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paulz
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# Posted: 30 Aug 2018 06:33pm
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I'm trying to hook up a generator with a 4 prong 220 plug, my pump control box has only L1, L2 and a ground. The manual for the gen shows a ground (the one with the 90 bend on the tang), two hots on either side of that and what I assume is the neutral opposite. How do I wire it up? The old gen only had the two hots and ground.
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paulz
Member
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# Posted: 30 Aug 2018 09:01pm
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Nevermind, I got it. Ground wire to neutral.
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ICC
Member
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# Posted: 30 Aug 2018 09:24pm
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Just like wiring a range, etc.....
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paulz
Member
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# Posted: 31 Aug 2018 10:03am
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It works fine using the neutral, just wondering what's the purpose of the separate ground terminal?
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ICC
Member
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# Posted: 31 Aug 2018 10:23am - Edited by: ICC
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Looking at modern ranges and clothes dryers.... ranges and dryers have digital displays, timers, and other features that they never used to have. To power them prior to 1999, a small amount of current would run on the ground wire. The ground wire, however, is designed solely for personnel safety. When a current is run on it, potential to “energize†the metal case of the dryer or range is created. If this happens, a powerful and potentially lethal shock can be created.
The NEC now requires that the neutral wire and the ground wire be separate. These regulations have led to the manufacturing of four-pronged appliances.
The 4 wire thing carries over to other things that use 240 VAC residential power like pumps
Also with three wires the ground and neutral wires were grouped together, creating the potential for shock. 3-prong dryer cords contain two ‘hot’ wires along with a third wire that contained both the ground and neutral wire. If a current happened to make its way onto the ground wire, it could travel up to the dryer.
The more recent 4-prong dryer cords feature two hot wires, a neutral wire and a ground wire. This eliminates the possibility for a ground current traveling to the machine, as it features a separate return path for unused power.
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paulz
Member
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# Posted: 31 Aug 2018 10:39am
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Thanks ICC. So with this portable generator and well pump control box, I have the wire that is grounded in the box going to the neutral on the gen and the ground terminal on the gen is open. Should I run a wire from it into the dirt?
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ICC
Member
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# Posted: 31 Aug 2018 02:44pm
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If the generator is being used as a portable device you generally don't require a ground rod at the generator.
Have a read here.... ... and here
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paulz
Member
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# Posted: 1 Sep 2018 10:08am
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Thanks again ICC. It sounds like the frame of the generator, which has a ground wire from the engine, serves as the ground.
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Dekagoldwingers
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# Posted: 3 Sep 2018 10:03pm
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I am running a pump about 150 feet from my panel via a feed through a buried cable 10/3 and a 30 amp dryer plug. So I don’t have a spot to attach the neutral wire at the pump control. If I follow this thread then it looks like is should connect the ground terminal to the neutral and attach the ground (bare wire) to the pump casing in order to keep the installation safe. Does that seem correct? Thanks very much.
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toyota_mdt_tech
Member
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# Posted: 4 Sep 2018 08:42am
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L1 and L2 to pump, (red and black) and white to neutral. And a ground usually to the chassis.
The 90 degree tang is ground, opposite it neutral, other 2 are line (across from each other, will be gold screws while neutral is silver, ground is green)
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Dekagoldwingers
Member
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# Posted: 4 Sep 2018 07:44pm
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Thanks Toyota!
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ODE
Member
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# Posted: 7 Oct 2018 10:51pm
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I have a similar question , I'm testing a well and have a 220 generator . Can I wire it directly to the sub. pump or do I have to use a pump controller . I'm just checking it for flow one time .
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paulz
Member
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# Posted: 8 Oct 2018 03:40pm
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Darn it, twice today I've gone by the well shack meaning to look inside the control box and forgot. I checked into this when I only had the pump, as I remember it could be done by only touching one wire until it gets going. Don't quote me on that, I'm thinking there's a capacitor in that box. I'll get back in a couple hours.
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ODE
Member
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# Posted: 8 Oct 2018 04:12pm
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Thanks , I was thinking the same thing that there are some sort of starting relays to get the pump going . ODE
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paulz
Member
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# Posted: 8 Oct 2018 06:46pm
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Yep, there's a capacitor and relay.
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ODE
Member
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# Posted: 8 Oct 2018 10:36pm
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Thanks , I'd hate to burn the pump up with low voltage ODE
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