Why would yellow line be disconnected?
#1
06-12-18, 04:13 PM
Why would yellow line be disconnected?
My girlfriend just purchased a place with a 3 wire pump. I helped repair some simple leaks on the feeds from the tank to the house... and noticed that the yellow wire is disconnected.
Attached are photos of the disconnected yellow wire and the junction box.
Why would the yellow wire be disconnected?
What should I do, if anything, to fix it?
Thank you!!!
Russ Adams
Attached are photos of the disconnected yellow wire and the junction box.
Why would the yellow wire be disconnected?
What should I do, if anything, to fix it?
Thank you!!!
Russ Adams
Last edited by PJmax; 06-12-18 at 05:37 PM. Reason: reoriented pics
#2
06-12-18, 04:40 PM
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Russ -
I’m no expert and hopefully the more knowledgeable guys will be along. But I think it could be possible that the house had a 3-wire pump but switched to a 2-wire pump. So then someone could have just connected the 2-wires from the pressure switch to the 2-wires from the pump, inside that Goulds Pump box.
It would have been a convenient way to switch from a 3-wire to a 2-wire pump. If you look in the Goulds Pump box you can tell if that’s the case. Could be all wrong but a peek inside the box would tell.
(in other words the Goulds Pump box just becomes a junction box, the control box is not needed for a 2-wire pump.)
I’m no expert and hopefully the more knowledgeable guys will be along. But I think it could be possible that the house had a 3-wire pump but switched to a 2-wire pump. So then someone could have just connected the 2-wires from the pressure switch to the 2-wires from the pump, inside that Goulds Pump box.
It would have been a convenient way to switch from a 3-wire to a 2-wire pump. If you look in the Goulds Pump box you can tell if that’s the case. Could be all wrong but a peek inside the box would tell.
(in other words the Goulds Pump box just becomes a junction box, the control box is not needed for a 2-wire pump.)
#3
06-12-18, 05:41 PM
Group Moderator
Welcome to the forums,
Looks like the work of a handyman...... and it's not good.
That three wire cable is not rated to be run thru the air like that. It should be in a proper carrier like seal-tite flexible conduit.
I see three wires to the pump switch. Wrong..... there should be four.
Hot 240v in and switched 240v out.
Post a picture of the wiring inside the Gould box and the pressure switch.
Looks like the work of a handyman...... and it's not good.
That three wire cable is not rated to be run thru the air like that. It should be in a proper carrier like seal-tite flexible conduit.
I see three wires to the pump switch. Wrong..... there should be four.
Hot 240v in and switched 240v out.
Post a picture of the wiring inside the Gould box and the pressure switch.
#5
06-13-18, 09:37 AM
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As Pj pointed out a picture of inside the pressure switch would also be needed. You just need to turn that little knob on top of the gray cover and it will pull up and off. But be careful you don't touch anything. It actually would be better to turn off the circuit breaker before you remove the cover to the pressure switch. That way a shock is impossible.
#7
06-19-18, 11:06 AM
More photos
Hi Everyone,
I'm posting photos of inside the pressure switch and the other electrical boxes.
Any additional suggestions?
Thanks so much!
Russ
I'm posting photos of inside the pressure switch and the other electrical boxes.
Any additional suggestions?
Thanks so much!
Russ
#9
06-19-18, 01:18 PM
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I can’t follow the yellow wire near the switch. But the way it’s supposed to work is you have the power source connected to the 2-outside terminals on the pressure switch, and then 2 conductors connected to the 2-inside terminals which go on to the pump control box.
Then 3-wires from the pump control box go to the pump.
So in your first pic in the last post it looks like a red conductor and black conductor on the 2 outside terminals. Those should be connected to the power source. i.e., connected to a wall switch or to the breaker panel. Then there is a red and black on the 2 inside terminals. Those should be the 2 conductors that go up to the pump control box.
The pump control box looks like it is just acting like a pump control box for a 3 wire pump. No funny wiring inside.
Well I just took another look. It looks like maybe the yellow wire is connected to the green screw in the pressure switch. If that’s the case then it is connected as a ground wire. So the other end should be connected to a ground screw in the pump control box. Your pic only shows the cover of the pump control box. The other part of the box should have 2 green screws, one for the ground wire from the pressure switch, and the other for the ground wire from the pump.
Here is a pic that shows the green ground screws. But if that yellow wire isn’t connected to the green screw in the pressure switch – then that theory is out the window. Maybe the yellow wire was on the ground screw in the pump control box, but somehow got pulled off. In your first post you can see how the end of the wire is curled, like it might have been wrapped around a screw.
(looks like somehow I missed your last post that shows the control box without the cover - I must be in lala land - lol)
Then 3-wires from the pump control box go to the pump.
So in your first pic in the last post it looks like a red conductor and black conductor on the 2 outside terminals. Those should be connected to the power source. i.e., connected to a wall switch or to the breaker panel. Then there is a red and black on the 2 inside terminals. Those should be the 2 conductors that go up to the pump control box.
The pump control box looks like it is just acting like a pump control box for a 3 wire pump. No funny wiring inside.
Well I just took another look. It looks like maybe the yellow wire is connected to the green screw in the pressure switch. If that’s the case then it is connected as a ground wire. So the other end should be connected to a ground screw in the pump control box. Your pic only shows the cover of the pump control box. The other part of the box should have 2 green screws, one for the ground wire from the pressure switch, and the other for the ground wire from the pump.
Here is a pic that shows the green ground screws. But if that yellow wire isn’t connected to the green screw in the pressure switch – then that theory is out the window. Maybe the yellow wire was on the ground screw in the pump control box, but somehow got pulled off. In your first post you can see how the end of the wire is curled, like it might have been wrapped around a screw.
(looks like somehow I missed your last post that shows the control box without the cover - I must be in lala land - lol)
Last edited by zoesdad; 06-19-18 at 01:36 PM. Reason: lala land
#10
06-19-18, 05:23 PM
Group Moderator
Yeah...... the yellow wire is being incorrectly used as a ground wire.
Currently the control box is not grounded.
VERY UNSAFE wiring.
I see three loose wires going to the pressure switch and I see a cable. Looks like the cable is the supply. There should be a two wire cable with ground from the pressure switch to the control box.
Currently the control box is not grounded.
VERY UNSAFE wiring.
I see three loose wires going to the pressure switch and I see a cable. Looks like the cable is the supply. There should be a two wire cable with ground from the pressure switch to the control box.
#12
07-02-18, 11:58 AM
Love the scared off line!!!
Apologies for not coming back!
In reality I've just been too busy moving the girlfriend. The door to the pumphouse is locked. The plumbing is all plastic, so I'm hoping that if no-one is going near it things should be OK?
High on the list!
Could things go badly even if no-one is near the wiring?
Russ
Apologies for not coming back!
In reality I've just been too busy moving the girlfriend. The door to the pumphouse is locked. The plumbing is all plastic, so I'm hoping that if no-one is going near it things should be OK?
High on the list!
Could things go badly even if no-one is near the wiring?
Russ
#13
07-02-18, 04:47 PM
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You see online and in these forums a lot of installations where the conductors are just exposed to the air like in your case. But by code they are supposed to be protected.
I think this is the kind of cable you could use if the pump-house is not considered a damp harsh environment.
https://www.homedepot.com/p/AFC-Cabl...-AFC/205015278
It has 2 conductors (black and white) plus the ground conductor. There are special clamps to clamp the ends of the cable to a box (pressure switch, pump control, etc.) and all the big box stores have the cable and clamps.
If it is considered a damp harsh environment you could use the seal-tite as Pjmax suggested. But I would think the metal clad cable would be OK in the pump-house, but
I’m not sure. I think only outside in the weather would you need seal-tite.
https://www.platt.com/platt-electric...spx?zpid=14667
A lot of times you see Romex connected to the pressure switch like in the pic, but I’m pretty sure that’s not right either. I’m pretty sure it’s all about protecting the conductors from damage. Conduit or metal clad cable does that.
I guess with the pump house locked there’s no danger, but Murphy’s Law probably applies lol. Somebody has to be in there at some time.
I think this is the kind of cable you could use if the pump-house is not considered a damp harsh environment.
https://www.homedepot.com/p/AFC-Cabl...-AFC/205015278
It has 2 conductors (black and white) plus the ground conductor. There are special clamps to clamp the ends of the cable to a box (pressure switch, pump control, etc.) and all the big box stores have the cable and clamps.
If it is considered a damp harsh environment you could use the seal-tite as Pjmax suggested. But I would think the metal clad cable would be OK in the pump-house, but
I’m not sure. I think only outside in the weather would you need seal-tite.
https://www.platt.com/platt-electric...spx?zpid=14667
A lot of times you see Romex connected to the pressure switch like in the pic, but I’m pretty sure that’s not right either. I’m pretty sure it’s all about protecting the conductors from damage. Conduit or metal clad cable does that.
I guess with the pump house locked there’s no danger, but Murphy’s Law probably applies lol. Somebody has to be in there at some time.
#14
07-03-18, 09:30 AM
Thanks Zoesdad!
The unit is actually in a clothes closet (!) so I'm guessing it would be considered 'non damp'. Hah.
But I have the door locked, and blocked by a large bed and heardboard. No-one should be going in there before I can clean everything up.
Having floors and walls in the front of the house are the gf's current priority for some reason. (lol)
Appreciate the help guys! I'll be back...
The unit is actually in a clothes closet (!) so I'm guessing it would be considered 'non damp'. Hah.
But I have the door locked, and blocked by a large bed and heardboard. No-one should be going in there before I can clean everything up.
Having floors and walls in the front of the house are the gf's current priority for some reason. (lol)
Appreciate the help guys! I'll be back...
#15
07-03-18, 01:38 PM
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Southeastern Pennsylvania
Posts: 3,099
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Having floors and walls in the front of the house are the gf's current priority for some reason. (lol)
