Water Well Pump Monitor???

[Xfaxman]

I need a way to know when the 240 volt water well pump is running.

Is there some wireless device that would turn on a light in the house when the pump is drawing current? There is no well house, We were told the pressure tank is in the casing, so I don't know if I can get to the pressure switch.

The pump is on a breaker box about 50 feet from the house. The power to that box runs underground from the meter at the transformer box that is fed by an underground line from the power pole. That breaker box feeds two other buildings.

Thanks

 

[joshuabardwell]

The short answer is "yes, but how much is it going to cost you." There are all sorts of home-automation monitoring devices out there. I can do a little research and try to point you towards specific links, but the first question is, if it costs you a few hundred dollars is that okay?

 

[Egon]

Amp meter.

 

[Xfaxman]

Yes, knowing I don't have a leak, or the hydrant didn't get shut off at the horse water tank (this morning), is priceless!

Any info will be muchly appreciated.

 

[Xfaxman]

Amp meter.

Got wireless??

 

[travlitt]

I sent you a PM

 

[joshuabardwell]

Yes, knowing I don't have a leak, or the hydrant didn't get shut off at the horse water tank (this morning), is priceless!
Any info will be muchly appreciated.

Well, so here is a whole-house system that may be more than you are looking for, but I believe it will show what you want: eMonitor Electricity Monitor Service | Circuit-by-Circuit Energy Monitor | Energy Circle

This is not an off-the-shelf system, but it seems to do what you are looking for: Stick-on Wireless Circuit Breaker Current Monitoring - YouTube

This white paper describes several companies (Powerzoa, EnergyHub, and TalkingPlug) that make equipment to do what you're looking for--although I'm not certain that any of the equipment works on 240v, but it may get you started in the right direction. http://www.eecs.berkeley.edu/Pubs/TechRpts/2012/EECS-2012-152.pdf

As you can see, the off-the-shelf solutions tend to be whole-house monitoring systems, although I'm sure they'll work just as well with one circuit as they would with twenty. If you have a little ability to hack things together, something based on an Arduino board may be within reach, and would probably be a lot cheaper, although require a lot more work to build.

 

[Xfaxman]

Well, so here is a whole-house system that may be more than you are looking for, but I believe it will show what you want: eMonitor Electricity Monitor Service | Circuit-by-Circuit Energy Monitor | Energy Circle

This is not an off-the-shelf system, but it seems to do what you are looking for: Stick-on Wireless Circuit Breaker Current Monitoring - YouTube

This white paper describes several companies (Powerzoa, EnergyHub, and TalkingPlug) that make equipment to do what you're looking for--although I'm not certain that any of the equipment works on 240v, but it may get you started in the right direction. http://www.eecs.berkeley.edu/Pubs/TechRpts/2012/EECS-2012-152.pdf

As you can see, the off-the-shelf solutions tend to be whole-house monitoring systems, although I'm sure they'll work just as well with one circuit as they would with twenty. If you have a little ability to hack things together, something based on an Arduino board may be within reach, and would probably be a lot cheaper, although require a lot more work to build.

Thanks, I will check these out.

 

[/pine]

I hooked up a light bulb (keyless fixture) only came off one side of the switch (110V)...when the pump is running the light is on...
If you don't have 3 insulated conductors you can still run the light with a ground line that will act as a neutral...

 

[amaxwell]

Yes, knowing I don't have a leak, or the hydrant didn't get shut off at the horse water tank (this morning), is priceless!

Any info will be muchly appreciated.

I have a 120 volt clorinator on my well system that only runs when the pump does so i could just plug in a light there if needed. Could you not just run light off one leg of the 240v pump line?

 

[Xfaxman]

I hooked up a light bulb (keyless fixture) only came off one side of the switch (110V)...when the pump is running the light is on...
If you don't have 3 insulated conductors you can still run the light with a ground line that will act as a neutral...

I have a 120 volt clorinator on my well system that only runs when the pump does so i could just plug in a light there if needed. Could you not just run light off one leg of the 240v pump line?

I will have to pull the cap off of the well casing and see if I can get to the pressure switch. A light out there would be hard to see but better than nothing. I would rather have it the house.

 

[amaxwell]

I will have to pull the cap off of the well casing and see if I can get to the pressure switch. A light out there would be hard to see but better than nothing. I would rather have it the house.

My pressure switch is by my my tank in my guarage . Yours in in the well casing ???

 

[Xfaxman]

My original post:

I need a way to know when the 240 volt water well pump is running.

Is there some wireless device that would turn on a light in the house when the pump is drawing current? There is no well house, We were told the pressure tank is in the casing, so I don't know if I can get to the pressure switch.

The pump is on a breaker box about 50 feet from the house. The power to that box runs underground from the meter at the transformer box that is fed by an underground line from the power pole. That breaker box feeds two other buildings.

Thanks

My pressure switch is by my my tank in my guarage . Yours in in the well casing ???

The well was put in some time before the house was built in 2006. We bought it just over a year ago, was told the pressure tank is in the well. Should be warm enough to check it today.

 

[SPYDERLK]

My pressure switch is by my my tank in my guarage . Yours in in the well casing ???

The well was put in some time before the house was built in 2006. We bought it just over a year ago, was told the pressure tank is in the well. Should be warm enough to check it today.

Possible "no pressure switch access" is what makes the ON signal non trivial. ... But maybe almost as good would be a pressure gauge in the house that you could monitor. :confused3:
larry

 

[Willl]

The well was put in some time before the house was built in 2006. We bought it just over a year ago, was told the pressure tank is in the well. Should be warm enough to check it today.

You really need to get out there and introduce yourself to your well system.

 

[Xfaxman]

Possible "no pressure switch access" is what makes the ON signal non trivial. ... But maybe almost as good would be a pressure gauge in the house that you could monitor. :confused3:
larry

YEP, good idea, in fact I could use a gauge and a pressure switch wired to a light bulb. When the pressure came back up the light would go off. If the light was on longer than the normal cycle time, I would know something was wrong.

Bad part is I would have to buy a PEX crimper and fittings!

 

[/pine]

An inside pressure indicator would work to ("make sure the pump was running") it should also let you keep an eye on the cut in and cut out settings...

To go with a light...you should be able to either use a couple of mirrors or even a short mast with a amber bulb etc...

as for wireless a cheap set of walki-talkies with VOX function...should be fairly good on batteries and the inside unit clould use the AC adapter...think you can get a set of GMRS radios for a about $35.00 (5 mile line of sight distances...the VOX feature can be set for just the remote unit and the level set to only transmit when the noise from the pump/switch activates the radio...

 

[SPYDERLK]

YEP, good idea, in fact I could use a gauge and a pressure switch wired to a light bulb. When the pressure came back up the light would go off. If the light was on longer than the normal cycle time, I would know something was wrong.

Bad part is I would have to buy a PEX crimper and fittings!

Just an appropriate fitting probably to mate with one in an existing joint at washing machine, sink, toilet, ice maker, etc.

 

[The kid]

Why not just wire a 220V incandescent bulb into an exterior glass enclosed bird cage fixture on the side of your well house that can be seen from the house. Everytime the well comes on will light the bulb. The bulb wired directly to the pressure switch. Since we're talking about low wattage 40 to 60 watts which could easily be seen at a great distance.

 

[Xfaxman]

Why not just wire a 220V incandescent bulb into an exterior glass enclosed bird cage fixture on the side of your well house that can be seen from the house. Everytime the well comes on will light the bulb. The bulb wired directly to the pressure switch. Since we're talking about low wattage 40 to 60 watts which could easily be seen at a great distance.

No well house, pressure switch is about 3' down in the 6" casing.