Well Pump in Mexico


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Old 08-29-15, 11:28 AM
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Well Pump in Mexico

Our community of 18 homes on the Sea of Cortes owns a well pump which has been toasted many times by chronic brownouts while we are living up North. Also each house is pressurized by a pump that is subject to brownout damage.
I have been "selected" to research a solution. Lucky me...

I have found breaker assemblies with under voltage trip modules that appear to address the circuit cutoff side of both the large well pump.

Question 1 is for a recommendation of manufacturers products for this application.
I believe the pump is 220V 3 Phase.

Question 2 is for a solution to bring the well pump back to life when voltage rises to an acceptable level for a "safe" period of time.

Question 3 would be a recommendation for the 110V circuit supplying power to the house pressurization pump. With the same power up capability as requested above. None of us want our home's main breakers to trip in a brownout. Just need circuit protection for the pump..
 
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Old 08-29-15, 04:49 PM
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External Voltage Regulators - Can they help me on a brownout? - Electrical/Electronic engineering other topics - Eng-Tips

That site addresses a similar problem in Honduras. Personally, I would have thought that a LP generator with a transfer switch would work.
 
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Old 08-29-15, 06:25 PM
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Can the individual pressurizing pumps in the homes all be decommissioned and replaced by another (single) large pump at the central station?

Then just one voltage regulator would be needed to cut and restore power to both large pumps in the central station when the electrical system voltage fluctuated.

I take it that the original large pump fills a large nonpressurized tank. Gravity (if the nonpressurized tank is elevated) and/or suction from the individual house pumps brings water to each house. With a second central pump, it does the sucking from the nonpressurized tank. It pressurizes the street water mains, keeping all the house pressure tanks under pressure, possibly with the help of one more, somewhat larger, pressure tank at the central station where the pressure switch is located.

Typical city water systems maintain enough pressure using central pumps so that individual homes don't need pressure tanks but in this scenario it is not necessary to remove the existing pressure tanks.
 

Last edited by AllanJ; 08-29-15 at 07:11 PM.
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Old 08-29-15, 07:35 PM
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The use of a motor generator set mentioned in the article Pulpo linked to seems a good solution.
 
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Old 08-30-15, 08:22 AM
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More on well pump in Mexico

Thanks for the article and feedback. As to Allen's response, our pump house feeds and elevated "pila" (large holding tank) and this provides water via gravity to each house. No pumps involved in that process.
Every house has their own "pila", mine being 2000 liters, and this feeds individual house pumps and pressure tanks.

This is a under-developed neighborhood, meaning no paved street, street lighting etc.

The HOA is responsible for the pump house and main pila. So raising money for a backup generator would be an issue.

In my dreams, I am looking for a solenoid activated breaker unit that keeps the circuit connected at say 100 volts or more, and breaks the circuit when the voltage drops below that level. Then reactivates the solenoids when the voltage rises.

Does that exit? Maybe it does and I simply don't know the nomenclature for it..
 
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Old 08-30-15, 09:54 AM
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The bulk of the control wiring is in place. Your pump is told when to start and stop thru a float system. Your pump should already have a protected motor starting relay/contactor on it. You need controls that interrupt the signal to that starting relay.

GE makes modules that are used in commercial/industrial applications. I've left the link below but you'll need an electrician to wire and install them as well as set the voltage monitor relay.

apps.ge.industrial/publibrary/Catalogs and Buyers Guides.PDF
 
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Old 08-30-15, 06:33 PM
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I have been "selected" to research a solution. Lucky me...
You need to be talking to an engineer rather than getting guesses from a DIY forum.
 
 

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