Advantage of running well pump off of 240 over 120 volts

What is the advantage of running a well pump off of 240 instead of 120 volts? I have a Gould well pump and it is wired for 240, but can be converted to 120.
Thanks,
Bill

The biggest advantage is that the current is 1/2 so smaller conductors can be used. It also does not load the neutral.

Deep or shallow well? If it's deep, 240v. Shallow, your choice but if it's already set up for 240v leave it. Is this pump operating or is this going in a new well? If it's already operating on 240v there would be no reason I can think of to go to 120v. One advantage of 240v, even in a shallow well situation, is that the motor will start slightly easier. There will be virtually no difference in the amount of electrical energy used. Otherwise, in a deep well, requiring a more powerful motor, twice the electrical energy can be delivered on the same size wire using 240v.

Though it is not definite, running it on 240 can keep your demand charge down because neither side of your service will be supplying more than the other.

I agree with David, given a choice Id opt for 240 volt operation: One Half the current so (subject to size of conductors) there's less voltage drop in the wiring and less I Squared R wasted heat losses in the conductors (use energy at the pump NOT in the wiring). It may save you in wiring costs, and may lessen light dimming when it starts up.

DISCLAIMER: This, like ALL opinions posted here, regardless if they agree or disagree, may be right or may be wrong, I'm NOT saying it is or it isn't, take or leave opinions as you please, they are worth what you paid NOTHING..

John T

The better question is "why would you run it off 120 volts?". And the answer to that is "because 240 isn't available". Mo' voltage is always mo' betta.

(quoted from post at 12:20:36 12/26/13)
Though it is not definite, running it on 240 can keep your demand charge down because neither side of your service will be supplying more than the other.

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How is that ?

Less VD. Less dimming of lights when the pump starts.

110 uses more amps. Amps produce heat. Heat does not produce torque. Magnetic field comes from volts, so 220 is best.

I bought an air compressor a few years back, 2hp if I remember right. Never was right on 110v. Started hard, took out fuses, burned contacts in switch...
Changed it over to 220v, tamed it right down. Started easy, didn"t blow fuses, same switch for many years. Strongly suggest 220v if you have the chance.
Our 3/4 hp submersible water pump is 220 volts and works very satisfactorily.

The 240 is more efficient and will actually use less electricity.

I have a 3/4 hp pump in basement. It was wired for 240v, but I decided to return it to 120v for 2 reasons.

The main reason is I designed a circuit to detect water on basement floor. It will turn the power off to the pump. This circuit worked best on 120v. 3 months after I wired up water detection circuit, it got tested. Water softner screwed up and leaked a little water on floor.

The second reason is I have an 3500 watt RV genny with a 110v 30 amp out. When I changed over to 120v, I went to Menards and bought a 6 ft 12g extension cord. Used cord to wire pump to my water detection circuit. I can very easily plug a 12 g power cord to pump, run it to Genny. Genny will run pump with no problem. Also put 200 MFD in parallel with pump motor and PF is .99.

Personally, I don't think I use a dimes difference in electricity. Think about it, how many minutes a day does your pump run? Pennies a day.

I have a place in country too. Last year I had a new well put there with a 120v pump. Added water detection there too.

George

(quoted from post at 10:00:15 12/26/13)

(quoted from post at 12:20:36 12/26/13)
Though it is not definite, running it on 240 can keep your demand charge down because neither side of your service will be supplying more than the other.

Click to expand...

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How is that ?

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B&D one ? usually will suffice here it is from Ehow.

There are many benefits to balancing the loads of the two legs of power in your electrical panel and here's why. A balanced load in an electrical panel means that the current flowing through one leg is equal to the amount of current flowing through the other "hot" leg. The closer these numbers are, the more balanced the load. When the amperage is split up equally, the neutral current is canceled out. But when the current is placed all on one leg, the neutral must carry the entire load.

Your utility company meter measures power demand in peaks. That way, the utility company knows just how much power you may use on a high demand day, say when it's really hot and you have many air conditioners and fans running. They are responsible for supplying you your peak demand of power. As your power demand increases, so does your electrical rate. So if you are running two 120-volt window air conditioners that draw 10 amps each and they are on the same leg of power, your demand is 20 amps on a leg. But if you place them on separate legs of power, now your demand is only 1 amps, get it?

This balancing of loads can be achieved by removing the electrical panel cover, carefully placing an amp probe over each of the "hot" legs, and recording the amperage draw while the panel is loaded heavily. This means turn on air conditioners, heaters, freezers, refrigerators, TV's, etc... that are normally running throughout the day and night. See if the loads on the legs are close to the same amount, or if they are completely different. If they are very different values, we call this unbalanced loads. This condition will cost you more on your utility bill.

You may note that I said not definitely because not everyone is on a demand meter.

I guess I don't get it, but I'm certainly not an expert, and could use some education.

I thought the meter measures kilowatts, not amps- and doesn't "know" anything about unbalanced loads, etc. that past the meter- to the meter, a watt's a watt, and the loading of the neutral shouldn't matter.

> So if you are running two 120-volt window air conditioners that draw 10 amps each and they are on the same leg of power, your demand is 20 amps on a leg. But if you place them on separate legs of power, now your demand is only 1 amps, get it?

That bizarre and inaccurate statement seems to imply that neutral current is metered. It is not, as anyone who has ever pulled a meter can confirm. The neutral completely bypasses the meter. You can see for yourself, just look at the picture at the link below.
200 amp meter socket

(quoted from post at 13:35:46 12/26/13) > So if you are running two 120-volt window air conditioners that draw 10 amps each and they are on the same leg of power, your demand is 20 amps on a leg. But if you place them on separate legs of power, now your demand is only 1 amps, get it?

That bizarre and inaccurate statement seems to imply that neutral current is metered. It is not, as anyone who has ever pulled a meter can confirm. The neutral completely bypasses the meter. You can see for yourself, just look at the picture at the link below.
200 amp meter socket

Click to expand...

I'll try again and say again it is not definite that any one user would save with a balanced panel because it is only if your utility is measuring demand on your meter due to high use. I did not mean to imply that neutral is metered. If you are being charged demand like our little church is, the way it was explained to me is that the demand meter measures the peak draw and measures it on both legs to neutral in order to get the highest. So if one is significantly higher than the other it will be measured and charged for, and the more out of balance it is the more premium there is.

I suppose it's possible, even likely, that the new "smart" meters measure peak consumption independently on each leg. But why would the power company care if they're significantly out of balance? Both legs are fed by a single transformer off a single 13 kV line. It makes no difference whether one leg needs 5kVA and the other zero, or both legs need 2.5 kVA; either way the transformer will draw 5 kVA from the grid. Admittedly, the I²R losses will be slightly greater if the load is unbalanced, but that's insignificant in the larger scheme of things.

The original post was presumably talking about residential power. Now if you want to get into three-phase, that's a different discussion. The power company doesn't particularly like three-phase customers to have out-of-balance phases.

MarkB_MI:

"Mo' voltage is always mo' betta."

If that be true, then 4160 Volts @ 1000 Amps ought to really make that pump stand up and sing.

LOL!

(quoted from post at 10:30:14 12/26/13) ..............
DISCLAIMER: This, like ALL opinions posted here, regardless if they agree or disagree, may be right or may be wrong, I'm NOT saying it is or it isn't, take or leave opinions as you please, they are worth what you paid NOTHING..

John T

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A good thing to keep in mind. Many times the value of an opinion is in the spark of inspiration it inspires in the reader and so they are, whether 'right' or 'wrong', of value. Therefore, opinion-ators should be encouraged so keep 'em comin' ..... I'll read them 8)

(quoted from post at 18:36:23 12/26/13)

(quoted from post at 13:35:46 12/26/13) > So if you are running two 120-volt window air conditioners that draw 10 amps each and they are on the same leg of power, your demand is 20 amps on a leg. But if you place them on separate legs of power, now your demand is only 1 amps, get it?

That bizarre and inaccurate statement seems to imply that neutral current is metered. It is not, as anyone who has ever pulled a meter can confirm. The neutral completely bypasses the meter. You can see for yourself, just look at the picture at the link below.
200 amp meter socket

Click to expand...

I'll try again and say again it is not definite that any one user would save with a balanced panel because it is only if your utility is measuring demand on your meter due to high use. I did not mean to imply that neutral is metered. If you are being charged demand like our little church is, the way it was explained to me is that the demand meter measures the peak draw and measures it on both legs to neutral in order to get the highest. So if one is significantly higher than the other it will be measured and charged for, and the more out of balance it is the more premium there is.

Click to expand...

Who is the person that you have so much trust and credibility in that told you this story?
There are several people here with walls covered with diplomas and credentials that many folk don't want to listen to.