Continuity check....

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Mopar Tim said:
the bounded ground is against code in California.
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The bonded ground in a subpanel is against the National Electric Code, so any jurisdiction that uses the NEC would prohibit this. Also prohibited is a separate ground rod. The only earth ground should be at the power meter or main panel. Pools can have a separate ground for their steel or aluminum frames (if used). This is what I recall from years ago, but I would have to brush up on it to be sure today.

If you have a separate ground rod in your pump house and it would allow you to touch something grounded to it while also touching something grounded to the main ground, there could be a potential difference between them, theoretically could be great enough to kill you. This is contrary to common sense as how can you get a shock if both items are grounded, but it is true.

I suggest you have your electrician friend check everything out carefully.
 
Well, wait a minute Doug. "What all" does this cable feed? Just the well? The shop also?

I can't imagine a home well pump that needs 2 ga wire LMAO
 
68gtxman said:
The bonded ground in a subpanel is against the National Electric Code, so any jurisdiction that uses the NEC would prohibit this. Also prohibited is a separate ground rod. The only earth ground should be at the power meter or main panel. Pools can have a separate ground for their steel or aluminum frames (if used). This is what I recall from years ago, but I would have to brush up on it to be sure today.

If you have a separate ground rod in your pump house and it would allow you to touch something grounded to it while also touching something grounded to the main ground, there could be a potential difference between them, theoretically could be great enough to kill you. This is contrary to common sense as how can you get a shock if both items are grounded, but it is true.

I suggest you have your electrician friend check everything out carefully.
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Good advice. I was just saying It might not be an easy fix, but would be an relatively easy diagnosis. IF you have wiring background. AC can do funny things when not wired right.
 
67Dart273 said:
Well, wait a minute Doug. "What all" does this cable feed? Just the well? The shop also?

I can't imagine a home well pump that needs 2 ga wire LMAO
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Probably should have put my glasses on prior to looking at the wires. Will go check them again....with my glasses on.

About my ground rod comment....I jumped to conclusions. I duguess around and could2 find a ground rod. The bare copper braided wire that I thought went to a ground rod very well may be connected to the well casing.

I don't think there is a problem with the way it was wired. For one it has been running like this for close to a decade. Second reason is it was inspected by L&I.More exactly a fellow by the name of Lonnie. I spoke with my electrician friend about him....he said if things are not wired exactly as code calls for he will not sign off on it.

When I get a chance I will go check the wires again. Looking at them I would say they are 6ga....
 
67Dart273 said:
Well, wait a minute Doug. "What all" does this cable feed? Just the well? The shop also?

I can't imagine a home well pump that needs 2 ga wire LMAO
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It was indeed wired with 2-2-2-4. Talked to my buddy today...this is the least expensive way to go wire wise.

Explained everything to him. He said definitely a dead wire. Said it might not have been a gopher, we have a boat load of rocks. Said it very well could have been a rock that cut the wire.

He did ask me to verify that what I thought was a ground wire does indeed run to the well case. He said it should....if I find a ground rod he will be paying me a visit...
 
Went to pick up the excavator today. Was going to be the smallest JD that they had. I ended up getting a bigger machine for the same $$. They only have,1 of the smaller...the previous renter hadn't returned it yet...going to tear up a couple dirt/rock piles, clock time permitting....
View attachment 20160408_150219.jpg
 
Well good luck. From previous descriptions "out there" sounds like no picnic. I can still remember before the freeway between CDA and Spokane. You'd be out there on "The Appleway" and there'd be FENCES in those farmyards made out of rocks, over the years, pulled out of the fields and trucked/ carried to the fenceline
 
67Dart273 said:
Well good luck. From previous descriptions "out there" sounds like no picnic. I can still remember before the freeway between CDA and Spokane. You'd be out there on "The Appleway" and there'd be FENCES in those farmyards made out of rocks, over the years, pulled out of the fields and trucked/ carried to the fenceline
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I worked on the rock/dirt piles for a few minutes. Not going to be much dirt, some of the rocks are about the size,of a small block block. Glad I decided against a ditch witch, ain't no way my back would have let me lift these things. Funny thing is the rear of our place is pretty sandy...
 
Rustedwrench said:
Hand the idiot a shovel and see how far he gets.
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Buckethead said I could get by with a ditch witch....

Finished digging today. Have about a foot or so that I need to hand dig...didn't want to tear up the phone line.

Figured out the unknown ground wire. Previous owners had a power pole that there travel trailer was wired to. When we were digging today we uncovered it, and a ground rod. The ground wire had previously been cut. One end of it was, for some reason, still connected to the ground bus. Came out of 5 he pump house and was cut. No part of it was connected to the ground rod. It did head over to the area where the power pedestal was. So it looks like this ground wire was used to ground the power pedestal and the panel in the pump house a while back.

Have 2 doctors appointments tomorrow. So no wOrkney time. Tuesday is need to go pick up a few conduit parts. Will have a few hours on Wednesday prior to dog training class. Hope to get the hand digging done and some of the conduit done prior to dog training class. Thursday is another doc day. Hope to get the conduit finished and measured on Friday. Pick the wire up on Saturday then pull the wire on Sunday. With a bit of luck we MAY have it back filled and,the rocks all picked up by fall....I used the excavator to bust up a few rock/dirt piles up...will hopefully have enough dirt to finish the back fill.
 
Was coming home from returning the excavator. Ran into chowder head.
CH: "So did you get a ditch witch?"
ME: No
CH:"That's all you needed"
ME: Had rocks the size of engine blocks, were you going to come and lift them?
CH: "Spokane Power and Trench has one. Was parked in front of your place a while back. Had a large digging wheel with paddles."
ME: The reason it was parked in front of my place is because it broke after about 15' of digging. They were using a backhoe.
CH:"So how's Ernestina feeling?"
 
....arse...but the problem was indeed an open wire. Pulled new wires, hooked them up and we have water again...without the use of a generator
 
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