close it today. That requires everything in the trench before they close it. That includes the power cable to the well. It has to be sized correctly (gage) for the distance to the pump from the electric panel breaker and then down the well to the pump, but for today, since it doesn't sound as if they are installing the pump, to the well casing. They will cut extra length to make the connection when the cable./pump is installed in the well. Unless they are installing the pump and cable to the top of the casing only.

Pumps come in two configurations. 2-wire and 3-wire. The 2 wire does not require a ground but it's a good idea because many codes want one. The 3 wire pumps have a control box above ground and get a 4 conductor cable, the 2 wire gets 2 or 3 if is has a ground. The 4th conductor is red for Start.

Pressure switches at the pressure tank are the type of controllers used unless you have a variable frequency motor for constant pressure pumps. And all those will have a pressure switch also. Sears, Lowe's etc. is not where I'd go for well or pump materials, pump distributors/pump supply houses is the right place. They have industry standard, non-proprietary equipment with much better quality for about the same price. And they have very knowledgeable people as opposed to a general clerk type.

Gary Slusser

 

[tawilson]

I agree with you on the Sears comment. I just put it up there so he'd have something to look at. However, I did buy a 1 hp submersible pump there last year, and I doubt there's much difference between it and one you'll buy at a plumbing supply house. Probably made buy one of the pump manufacturers anyways. I've got a Sears water softener, and now that I've found out who actually makes them and where to get parts online I'm a lot happier than dealing with Sears parts.

 

[beenthere]

I think you meant this reply to be directed to "farmerpsv". /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

 

[GaryQWA]

All I know is based on my all but 19 years selling and servicing softeners and pumps as an independent dealer.

BTW, here's a better catalog of well system components.

http://www.campbellmfg.com/catalog/

It's all industry standard and not proprietary like Sears. Any pump guy, well driller or plumber that services wells and pumps have 24/7 emergency service from pump supply houses. Many plumbing supply houses that sell pumps etc. give us the same service. Which means there's no two day wait for something to ship from a Sears warehouse plus the delivery time. We can have you back in water up to your chin before they get to your order! /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

Gary Slusser

 

[turnkey4099]

All my control equipment is installed in the basement, that includes the pressure switch and the starter components. I think it has 4 wires to the pump. Been years since I looked at the pump wireing.

Harry K