Tapping 120v from 220v

[nap61]

On one of our properties, we have a well with a 220v pump. I want to put a small shed about 100/150 ft. from the well. I would like to put a light and one or two outlets in the shed. Can I tap into the well power and get 120v at the shed?
1. Can it be done? How (white to white and black to black (or red) and where does the 120v ground/bare wire connect) ?
2. Should it be done? What is the effect on the well pump?

Norm

 

[SPYDERLK]

You can. It would be best tho to run 3wire +ground, taking 220 to the shed. That way you can have a better chance of keeping the two hots of the 220 balanced. In your shed you would put lights and maybe an outlet on one hot and an outlet on the other hot. The [white] neutral would carry whatever imbalance there was, but would carry nothing if the load on each hot was the same. You may throw the pump breaker occasionally if you use a power tool when the pump is running.
larry

 

[hr3]

:confused2: Wow.. Wait a min. here,, If the pump is powered buy a 2 wire feed it has 2 hots and a ground,, there is no neutral for 120v..

 

[Egon]

Install a breaker box at the well. :thumbsup:

 

[JD4320]

Where is the pressure switch/pressure tank for the well pump? If not at the wellhead (ie in your house) the 220 line to the pump will only be hot when the pump is running.....

 

[SPYDERLK]

:confused2: Wow.. Wait a min. here,, If the pump is powered buy a 2 wire feed it has 2 hots and a ground,, there is no neutral for 120v..

Oops. If its 2 wire 220 it is a problem getting safe 110. OP will have to run an insulated neutral to the wellhouse cuz you shouldnt run anything on the ground wire. Its for fault current only. A ground used as a neutral, and therefore carrying current, will have a voltage drop increasing as you move away from the service box. Even if the ground is fully intact you could get a harsh tingle from this bare wire or anything it touches in the shed. If it breaks or comes disconnected you would get a real shock of 110V.
larry

 

[Diamondpilot]

The location of the pressure switch is a big one. If its at the well you are set. If its back at the house you are not. The other issue is a unbalanced load. The only real way to do it is install a 60 amp panel using the feed to the well. From there branch off with a 220 volt breaker for the well then a 120 volt breaker for the shed.

If the pressure switch is at the house just forget tapping off the well and run a new dedicated circuit out to the shed. From the sound of it a 12/2 on a 20 amp breaker would take care of you as long as the run is not too long.

You can make a trencher for your 3 point or use something like a potato plow.

Do it right and be safe.

Chris

 

[SPYDERLK]

The location of the pressure switch is a big one. If its at the well you are set. If its back at the house you are not. The other issue is a unbalanced load. The only real way to do it is install a 60 amp panel using the feed to the well. [From there branch off with a 220 volt breaker for the well then a 120 volt breaker for the shed.]

Do it right and be safe.

Chris

This would still unbalance the feed to the well by whatever load was drawn at the shed. It would not unbalance the pump breaker tho, which is good.:thumbsup: Also, establishing a service box at the well will let OP use the [?probable] 2 wire feed with ground as a 220 service cable by driving a series of ground rods at the wellhouse and tying into them to establish a firm ground-neutral there. I imagine the feed to the well is 10ga or smaller, so 30 or 20 Amp service would be the most he could establish w/o running new wire there. May need expert help for the particulars.
larry

 

[Egon]

could also extend the 220 to the shed and break it down there. Might mean less costly wire.

 

[CurlyDave]

You can make a trencher for your 3 point or use something like a potato plow.

Think about this for a minute or two. There is already a cable run to the wellhouse carrying the 240 V needed for the pump. Not only is it underground and out of sight, it goes from exactly the place you want to start your new wire to exactly the place you want to terminate that wire.

Find the existing wire before you even thing about running a trencher or a subsoiler through there.