zannej
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I need to get some updated pictures. One of the orange cables went to the switch and the other orange cable came out of the switch and was hung over something (maybe a hook) before going back down to the pump. My friend told me he wired the pump to be 230v (he said hot hot ground makes it 230 vs hot neutral ground-- said it might be hot hot neutral too but on same rail as the ground). It was bloody hot outside today so I didn't go out there. I will have to go outside tomorrow when the septic service people get here so I will try to bring my phone out to see if I can get updated pictures and trace the wires. I should clarify here: These pictures were not all taken at the same time so there have been changes since they were taken. The switch and cables have been changed out since then so the color of the cables is now different.
Since the pump is running at 230v I think that means it's running at around 6.1A. But I want to get a float and controller with at least 13A.
To try to answer a few questions. The float is currently on the bottom of a rod. The rod goes through a hole in the lever. When the ftank is full, the rod goes up and a bump on it pushes the lever up. When the water level drops, the rod goes down and pulls the lever down. That is how it knows when the water level is low.
The jet pump does NOT seem to have a way of knowing if the water level in the cistern is low. I've had problems when the wiring to the air pump failed so it didn't refill the cistern and there was not enough water to be pulled out & the jet pump burned out the pressure switch trying to pump nothing. So, the cistern has to have enough water in it for the jet pump to do it's job without getting messed up.
I eventually want to put in a cycle stop valve and smaller pressure tank, but for now I want to get the wiring and float situation taken care of. I do think you are right that I need to figure out exactly what I have and how it is working before I go out and buy stuff and find it won't work.
I do know I want either a float with a weight (so I don't have to try to stick a rod down there) or a contact sensor on a weighted cable. What way, I can suspend the cable from the ceiling down through the hole and it will pretty much hold itself in place.
To give you an idea of the mess in there:
I don't have a picture but behind the jet pump there is a pipe coming out of the ground that has wires coming out of it. I thought they were going in but when I tried to trace the power from the house to the shed I couldn't find it so it must have underground wiring.
Those non-gfci outlets are driving me batty (and none of them work). I loved my dad dearly, but he did not study electrical codes enough (or had outdated books) before he did some of this. And I know it was him because I helped him assemble the shed and install this stuff. In my defense, my electronics classes never went in to house wiring. I only made little circuit boards and worked on computers. LOL.
I will see if my phone has re-charged enough for pics tomorrow.
Bonus points (sound on) the awful sound the air compressor pump makes. My apologies for the sound at the very beginning. I tried to crop it after I hollered my brother to turn the breaker on but it caught the very end of it so it sounds weird.
Sadly, I forgot to film the actual pump that was making that racket.
Since the pump is running at 230v I think that means it's running at around 6.1A. But I want to get a float and controller with at least 13A.
To try to answer a few questions. The float is currently on the bottom of a rod. The rod goes through a hole in the lever. When the ftank is full, the rod goes up and a bump on it pushes the lever up. When the water level drops, the rod goes down and pulls the lever down. That is how it knows when the water level is low.
The jet pump does NOT seem to have a way of knowing if the water level in the cistern is low. I've had problems when the wiring to the air pump failed so it didn't refill the cistern and there was not enough water to be pulled out & the jet pump burned out the pressure switch trying to pump nothing. So, the cistern has to have enough water in it for the jet pump to do it's job without getting messed up.
I eventually want to put in a cycle stop valve and smaller pressure tank, but for now I want to get the wiring and float situation taken care of. I do think you are right that I need to figure out exactly what I have and how it is working before I go out and buy stuff and find it won't work.
I do know I want either a float with a weight (so I don't have to try to stick a rod down there) or a contact sensor on a weighted cable. What way, I can suspend the cable from the ceiling down through the hole and it will pretty much hold itself in place.
To give you an idea of the mess in there:
I don't have a picture but behind the jet pump there is a pipe coming out of the ground that has wires coming out of it. I thought they were going in but when I tried to trace the power from the house to the shed I couldn't find it so it must have underground wiring.
Those non-gfci outlets are driving me batty (and none of them work). I loved my dad dearly, but he did not study electrical codes enough (or had outdated books) before he did some of this. And I know it was him because I helped him assemble the shed and install this stuff. In my defense, my electronics classes never went in to house wiring. I only made little circuit boards and worked on computers. LOL.
I will see if my phone has re-charged enough for pics tomorrow.
Bonus points (sound on) the awful sound the air compressor pump makes. My apologies for the sound at the very beginning. I tried to crop it after I hollered my brother to turn the breaker on but it caught the very end of it so it sounds weird.
Sadly, I forgot to film the actual pump that was making that racket.
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