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Soft start for well pump?

I

IA Leo

Member
I will ask this question of my well man: Would a soft start in elec feed to 3/4hp 220v submersible well pump harm the motor? The lights dim briefly whenever it kicks in...and when it feeds water to the geo furnace that is noticeable. I used to design conveyors with swinging buckets that had to use a soft start on TEFC direct drive motors to cut down on chain jerks, especially if the conveyor was automatically controlled by other process sensors instead of running all day. This board has a lot of experience, so I thought I would ask here first.
 
There are special purpose soft-start well pumps that draw very low current. But, with standard pumps live you've got? I've had many act like your's and it never bothered a thing. I assume because they cannot overheat, since they sit in cold well water.

I had to fix someone's pump last year that had a frozen water line and switch and stayed in "start mode" for 2 or 3 days and still had no damage. If it had been in free air it probably wouln't have lasted 20 minutes.
 
Leo, my very first job as an EE was with Century Electric Motor Company, but its just been toooooooo long for me to help much. In my opinion a soft start wouldnt harm your motor but ifffffffffffff you can find one for that specific application and motor????????????? It may help reduce voltage drop (light dimming) by using over size conductors in a dedicated branch circuit serving that pump only.

John T
 
Franklin Electric Mono Drive XT for single phase well pumps. Should be installed on every submersable well pump.
I proudly purchased one on e-bay then dicovered the Mono Drive XT is for three wire pumps. The pump here is a two wire...gggrrrrrrrrr.
 
I am not worried about frequent starts causing overheating due to its being submersed in water and a good point JD. Don't know about capacitor situation with soft start equipment..a good thing to look into.
The circuit is dedicated and the pump elec source in about 200 feet total over to well and down. I haven't checked the wire diameter yet. I had the system (house and well) put in by a professional electrician with a requirement for a 200 amp Main. The house is fed from the higher voltage transformer about 100 feet away. It is not really a big deal, just noticeable on the incandescent lights. I was just curious if the inrush was mitigated some way...I wouldn't think the inertial load to get started would be very great, not requiring high starting torque. Thanks guys...I will go fry bigger fish!!
 
The concern isn't about over heating. It's the operation of either a centrifugal mechanism and switch down in the well. If it's a two wire. Or the relay box if a three wire. You can b.t.w. burn and melt the winding in a submersible motor just as quick as any other electric motor.
Most of the motor wear, bearing wear, pipe torquing, wire chaffing, foot valve wear/hammering. Is from the high current, high torque and high thrust loads during startup.
If there ever was an application that requires a constant pressure pump/variable drive. It's yours.
How much did you spend on the entire geothermal heating.cooling system? You can't tell me you can spend $5000+ on the geo. And not find a few hundred $$$ for a Franklin Electric Mono Drive.
No more light dimming or fluctuating water pressure.
The pump does shut off when there is no demand, it doesn't run 24/7 as some people think.
 
They make a quick start capacitor add on for A/C compressors. Maybe one of those will help. Contact your local hvac guy.
 
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