2 wire pump wiring

[TKB4]

If a 2 wire pump is wired wrong with one of the 110 legs wired to the ground and the ground wired to one of the 110 legs would this normally damage the pump or capacitor or just trip the circuit breaker. Wouldn't this definitely flip the circuit breaker whether other damage was caused or not ?

 

[Valveman]

Don't think it would trip the breaker. Just not enough voltage for the motor to do anything. I have seen 3 wire motors run on half voltage, but not a 2 wire.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Banjo Bud]

I would think it would depend on which leg of the 110 is used for the switch. Both are not hot. One is hot and the other is a return, which goes to ground. So if you switch the return with the ground, I’d think the pump would run normally. If you switch the hot with the ground, I’d think you’d create a direct short and the breaker would trip. I don’t think either would damage the pump. But some experts here I’m sure will chime in.

 

[Reach4]

Banjo Bob, I may have misunderstood your post.

 

[Banjo Bud]

Im saying that there is only one side of a 110 v that is hot. In a 3 wire romex cable, one is hot (black), one is a return (white), and one is a ground, (bare). The return and the ground go to the same place....ground. So if he switches the return and ground, no harm no foul, the pump works. Although it won’t pass code. However, if he switched the hot with the ground, it would be a short circuit and trip the breaker.