How to Wire Deep Well Pump Controls

Submersile pumps are located deep underground because of their ability to push water to great heights. Since the process of waterproofing electrical components is rather complicated, the designers of these pumps only locate the essential motor functions underwater. The rest of the components including the control box are located at ground level.

What You'll Need:

• Waterproof pump cable, 10-gauge, 3-wire and ground twisted


• Romex cable, 14-gauge, 2-wire with ground NM-B type


• Double pole pressure switch for domestic deep well water systems


• Electrician's tools

1. Before you begin you’ll need to turn off the pump breaker in the main breaker box.


2. Attach the 220-Volt AC incoming Romex power cable from inside the breaker box onto the pressure switch. This has been piped into the incoming water line to the capacity tank. Install the cable completely through one of the cable clamps that are located in the pressure switch. Remove a portion of the white outer sheath on the Romex cable. This will expose about 3-inches of each of the conductors--black, white and green.


3. Strip each of the individual wires back around 5/8-inch and install them just under the two incoming power terminal tabs that are housed on the switch. Put the green ground wire into the ground terminal tab and tighten the terminal tab screws to ensure that they are secure.


4. Attach the switched power lead onto the motor control panel. All of the major components are contained in the panel cover, which will plug into the panel's rear pane that contains all connection terminals.


5. Pull the cable sheath back just as you previously did to expose around 2- inches of the conductors. Strip back each of the individual wires 5/8-inch and install the black and white wires just under the L1 and L2 labeled terminal tabs. Install the green wire just under the ground tab and tighten the three screws that are located over the terminal tabs to ensure they are secure.


6. Begin wiring the submersible pump leads to into their respective marked terminals. The capacitor-start pump will have a total of four wires that need to be connected. Both the black and yellow wires are considered the pump run wires, the red wire is considered the start wire while the green wire is considered the ground connector. You’ll need to connect each wire under its color-designated terminal---B, Y, R and G. Do so by stripping the insulation back around 5/8- inch and inserting them just under each of the corresponding terminal tabs. As before you’ll need to tighten the screws to ensure they are secure. Lastly, reinstall the cover.


7. Power on the pump breaker located inside of the main breaker box. The pump should automatically power on and run until it reaches the system's high-pressure setting. This typically occurs around 60-pounds-per-square-inch (psi). The switch will automatically shut off again at about 35-psi.