Confused about pumptec and control box

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AJAX

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First let me say how much I have enjoyed these forums. I have read a significant amount of stuff but I have become a bit confused. Without going into my life story and making this post huge, I will list the basic points:

- Bought a house. It has a 3gpm low yield well that is only 40 feet deep with 30 feet of static water.
- The house is only 20 years old, but EVERYTHING is original. The pressure tank, water filters and lines are pretty old.
- I want to replace everything in the house with a water storage tank + cycle stop valve.

Now I know how to install the cycle stop valve, and how to install a water storage tank but where I get confused is with how the pumptec and control box. As far as I can tell, I don't see a control box anywhere??? All I have on my wall is the pumptec and an "on/off" switch. So my question is, like... what the hell? Is the pumptec acting as both the control box and the well dry shutoff? Or am I missing something? I took photos below. As you can see there is major iron in the water, the old filters were all gummed up. Any tips/advice would be appreciated. Edit: On the 2nd to last photo, you can see in the top right hand side the "on/off" switch connected to the pump tec. Sorry I never got a better photo of it... but it's just a box with a switch. I don't think that could be the control box could it?
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AJAX

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Here is another wider angle. Could it maybe be that the control box is behind the freaking lower wall??? I don't know who would do that but maybe that is what happened?
 

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TVL

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It is difficult to tell from the photo you posted, but the gray rectangular box with pumptec written on it appears to be about the exact size of the control box I am currently using AND mine also has the pumptec module inside along with the relay and start capacitor. Open yours up and see what is inside.

Here is a photo of the inside of mine:

Control Box with Pumptec.JPG
 
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Reach4

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Do you have something that says Pumptec, or are you looking at the pressure switch that may say Pumptrol?

It seems likely that your submersible pump would be a 1/2 HP pump. While those can have a control box, it would be very common to have a "2-wire" pump (which often has 2 power wires plus a ground wire). A two-wire pump does not have a control box that contains a capacitor. There are boxes that can shut down power to the pump for a while if the well runs short of water, but I don't think you have one.
 

AJAX

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Do you have something that says Pumptec, or are you looking at the pressure switch that may say Pumptrol?

It seems likely that your submersible pump would be a 1/2 HP pump. While those can have a control box, it would be very common to have a "2-wire" pump (which often has 2 power wires plus a ground wire). A two-wire pump does not have a control box that contains a capacitor. There are boxes that can shut down power to the pump for a while if the well runs short of water, but I don't think you have one.

Hi reach4. Yes, my box says pumptec. I posted a photo of it above, it shows the pumptec box on the wall.

So if I have a 1/2 HP pump that is 2 wire, then I don't need a control box???
 

AJAX

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It is difficult to tell from the photo you posted, but the gray rectangular box with pumptec written on it appears to be about the exact size of the control box I am currently using AND mine also has the pumptec module inside along with the relay and start capacitor. Open yours up and see what is inside.

Here is a photo of the inside of mine:

View attachment 37107

Thanks f0r the info. of course the problem is, this is up at the cabin and it is 6 hours away. I took all these photos with the intent to bring up stuff I needed and it just never occurred to me there wasn't a 2nd box until I looked at the photos. So I will open it when I go up there next. In the meantime I was just wondering if there were possibly other explanations. e.g, could there be no control box. Now I see maybe it is a 2 wire pump?
 

TVL

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Well, I was under the impression the pumptec works only with 3 wire pumps .............. pumps which require a control box. If I am correct, then you have a 3 wire pump and control box. Maybe someone else can verify what I have stated!


EDIT: check out this site as it does mention 3 wire pumps! -- http://franklinwater.com/products/drives-protection/residentiallight-commercial/pumptec-family/

ANOTHER EDIT: I was wrong. The QD Pumptec is designed for 3 wire pumps ONLY. But the pumptec is designed for 2 or 3 wire pumps. http://franklinwater.com/more/service/aim-manual/electronic-maintenance/electronic-controls/page-63/
 
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Reach4

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Hi reach4. Yes, my box says pumptec. I posted a photo of it above, it shows the pumptec box on the wall.
Yep. I missed it.

So if I have a 1/2 HP pump that is 2 wire, then I don't need a control box???
Correct. My 3/4 HP pump is 2 wire, so no control box for that either. The 3-wire pump was replaced in 2002. The old controller box is still there, but the guts were taken out. Now it just serves as a junction box. There are also classic 1 HP 2-wire pumps. Smaller motors tend to be 2 wire, and bigger ones tend to be 3-wire.
 

TVL

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Yep. I missed it.


Correct. My 3/4 HP pump is 2 wire, so no control box for that either. The 3-wire pump was replaced in 2002. The old controller box is still there, but the guts were taken out. Now it just serves as a junction box. There are also classic 1 HP 2-wire pumps. Smaller motors tend to be 2 wire, and bigger ones tend to be 3-wire.


But, your 1/2 hp pump could be either a 2 wire or 3 wire. Both "flavors" are readily available!
 

Reach4

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Now I know how to install the cycle stop valve, and how to install a water storage tank but where I get confused is with how the pumptec and control box.
I think you will put the Pumptec protector in series with a float switch in the atmospheric water storage tank. Those will control power to the pump down the well. You will put another submersible pump horizontally in the storage tank, or you will put a new pump, such as a jet pump, outside of the storage tank. You will control that with the pressure switch, and you can have another float switch to shut that pump down if the tank runs dry. Or you can have another electronic protector on that pump too.
 

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I think you will put the Pumptec protector in series with a float switch in the atmospheric water storage tank. Those will control power to the pump down the well. You will put another submersible pump horizontally in the storage tank, or you will put a new pump, such as a jet pump, outside of the storage tank. You will control that with the pressure switch, and you can have another float switch to shut that pump down if the tank runs dry. Or you can have another electronic protector on that pump too.

I don't see a storage tank? You would just need to put the CSV on the line before the pressure tank/pressure switch and before any water lines tee off.
 
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