Hard-Wired GFCI for Sewer Lift Pump?

[pancho400cid]

I have a sewer lift pump behind my house to pump the effluent out to the city sewer line out at the street. We recently had drain issues and I had Roto-Rooter come out (on a Sunday AM) to clear the line. To make a long story short, at least part of the issue was that the lift pump had come partially un-plugged so the pump wasn't running. There is a GFCI receptacle and regular 120 VAC plug for the pump motor. I don't know the motor rating, but I know the float switch that controls it is rated at 13 amps so the motor draws less than that. I noticed the plug wasn't fully inserted and as soon as I plugged it in fully the pump ran and the drain cleared. I want to avoid that in the future so I'm thinking of hard-wiring it.

Q1 - Is GFCI required? There is a "practical" and a "code" aspect to the question. I'll follow the code if there is a suspicion that GFCI is a requirement.

Q2 - Any reason the blank-face GFCI linked below (or equivalent) wouldn't work?

Blank-Face GFCI

Some pictures:






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[captaindiode]

The GFCI is required. You could use a GFCI breaker, but you still need a disconnect. How about the GFCI you linked and a 120V twist-lock plug?

Legrand Pass & Seymour Turnlok 20 Amp 250-Volt NEMA L6-20R Locking Receptacle L620RCCV3 - The Home Depot

Pass and Seymour Turnlok devices are rugged, durable, and designed to provide superior quality. They are typically used to provide additional locking safety measures in industrial environments, where heavy use can sometimes result in loose or broken connections when non-locking devices are used...

www.homedepot.com

 

[klassenl]

For an operation as critical as that I would forgo the GFCI altogether no matter what the code says.

 

[joe_padavano]

I've had GFCI units in locations like the barn fail, presumably due to humidity exposure. I use GFCI breakers in those applications now. No further trouble.

 

[loganb]

I'd be looking at a 120v air conditioner disconnect so you can easily hardwire while still providing the ability to disconnect.

 

[pancho400cid]

Holy scope creep!

Well.... I realize the GFCI I was looking at does not really have on/off function beyond "TEST/RESET". I'm not sure it's "outdoor" rated either.

So... no issue using a GFCI breaker downstream of the regular breaker?

Can you mount a breaker in the duplex box that's there, or is a different box needed?

Would the GFCI breaker go upstream or downstream from an AC disconnect if added?

Appreciate the input guys!

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[sparky 1971]

A GFCI breaker will go in the panel. Maybe you need to hire someone.

 

[mike93lx]

For an operation as critical as that I would forgo the GFCI altogether no matter what the code says.

**** pumps and fridges. Two things that wont be plugged into gfci's at my house

 

[Bert_]

Hard wire it or put a twist lock plug on it if you want to avoid the GFCI requirement. Or just put a regular receptacle there and be done, I won't tell.

 

[pancho400cid]

One comment - I " hear ya" on the "no GFCI" comments, but the GFCI has never tripped or caused a problem (yet). The plug worked its way out of the receptacle.

A GFCI breaker will go in the panel.

Oh... right.

Maybe you need to hire someone

Maybe....

The panel is a GE PowerMark Gold - maybe 10 years old. The pump is on a dedicated 20 Amp non-GFCI breaker. I assume GFCI breakers are available but haven't checked yet.

So if the breaker gets swapped to GFCI, I could add either a hard-wired switch or disconnect, or just put a twist-loc receptacle and plug out by the motor - right?

 

[sparky 1971]

One comment - I " hear ya" on the "no GFCI" comments, but the GFCI has never tripped or caused a problem (yet). The plug worked its way out of the receptacle.


Oh... right.


Maybe....

The panel is a GE PowerMark Gold - maybe 10 years old. The pump is on a dedicated 20 Amp non-GFCI breaker. I assume GFCI breakers are available but haven't checked yet.

So if the breaker gets swapped to GFCI, I could add either a hard-wired switch or disconnect, or just put a twist-loc receptacle and plug out by the motor - right?

GFCI breakers are available, but there is no way I would install a GFCI of any kind on my own pump if I had one. I went with a coco filter for my septic just to avoid having a pump at all. If having a pump was the only option, the GFCI would have been gone before the inspector was 10 minutes down the road.