Well pump tripping GFCI

[EVpower]

A good point to start on a solution to your well pump tripping the Lightning ground fault protection is to see if the pump motor really has ground leakage current in excess of 6 mA. There have been a few reports of false PPOB GFCI trips with power tools. I don't think that is likely, but it is easy to check if the truck is correctly reporting a ground fault vs. motor starting load over current.

I found the well service technicians in my area do not connect the ground connection on the pump motor so a resistance check at the well head motor control box cannot be trusted.

I have an isolation transformer on the 240 volt PPOB output to our home transfer switch. The neutral connection is not used. The 3/4 HP well pumps have worked when needed under Lightning back up power.

Steve

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[v2h8484]

Since we are way outside my knowledge here, how best would you propose doing that? Should I open the generator inlet plug box and find a way to remove the ground wire? Should I attach that ground wire to something else? There are inline plugs for this too I believe, is that a better option?

Lastly and most importantly suppose; what are the results of this test I should expect? If things work after doing this is that indicating that the GFCI is the issue? I'm confused myself on that because I thought GFCI was based on the flow through the live and neutral wires.

I understand this is not a safe thing to do and not a permanent solution.

Disconnecting the ground from the truck in the generator inlet box is how I would do it. If the pump still won't start (and the truck trips) then inrush current is more likely the main problem. OTOH, if the pump starts and works fine then GFCI is more likely the main problem.

 

[hturnerfamily]

on the note about my camper...

since the camper can be easily powered, in full, by ProPower, when the camper is not coupled to the ball, and/or with the 12v 7pin cable plugged into the truck's trailer outlet, my situation is about why this would create a scenario where the ProPower 'sees' some type of fault, whether ground, or GFCI, or 'in rush', or whatever... it boggles the mind.

as for adding any type of startup 'softener' to the well's electrical box, that may not be that easy - while I added one to my 240v 30amp 3-ton air conditioner for my home, that was a way-easier job since there is already 'connections' there for it to easily be done...

 

[admo]

Disconnecting the ground from the truck in the generator inlet box is how I would do it. If the pump still won't start (and the truck trips) then inrush current is more likely the main problem. OTOH, if the pump starts and works fine then GFCI is more likely the main problem.

Thank you for the instructions. The result was the pump working correctly with the inlet box ground wire disconnected. So thankfully it looks like the cheaper option of a isolation transformer is plausible as a fix.

To provide good information for future reviewers a question to the experts who have helped me in this thread; would an isolation transformer have also solve the open neutral issue of the truck hookup? I've already got a neutral switching transfer switch myself so this is just documentation at this point.

 

[shelnian]

A lot of people just don't connect the ground wire, like when you install a three wire dryer. The neutral (white wire) and Lightning chassis are connected with a ground strap like the dryer so the Lightning chassis, like the dryer chassis, is grounded at your power panel.

 

[admo]

A lot of people just don't connect the ground wire, like when you install a three wire dryer. The neutral (white wire) and Lightning chassis are connected with a ground strap like the dryer so the Lightning chassis, like the dryer chassis, is grounded at your power panel.

If the truck is acting as the ground for the system and I remove that, where does everything in the house ground to? Or are you suggesting to disconnect the well's ground wire? It seems to make sense for an individual device because lighting will not strike my dryer.

Perhaps I do not understand the ground's purpose.