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

[Rmally]

Great! Thank you for the advice.

 

[Larry Caldwell]

Back up. First, buy your generator. A 7000 watt generator will probably have a 50A twist lock. A 30 amp plug is not big enough for 7000 watts. You have to buy the plug that matches the generator.

I'm a sort of shade tree electrician, so would buy a weather proof 60A to 125A breaker box and wire the pump to that. You can screw that to a treated post set in concrete, or you can build a little well house. That lets you tap 110v power locally, which can be handy. When you get the permanent power in, you can wire that to the sub-panel and it will be part of your electrical distribution. Trust me, being able to plug in a light bulb or power tool at your well head will someday be really handy. You will also have a main breaker at the well, and having a local disconnect will save you a lot of walking.

If this is too much for you, have an electrician do it for you, but it's not that complicated. Farmers have been doing it for 100 years. There are books that will show you how to do everything. The big thing they leave out is to make your connections really tight. Loose connections are dangerous, whether they are in an extension cord or in permanent wiring.

https://www.amazon.com/Wiring-Simpl...ocphy=9032908&hvtargid=pla-435490234064&psc=1

 

[grsthegreat]

Back up. First, buy your generator. A 7000 watt generator will probably have a 50A twist lock. A 30 amp plug is not big enough for 7000 watts. You have to buy the plug that matches the generator.

I'm a sort of shade tree electrician, so would buy a weather proof 60A to 125A breaker box and wire the pump to that. You can screw that to a treated post set in concrete, or you can build a little well house. That lets you tap 110v power locally, which can be handy. When you get the permanent power in, you can wire that to the sub-panel and it will be part of your electrical distribution. Trust me, being able to plug in a light bulb or power tool at your well head will someday be really handy. You will also have a main breaker at the well, and having a local disconnect will save you a lot of walking.

If this is too much for you, have an electrician do it for you, but it's not that complicated. Farmers have been doing it for 100 years. There are books that will show you how to do everything. The big thing they leave out is to make your connections really tight. Loose connections are dangerous, whether they are in an extension cord or in permanent wiring.

https://www.amazon.com/Wiring-Simpl...ocphy=9032908&hvtargid=pla-435490234064&psc=1

note. lots of 7,000 watt generators have 30 amp receptacles.

 

[gary49]

Back up. First, buy your generator. A 7000 watt generator will probably have a 50A twist lock. A 30 amp plug is not big enough for 7000 watts. You have to buy the plug that matches the generator.

I'm a sort of shade tree electrician, so would buy a weather proof 60A to 125A breaker box and wire the pump to that. You can screw that to a treated post set in concrete, or you can build a little well house. That lets you tap 110v power locally, which can be handy. When you get the permanent power in, you can wire that to the sub-panel and it will be part of your electrical distribution. Trust me, being able to plug in a light bulb or power tool at your well head will someday be really handy. You will also have a main breaker at the well, and having a local disconnect will save you a lot of walking.

If this is too much for you, have an electrician do it for you, but it's not that complicated. Farmers have been doing it for 100 years. There are books that will show you how to do everything. The big thing they leave out is to make your connections really tight. Loose connections are dangerous, whether they are in an extension cord or in permanent wiring.

https://www.amazon.com/Wiring-Simpl...ocphy=9032908&hvtargid=pla-435490234064&psc=1

240 volts X30 amps=7200 watts. Indeed, most 7000 watt or so generators have 30 amp 4 wire twist lock receptacles.

 

[Rmally]

Ok guys, good news and maybe bad news....before I read these responses I had hooked up the plug and used a friends generator to see if it worked. I'm hoping I didn't cause any damage, it worked fine or seemed to but I won't try this again if its bad for the pump.

I'm still not sure how to actually use this pressure tank and the well itself. This was the first time I have pumped water so it was expected to be dirty and I'm sure it will clear in time. Am I supposed to pump air into this tank? Install a pressure switch as well, and if so where would it attach.

I did notice after about 6-8 minutes the water just stopped and the tank pressure went to zero. I shut the generator off immediately and looked for any signs or smells....found nothing. So I did re-start the generator and it starting pumping water again but then 5 mins or so later stopped pumping water so I shut it off again.

Is the pump maybe shutting off to protect itself? The pump company told me all I needed was a minimum 4,000 watt generator and this is a 5700/7125. The pump kicks on immediately and has no trouble.

I'll do some more well searching but if anyone has any ideas throw them my way.

Here's a few pictures.

 

[gary49]

The small grey box that the wire comes out of is the pressure switch. If you aren't drawing water out if the tank, the gauge should shut off at 60 psi (might be 50 psi). When you draw water from the hose fitting, the pressure should drop and the switch will turn the pump back on at 40 psi (might be 30 psi). The water should NOT be shutting off with pressure dropping to zero, even when running a hose wide open for several minutes. If you have a voltmeter, you can check the running voltage, it shouldn't drop below 220 volts and it would be desirable for it to stay closer to 240. Check the voltage at the pressure switch, the cover comes off, touch voltmeter probes to screws the wires to pump attach to. Possibilities are that the generator isn't producing the correct voltage, or the dirty water is so bad it's binding up the pump. A clamp on ammeter would be nice to have, then you could check running amperage, which should be 8 amps or so if your pump is a 1 HP unit. I guess there's a slim possibility you're pumping the well down, how many GPM did your driller claim the well produced? What is the static water level in the well?

 

[gary49]

Re-read first post. 12-13 GPM. A hose generally won't flow fast enough to draw that much water. You're not pumping the well down.

 

[Carl_NH]

Either the pump switch is not wired properly or the check valve on the pump is stuck open allowing the water to go back down the well which if its not holding 50 PSI when off sounds like a possibility. Normally the pump company test runs a system before leaving did they not do this? Also did they wire the switch and pump? In either case I would have them come out but you can check a few things.

Pull off the cover to the pump pressure switch and you will see 4 screws and contacts - 2 on each side - the white and black wire from the generator should be connected one on each side (like the outer two screws) then the pump red and black connect to the inner two screws. On the bottom of the pressure switch you will see a spring loaded plate - take a pair of vise grips or pliers and depress that plate and the contacts will open switching off the power to the pump. This way you can simulate the pressure switch operation and test to make sure you aren't getting leak down back into the well (bad/open check valve on pump).

I did not see the brand of pressure tank, but most have a precharged air tank at 35PSI. If you are getting leak down, call your pump installer.

 

[TractorGuy]

You definitely need a clamp on amp meter to check running and starting currents. The $15 unit from HF will do. Mind you I tested two different HF meters against a Fluke and both read about 3 amps low. It would probably be best to test it on one of the hot wires between the pressure switch and the generator but testing at the actual pump wires will do.

If the pressure switch has a lever on the right side make sure it is in the auto position after you get the pump to start.

Does the system have a control panel between the pressure switch and pump?

I agree that a well drilling company should have run the well clean and fully test it before leaving. Most would have run the well clean before connecting to the tank.

 

[Carl_NH]

You definitely need a clamp on amp meter to check running and starting currents. The $15 unit from HF will do. Mind you I tested two different HF meters against a Fluke and both read about 3 amps low. It would probably be best to test it on one of the hot wires between the pressure switch and the generator but testing at the actual pump wires will do.

If the pressure switch has a lever on the right side make sure it is in the auto position after you get the pump to start.

Does the system have a control panel between the pressure switch and pump?

Agree on the Ampmeter - but the pump is a two wire - black/red for pump and green ground, so no control box and the square D pressure switch appears to be a standard (no lever on the right side which is a low pressure cut out type) so its on/off with the pressure.

Here is a video that explains the pump/tank and switch wiring replacement. Well pump pressure switch replacement and re-pressurizing the pressure tank - YouTube