Frozen pipes at well pump. Freeze switch?

[rockyfatcat]

what I think I'm looking at is a deep well that runs on 240 volts not 110. I don't see a tank or a pressure switch so they must be at a different location. Looks like you have a cycle stop valve here but for what you are trying to do at this location you don't have 120 volts without a little work. I'd just insulate the heck out of this entire pipe and ftgs. and put the rock back on
top with insulation bat covering the entire insides of the rock.

Lets see. 2 wires and a ground. Isn’t 240 2 120 hot wires and a neutral plus a ground?

I’m not an electrician.

 

[rockyfatcat]

Agree with everyone who said insulation is what you need.

You can wrap the pipe with foam pipe insulation, and then one roll of fiberglass batting should be plenty. Fit as much as you comfortably can and cover with the fake rock. Tight seal to ground is important. You can pile up some dirt around the edges of the rock to seal it better.

Pipe insulation at home depot is 1 inch max. The thinnest part if this pipe is 1.3 inches

 

[THREEJAYS]

Lets see. 2 wires and a ground. Isn’t 240 2 120 hot wires and a neutral plus a ground?

I’m not an electrician. View attachment 6750899

Yes you can tie into one hot and the neutral and get 120. That’s what I did in my well house. Usually just 3 wires in my experience. I am not licensed however

 

[rockyfatcat]

I ran an extension cord out to the pump and used a clip on light with a low wattage incandescent bulb.

I also noticed a real slow water drip that wasn’t there before. I will call the number on the well plumbing inside the house and get a pro out here to address this before things go south.

 

[rbstern]

Pipe insulation at home depot is 1 inch max. The thinnest part if this pipe is 1.3 inches

There are wider diameters, as well as wraps that come on a roll like tape.

 

[fattboyzz]

what I think I'm looking at is a deep well that runs on 240 volts not 110. I don't see a tank or a pressure switch so they must be at a different location. Looks like you have a cycle stop valve here but for what you are trying to do at this location you don't have 120 volts without a little work. I'd just insulate the heck out of this entire pipe and ftgs. and put the rock back on top with insulation bat covering the entire insides of the rock.

This ^^^^^^^

I have a cord run out to ours and plug it in on the cold nights. Winter gets over ,I roll the cord up till next winter

 

[97 winchester]

Called a thermo cube

X2.
This is the answer. Works great to turn on a 60-75 watt incandescent bulb.
The cover does need to be sealed at the ground too.
Home Depot and Ace Hardware both sell them. I have 1 that has worked for 13 years. I just check the bulbs like monthly.
I would have loved to had these 30 years ago.

 

[volt doc]

Those wires are not even energized unless the pump is running they are on the load side of the pressure switch.

 

[Dice]

Lets see. 2 wires and a ground. Isn’t 240 2 120 hot wires and a neutral plus a ground?

I’m not an electrician. View attachment 6750899

I AM an electrician. Your wiring to the pump has no receptacle to plug in heat tape. It also has no neutral as your submersible pump has no neutral load. Your three wires are two hot wires and a grounded bond wire. If you want to rig up something from this pictured wiring scenario then turn your water on 100 percent of the time to allow for voltage for be available to heat up your heat tape. Sorry to have entered into this conversation in the first place. Good luck.

 

[rockyfatcat]

I AM an electrician. Your wiring to the pump has no receptacle to plug in heat tape. It also has no neutral as your submersible pump has no neutral load. Your three wires are two hot wires and a grounded bond wire. If you want to rig up something from this pictured wiring scenario then turn your water on 100 percent of the time to allow for voltage for be available to heat up your heat tape. Sorry to have entered into this conversation in the first place. Good luck.

I apologize if my words conveyed an attitude that I never intended. I have been an aircraft mechanic for the last 25 years. So I tend to know how stuff works. I appreciate the information as I did not know the signal to provide voltage was not at the pump. Which is kinda important if I want to heat this pipe.

Btw the pipe now has a small drip. I suspect that the freeze the other night popped the pvc. I am not going to do this myself if you want a side job