My brother in law tore down his house. The only thing left is the well with two wires coming out of it. One yellow and one red. Should we run 115 volts or 220 volts. Thanks
Most submersible well pumps are 2 wire pumps (they are better and less expensive than a 3 wire [with control box]) and do not need or have a control box. Most older pumps did not have a ground. It depends on what code if any you are under IF the pump and/or casing is supposed to be grounded; the pump doesn't require grounding because it is usually very well grounded in the water in the well. But it doesn't hurt unless the ground wire is broken and you are used to make it.
Actually IIRC, grounding the casing is not what the codes call for, they call for use of metal well casing as the building's electrical system's ground electrode. That's in addition to ground rods and use of metal water lines to ground the house electrical system with. And that's a bit different than "grounding the casing"; as if it needed it. IMO, using the well casing as the building's ground electrode can be very dangerous to the well or pump guy that comes out to work on a well. But he electrical codes guys never asked me.
the pump doesn't require grounding because it is usually very well grounded in the water in the well. But it doesn't hurt unless the ground wire is broken and you are used to make it.
Actually IIRC, grounding the casing is not what the codes call for, they call for use of metal well casing as the building's electrical system's ground electrode.
you need two grounds, one to the well case and another to the panel.
Where to start educating you on your post....
I think I will start with this comment.
Chris, it seems you need some education on pumps before you scare anymore people and further scar my reputation.This comment scares the hell out of me, A pump without a low impedance path back to the service will NEVER trip the breaker, the earth is NOT a low impedance path. Your gonna kill someone.
ummm can you spell out EGC and GEC?Actually the NEC does require the casing, if metal, to be bonded with the EGC that supplies the pump motor, NEC 250.112(M) And no, you dont have to use the well casing as a GEC.
If you have a control box for a 3 wire pump, the wires are always color coded in the box as Yellow Red Black and Green; it's an industry standard AFAIK but, any color wire can be used if they are kept in the right 'order' and connected to the right pigtail wires.Is the yellow really yellow? It could be a white wire that got discolored.
Wells and pumps are not my primary business, water treatment is, and I must have been in maybe 3-4000 houses and businesses right next to pressure tanks and switches without a grounded submersible pump or well unless it was a 120 v submersible pump; they are very rare. That's OMG! only two 120v wires running from the pressure switch to the sub pump up to 200' from the house and the pump 500-600' deep in the well.
Originally Posted by Gary Slusser
Actually IIRC, grounding the casing is not what the codes call for, they call for use of metal well casing as the building's electrical system's ground electrode.
ummm can you spell out EGC and GEC?
Also, is the NEC mandatory in all US States and local jurisdictions?
Oh but I do, since 1960 actually. A... 5 years USAF nuclear weapons maintenance which was very HIGH in electrical grounding (a lot of high explosives), 6 months building moblie homes doing all the wiring of fixtures and receptacles and then final testing of the entire home (for shorts with 1000 vac), a few years as a power company ground hand and lineman in new line construction and replacement with maintenance of existing power lines and service drops (very HIGH on grounding again), 5 years in electronic troubleshooting and 20 years of well pump work not to mention decades as a homeowner wiring this'n that but...So you have no electrical background what so ever?
Yeah I know that and that's why I don't reply as if codes cover everywhere in the US as you obviously seem to believe the NEC or CT codes do.The Nec is mandatory if your state has accepted it and adopted it. with the exception of state amendments.
Tell me this, if in troubleshooting a no water call on a well with a 2 wire (no ground wire) submersible pump, and at the top of the casing you undo the wire nuts and check the cable wires back to the switch and all's well but, checking the casing to the drop cable wires to the pump you find a short TO GROUND. How do you explain that? Is that magic or is the pump and cable that is under water grounded some how?
And yes, it may not have popped the breaker but tell me where is all the danger unless you're stuck on stupid and fooling around out at the casing not knowing what you're doing with the power on tripping around reading your code book.
What does that short to ground mean to you if not that the electrical cable or motor windings are in contact with the water in the well or the metal casing?
Answer that and we can go on with my education.
Now I could add the ground to the drop cable from the pump pigtail to the top of the casing and attach it there BUT, will that pop the breaker if there's another short to ground? (that's a test of [/b]your[/b] grounding knowledge sparky)
Yeah I know that and that's why I don't reply as if codes cover everywhere in the US as you obviously seem to believe the NEC or CT codes do.
BTW, in case you don't take my test above, you can't build find or design a better GROUND than a metal well casing, and trust me, all groundwater (that's what is in a water well) will conduct electricity to ground.
Question, are you saying that the metal casing is not the same ground as the electric company's meter base, or the power company pole or tower ground or the ground rod ground many houses have or the metal water line ground the NEC requires or the ground used back at the electric generation plant?
This is awkward, but...
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