Conduit size /wire fill?

[Toomanytools?]

I am looking for what size conduit I need, I am doing some landscaping and need to bury a conduit for future use.
I have a submersible 2.5 or 3hp ( can't remember) well pump about 350' from panel. Right now it is powered by I think (4 gauge) aluminum, only 2 wires. The pump guy suggested 4 wire so either keep the 2 hots and add ground and neutral or run all new.

My question is what size conduit?
Looking at fill tables 1" sch40 will take 4, 4 gauge wires, but that seems small. The run takes a 90 out of house then straight shot to junction box at well head, so not too worried about the pull. Actually right now the wire comes out of house in sprinkler pipe for about 20' then is direct bury, which seems sketchy out in the pasture where a t-post could be pounded in.
Thanks for any insight.

 

[klassenl]

Why not use direct bury cable. Pulling 350 feet in one shot would be a challenge.

 

[alfredeneuman]

I second the vote for direct burial.
I think the smallest Mobile Home Feeder cable is #2, but that's probably the easiest and most economical way to do it.

 

[mike93lx]

How deep does a t post go? Putting the wire at about 24" should protect it pretty well.

Why do you need 4 wires? That would only be necessary if there was something 120v in the pump or pump house, if you have one .

 

[wyliesdiesels]

I am looking for what size conduit I need, I am doing some landscaping and need to bury a conduit for future use.
I have a submersible 2.5 or 3hp ( can't remember) well pump about 350' from panel. Right now it is powered by I think (4 gauge) aluminum, only 2 wires. The pump guy suggested 4 wire so either keep the 2 hots and add ground and neutral or run all new.

My question is what size conduit?
Looking at fill tables 1" sch40 will take 4, 4 gauge wires, but that seems small. The run takes a 90 out of house then straight shot to junction box at well head, so not too worried about the pull. Actually right now the wire comes out of house in sprinkler pipe for about 20' then is direct bury, which seems sketchy out in the pasture where a t-post could be pounded in.
Thanks for any insight.

not sure why he would do that. the pump doesnt need a neutral. but it definitely needs a ground wire.

 

[mcbane]

not sure why he would do that. the pump doesnt need a neutral. but it definitely needs a ground wire.

If heat tape is neaded in the well house, having access to 120 volts can avoid special order for 240 volt tape.

 

[grounded-b]

A lot of well pumps are 3-wire plus a ground ( remote start cap )

 

[wyliesdiesels]

A lot of well pumps are 3-wire plus a ground ( remote start cap )

But the third wire is not a neutral. And the start cap is in the controller which is usually near the well head

 

[mike93lx]

But the third wire is not a neutral. And the start cap is in the controller which is usually near the well head

Not in new England. The controllers are in the basement with the pressure tank. But the wire going to the pump is stranded well pump wire anyway

 

[wyliesdiesels]

Not in new England. The controllers are in the basement with the pressure tank. But the wire going to the pump is stranded well pump wire anyway

horrible way to do it due to voltage drop

out here in the central valley of california we put the pump controllers as close to the well head as possible. many times its on the well head...

 

[mike93lx]

horrible way to do it due to voltage drop

out here in the central valley of california we put the pump controllers as close to the well head as possible. many times its on the well head...

Works fine. My well head was about 50 feet from the house and then the pump was 125 feet down. First pump lasted 40 years. Lots of pumps are in the 100-300 ft deep range, but the head is usually pretty close to the house. Moving the controller to the head won't do much and will subject it to the weather. It also allows not having a pump house at all.

My pump was only 1/2 hp too, so no big deal on power draw.

 

[acer66]

Not in new England. The controllers are in the basement with the pressure tank. But the wire going to the pump is stranded well pump wire anyway

Same here in WNC.

 

[Blueshound_GJ]

Same here in WNC.

My well here in CT is only 30 ft from the house but is a little over 500 ft deep. Works just fine with the controller in the cellar and I've never seen one outside. Does California even have cellars, or is it all slab on grade?

 

[Norcal]

My well here in CT is only 30 ft from the house but is a little over 500 ft deep. Works just fine with the controller in the cellar and I've never seen one outside. Does California even have cellars, or is it all slab on grade?

Because California is not in a a god forsaken climate there is no need to dig deep footings to get below the frost line, so basements are rare, so either a raised foundation, or a slab on grade termite haven.

 

[Blueshound_GJ]

Because California is not in a a god forsaken climate there is no need to dig deep footings to get below the frost line, so basements are rare, so either a raised foundation, or a slab on grade termite haven.

What's a termite?

 

[alfredeneuman]

What's a termite?

You have said you're in CT

How common are termites in Connecticut?

Connecticut has a fairly high occurrence of termites due to its relatively mild winters and warm summers. The eastern subterranean species is the most common species to be found throughout the state.

 

[Blueshound_GJ]

You have said you're in CT

How common are termites in Connecticut?

Connecticut has a fairly high occurrence of termites due to its relatively mild winters and warm summers. The eastern subterranean species is the most common species to be found throughout the state.

Duly noted. Regardless, I don't think they are as big a problem as in warmer climates. But maybe I've just been lucky. We hijacked this thread pretty good, sorry OP lol.

 

[yatg]

Because California is not in a a god forsaken climate there is no need to dig deep footings to get below the frost line, so basements are rare, so either a raised foundation, or a slab on grade termite haven.

My grandparents house had a cellar, bulkhead entry, dirt floor, but it was built early 1900s or before. Upscale homes in some areas have basements, more square footage on the same footprint.

 

[Norcal]

My grandparents house had a cellar, bulkhead entry, dirt floor, but it was built early 1900s or before. Upscale homes in some areas have basements, more square footage on the same footprint.

I should have said that basements are rare, but they mostly found in older homes, worked on one where the grandson of the builder told me they dug the basement with horses & team, after the floor was done it was waterproofed & they lived in there while the rest of the house was built, the wood cook stove is still there to this day, the soil is Vina loam, no rocks and easy to dig prob. some of the best dirt to be found anywhere.

 

[alfredeneuman]

I should have said that basements are rare, but they mostly found in older homes, worked on one where the grandson of the builder told me they dug the basement with horses & team,

The only house I lived in with a basement the builder bought the old Corona, CA Post Office in the 1910s and rolled it 15 miles on logs with a team of mules. After 70 years of settling you could drop a marble on one end of the floor and it would roll to the other end.

 

[Norcal]

The only house I lived in with a basement the builder bought the old Corona, CA Post Office in the 1910s and rolled it 15 miles on logs with a team of mules. After 70 years of settling you could drop a marble on one end of the floor and it would roll to the other end.

Only lived in one house with a basement back in the 60's & it was since torn down with a medical building in it's place.