Pro power ground fault detected on 240v well pump

[dirtdiver]

@Avocadodude

Gents, I picked up my truck yesterday and now trying to run my well pump on my remote property. The well pump works jsut fine with my 8KW gasoline powered generator. I turn on the pro-power, plug in the 240v, and within 30 seconds or so get a error message about detected ground fault, hit reset. I push reset and it happens again. Any ideas?

I wonder if it is a issue with the way my well pump controller is hooked up. Although been using it for years with no issues on my generator.

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[Avocadodude]

Sounds like a ground neutral bond issue. I'll have to measure on my truck, I actually have not used the 240v outlet yet.

What kind of starter/controller are you using on the pump?

 

[frautumn]

I had the same issue at my fire station, upon plugging in the 240 plug to the Lightning, the Lightning gave an error about a ground fault detection. So I guess the original wiring was not done in a way to be compatible with the Lightning, though it does work with our generator.

Here is what I found in the Lightning manual regarding the ground fault:

Grounding Type
Neutral Bonded
The neutral of the inverter generator is bonded to system ground. Connecting loads that also have neutral bonded to ground causes the ground fault detection to trip.


See page 3 of this recent thread for a similar discussion:
https://www.f150lightningforum.com/...lug-in-the-truck-bed.10252/page-3#post-250914

 

[Maquis]

A 240V well pump shouldn’t even require a neutral connection. You should verify if this is your case and, if so, double check that the truck neutral doesn‘t connect to anything in the pump controller.

If all that checks out, your pump or wiring has excessive leakage to ground somewhere.

 

[dirtdiver]

 

[dirtdiver]

 

[dirtdiver]

 

[dirtdiver]

 

[dirtdiver]

 

[dirtdiver]

on that plug going clockwise looking at the back of the plug is yellow, red, green, black.

 

[Maquis]

on that plug going clockwise looking at the back of the plug is yellow, red, green, black.

What is the yellow (neutral) wire connected to in the pump panel?

 

[dirtdiver]

What is the yellow (neutral) wire connected to in the pump panel?

so looking at the Pump controller where the big wires go in and come out. Starting at the far left. the black wire=L1; Red wire=L2; the next three wires go down the well to the pump. U,V,W output power terminals the manual says. yellow would be "V". Not clear what that goes to in the pump.

 

[dirtdiver]

I am no electrician but 2 things. 1) my plug to the generator has 4 wires. Black, red, yellow and green. Yet at the controller panel (as I look at the pictures) i dont see the yellow wire coming in. Hmmm? 2) Reading the manual I think my ground wire coming out of the pump controller panel is too small. The manual calls for a large wire size.

 

[Maquis]

I am no electrician but 2 things. 1) my plug to the generator has 4 wires. Black, red, yellow and green. Yet at the controller panel (as I look at the pictures) i dont see the yellow wire coming in. Hmmm? 2) Reading the manual I think my ground wire coming out of the pump controller panel is too small. The manual calls for a large wire size.

As I mentioned previously, the pump controller doesn’t use a neutral, so the yellow wire in your supply cord has no place to go. You should verify that it doesn’t, using an ohm meter, if necessary.

An undersized EGC (ground wire) could cause problems in case of a short circuit, but will not make your truck ground fault.

Does the manual for the pump controller say anything about GFCI compatibility.

You may be getting to the point you need to bring in an electrician who is experienced with pump control systems.

 

[dirtdiver]

As I mentioned previously, the pump controller doesn’t use a neutral, so the yellow wire in your supply cord has no place to go. You should verify that it doesn’t, using an ohm meter, if necessary.

An undersized EGC (ground wire) could cause problems in case of a short circuit, but will not make your truck ground fault.

Does the manual for the pump controller say anything about GFCI compatibility.

You may be getting to the point you need to bring in an electrician who is experienced with pump control systems.

Let me check with the pump controller company. They have an 800 number. That was a good idea, thanks.

steve

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