Running a submersible pump off generator

I will be installing my submersible goulds pump in my cistern this weekend. I will finally have running water after 2 years. I am building this summer and need water - especially for when we do the stucco work in a few weeks. I have ran off a 5500 watt honda powered coleman generator this summer during the building process as I will not have access to electricity for a few more months. IIs it fine to run the submersible pump off the generator? The generator has a 230 volt power supply with a special plug on it (that i plan on using to power my 230 volt pump).

Also this is an additional question- is the pressure switch for turning on and off the pump simply wired in series with one of the legs of the 230 volts for the pump?

thanks,
Scott

I think you should break both legs of the supply...

Not sure how to break both legs, that doesn't make sense as all the pressure switches i see are 120 volts. Maybe i am missing something though.

All of the pressure switches that I have seen are 2-pole switches for 230 Volts.

There are two terminals, usually labeled L1 and L2. The switch breaks both lines of the circuit.

If you have a single pole pressure switch, it probably is not designed for pump service.

so on the pressure switch, there will be two power legs coming in, two power legs leaving to go to pump, however, the low water float switch protection inside the cistern is simply cutting one of the legs (since it is wired in series with one of the legs) if there is a low water situation. Is this correct?

Also, anyone know about running the pump off the generator? I run all my other motors off it (circular saw, table saw, compressor) seems fine.

The two legs individually have 110VAC on them, just out of phase, so that when you add them together, you have 220. You should run the low-voltage control through the switch so when the low-water switch activates, it breaks or closes the control depending on the type of switch you are using. The current on the contacts of running the line through the wiring (it probably isn't very large gauge) could burn up your pump and is not too safe, either. If you switched one of the legs, it should have the same gauge as that running to the pump, plus having a heavy enough switch to handle the full current of starting and running.

You have a single pole float switch that is rated for 13 Amps and 1 HP at 230 Volts. The switch is supplied from a 2-pole breaker and goes through a 2-pole pressure switch. It will work fine. But it is not a safety switch and the only way to reliably turn off the power is with the circuit breaker.

Make sure the wire gauge you have going to that switch is big enough.

so just one more clarification... is this correct: 2 hot legs going to pressure switch, then out to float (one leg gets the float wired in series, then both legs to pump.......



------------pressure----------low water float switch----------submersible
------------switch----------------------------------------------pump

That's fine. The float switch can go anywhere in one of the lines.