tomO Posted November 1, 2012 Report Share Posted November 1, 2012 I'm going to make a cord up to run from my generator to my well pump. I'm pretty sure the well pump is 240 but the wire coming out of the box to the pressure switch is 12/2 and coming out of the pressure switch going to the control box is 12/2. then coming out of the control box to the pump is 3 heavy wires. It's wired into the breaker box to a double breaker thats why I assume its 240. I just don't want too burn my pump up. thx . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
irishfield Posted November 1, 2012 Report Share Posted November 1, 2012 (edited) Yah.. it's 220 Tom. If you aren't sure what you're doing... stop now! If you are going to proceed.. best way is to pull the two wires off the CB and the ground for that circuit. Connect your generator directly to those wires. Will avoid back feeding the main line and possibly killing a hydro one worker that thinks the line is dead during an outage. Your 220 fed back thru the transformer = 2200 in the pole line! Edited November 1, 2012 by irishfield Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillM Posted November 1, 2012 Report Share Posted November 1, 2012 This is why I don't touch electrical. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
irishfield Posted November 1, 2012 Report Share Posted November 1, 2012 It took me awhile to appreciate it Bill.. it's (almost) killed me twice! 6oo three phase in highschool and 3600 in a workplace. Why everyone should know CPR! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillM Posted November 2, 2012 Report Share Posted November 2, 2012 It took me awhile to appreciate it Bill.. it's (almost) killed me twice! 6oo three phase in highschool and 3600 in a workplace. Why everyone should know CPR! I hate it Wayne, even changing out a ceiling fan when I know power to the entire house is off scares the living crap out of me. No reason for it either, never been electrocuted, lol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
irishfield Posted November 2, 2012 Report Share Posted November 2, 2012 (edited) I hate it Wayne, even changing out a ceiling fan when I know power to the entire house is off scares the living crap out of me. No reason for it either, never been electrocuted, lol. I still play with it live.. I just have a little more respect and SOMETIMES less sparks! I picture of me when younger... lol Edited November 2, 2012 by irishfield Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillM Posted November 2, 2012 Report Share Posted November 2, 2012 Ahhh, 120 just tickles Bill! Famous last words? LOL! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
northernpike56 Posted November 2, 2012 Report Share Posted November 2, 2012 (edited) I still play with it live.. I just have a little more respect and SOMETIMES less sparks! I picture of me when younger... lol lol nice Edited February 19, 2013 by northernpike5391 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mercman Posted November 2, 2012 Report Share Posted November 2, 2012 I still play with it live.. I just have a little more respect and SOMETIMES less sparks! I picture of me when younger... lol That answers alot of question Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tomO Posted November 2, 2012 Author Report Share Posted November 2, 2012 Thank you Wayne' What I plan on doing is putting plugs on the wire between the breaker box and the pressure switch and when the power goes out I can unplug them and plug the cord from the generator in there bypassing the box. I think that should be ok. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
irishfield Posted November 2, 2012 Report Share Posted November 2, 2012 Thank you Wayne' What I plan on doing is putting plugs on the wire between the breaker box and the pressure switch and when the power goes out I can unplug them and plug the cord from the generator in there bypassing the box. I think that should be ok. Yes.. that would be a safe way to do it. Be sure to put a FEMALE end on the panel outlet wire, as well as the generator cord, and a male twist lock on the feed to the pump control to plug them into. That way you never / ever have a live prong in your hand! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
northernpike56 Posted November 2, 2012 Report Share Posted November 2, 2012 Wait, what!? Lol the picture of him, lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillM Posted November 2, 2012 Report Share Posted November 2, 2012 I know...you said when I was a kid...past tense! Dude, we are getting old... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rustic-Fisher Posted November 2, 2012 Report Share Posted November 2, 2012 Got a laugh from this just yesterday ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tomO Posted November 2, 2012 Author Report Share Posted November 2, 2012 Yep thats what I did with the cord and I got 20 amp plugs for the wires. thx again Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ccmtcanada Posted November 2, 2012 Report Share Posted November 2, 2012 No reason for it either, never been electrocuted, lol. I've been electrocuted...and look how I turned out! Wait...don't answer that Hurts like hell for a little while after...and the buzzing...the damned buzzing in your ears!! Stuck my hands into a switch box when I was a kid...entering a dark room I was feeling along the walls for the switch. My uncle to this day feels horrible that it happened! I suddenly couldn't move...my entire body went stiff...and I couldn't pull my hand from the wires. Used my other hand to hit the one being zapped and that worked. Household and 12V electrical I'm fine...it's pressurized plumbing where soldering is involved that I don't trust myself! Oh, that and things on the car that can kill me if I screw up....like brakes!! LOL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Headhunter Posted November 2, 2012 Report Share Posted November 2, 2012 That explains a lot of things Cliff, but it is still not an excuse for the bananas. HH Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billy Bob Posted November 2, 2012 Report Share Posted November 2, 2012 The correct way is to come in from the bottom of your main panel with a feed just for the generator and that switch is always off until you lose power....then you turn off the TOP main switch and ALL the breakers on the panel...then start your generator and feed the panel from the bottom of the MAIN switch that controls the generator feed only...LEAVE THE TOP MAIN SWITCH OFF AT ALL TIMES WHILE USING THE GENERATOR SO NO BACK FEED GOES TO THE POLE.....then one by one start turning on the breakers to feed the things like the well pump, furnace, sump pump, fridge, etc depending on how much your generator can handle...mines large enough to feed the whole house including the A/C if need be...but most times if we lose the electric it's not needed...during our storm storm on Oct 13, 2006 we didn't have power from the electric company for 7 days...but that was a unusual HEAVY WET SNOW STORM that came with all the trees with their leaves still on...THOUSANDS of trees were destroyed and with them the power lines came down leaving over 100,000 homes without power. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
irishfield Posted November 2, 2012 Report Share Posted November 2, 2012 (edited) That's fine and dandy until your Generator developes a "dirty" neutral and starts back feeding thru that and ground. If you aren't using a proper certifed generator isolate system, the only safe way to do it is direct to what you want to run and why I told Tom to use a socket and cord system. That said.. I can be found guilty of doing what you are showing Billy Bob to get my mother back on line during the ice storm of 1998. End of a dead end farm road... and the closest hydro crew , that I found along the way, was advised of the situation as I worked my way in the back roads at 4am. It kept her freezer and furnace running for 16 days on 100LL... and hydro came to see her, to shut off the generator, before starting to work on her road. Edited November 2, 2012 by irishfield Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iFish4real Posted November 2, 2012 Report Share Posted November 2, 2012 I'm going to make a cord up to run from my generator to my well pump. I'm pretty sure the well pump is 240 but the wire coming out of the box to the pressure switch is 12/2 and coming out of the pressure switch going to the control box is 12/2. then coming out of the control box to the pump is 3 heavy wires. It's wired into the breaker box to a double breaker thats why I assume its 240. I just don't want too burn my pump up. thx . don't assume !!! the pump should have the voltage marked on it trust an electrician Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billy Bob Posted November 2, 2012 Report Share Posted November 2, 2012 That's fine and dandy until your Generator developes a "dirty" neutral and starts back feeding thru that and ground. If you aren't using a proper certifed generator isolate system, the only safe way to do it is direct to what you want to run and why I told Tom to use a socket and cord system. That said.. I can be found guilty of doing what you are showing Billy Bob to get my mother back on line during the ice storm of 1998. End of a dead end farm road... and the closest hydro crew , that I found along the way, was advised of the situation as I worked my way in the back roads at 4am. It kept her freezer and furnace running for 16 days on 100LL... and hydro came to see her, to shut off the generator, before starting to work on her road. When I upgraded my panel I had a license electrician do it...he put a box on the outside of my house and I run a 40' huge line from the generator to that box...and that box also has has main breaker that I keep off all the time...(God, I will not play with the big electric stuff)...it then was inspected by the electric company here (NYSEG) and approved...so I'm good to go.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tomO Posted November 2, 2012 Author Report Share Posted November 2, 2012 I was pretty sure it was 220 or 240 what ever the case may be , what thru me was the 12/2 wire . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twocoda Posted November 2, 2012 Report Share Posted November 2, 2012 I still play with it live.. I just have a little more respect and SOMETIMES less sparks! I picture of me when younger... lol probably around the same time your picture was taken Wayne Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mercman Posted November 2, 2012 Report Share Posted November 2, 2012 probably around the same time your picture was taken Wayne Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G.mech Posted November 3, 2012 Report Share Posted November 3, 2012 The correct way is to come in from the bottom of your main panel with a feed just for the generator and that switch is always off until you lose power....then you turn off the TOP main switch and ALL the breakers on the panel...then start your generator and feed the panel from the bottom of the MAIN switch that controls the generator feed only...LEAVE THE TOP MAIN SWITCH OFF AT ALL TIMES WHILE USING THE GENERATOR SO NO BACK FEED GOES TO THE POLE.....then one by one start turning on the breakers to feed the things like the well pump, furnace, sump pump, fridge, etc depending on how much your generator can handle...mines large enough to feed the whole house including the A/C if need be...but most times if we lose the electric it's not needed...during our storm storm on Oct 13, 2006 we didn't have power from the electric company for 7 days...but that was a unusual HEAVY WET SNOW STORM that came with all the trees with their leaves still on...THOUSANDS of trees were destroyed and with them the power lines came down leaving over 100,000 homes without power. This does work and lots of people do it but it is illegal in Canada. This connection must be done using and approved transfer switch that is mechanically interlocked to prevent the utility power from being connected at the same time as the generator power. I think the OP's idea of the separate cord and plug on his pump will do the job he is intending to do safely and legally. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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