Well Pump Wiring and Electrical Work in Spokane County

Pump wiring, grounding and controls carry electricity, and mistakes can be dangerous. In Washington, electrical work generally requires an electrical contractor license, so this page covers the questions to ask rather than instructions.

Email us about your well: contact@spokanecountywellpump.com

What pump electrical work covers

A well pump runs on electricity, and so do the controls that start and stop it. The electrical side includes the wiring from the house to the pump, the grounding, the pressure switch contacts and any control equipment. Problems can show up as a pump that will not start, trips breakers or runs without moving water.

NGWA's annual checkup list includes a check of the pump's amp load, grounding and line voltage. Those are measurements a qualified person takes with the right tools, and they tell a professional whether the pump is working harder than it should.

Pump work can involve other trades: contractors are registered with the Department of Labor & Industries, electrical work generally requires an electrical contractor license, and plumbing work generally requires certified plumbers, with some exceptions.

This page does not give wiring instructions, because wiring a pump belongs with a qualified professional.

When people look into this

A pump will not start.
A breaker trips when the pump runs.
The pump runs but water does not come.
A checkup found a high or unusual electrical load.
A pump or switch is being replaced and the wiring is old.
A home on a well is changing hands and the wiring comes up.

What the work usually looks like

Describe the symptoms. What the pump does, and since when.
Keep away from the wiring. Do not open controls or touch wiring yourself.
Call a qualified person. An electrical contractor checks power, grounding and load.
Find the cause. The cause can be the wiring, the switch, the pump or the well.
Agree on the scope. What is repaired or replaced goes in writing.
Test. Power, load and operation are checked afterward.

How to prepare

Before work starts, it helps to settle these points:

Note the symptoms and when they began.
Do not open electrical controls or touch wiring.
Ask which trades the job involves.
Ask whether an electrical contractor will do the electrical work.
Check each company on the L&I page.
Ask what will be measured, such as load and grounding.
Ask whether permits or inspections apply.
Get the price in writing.

What affects the cost

Prices vary widely with the well, the pump and the work. For electrical work, the trade and the cause matter most.

Cause. Wiring, switch, pump and well differ in cost.
Trade. Electrical work generally needs an electrical contractor.
Diagnosis. Measuring load and grounding takes time.
Parts. Wire, controls and fittings.
Access. Long or buried runs take more work.
Permits. Electrical work can need a permit or inspection.
Written scope. What the price covers.

Describing a symptom helps the professional

The most useful thing you can do without touching anything is to describe the symptom clearly. Note when the pump does not start, whether a breaker trips, how long the pump runs, and whether anything changed before, such as a storm or recent work. That information shortens diagnosis.

Keep a written note and hand it to the company when it arrives. If a second company is called later, the note shows what was already tried and what was seen.

Local rules and sources

What NGWA lists. The National Ground Water Association (NGWA), on its wellowner.org annual inspection page, recommends an annual checkup of a well by a qualified well professional. It lists a flow test, a check of the pump's amp load, grounding and line voltage, and an inspection of the pressure tank and the pressure switch contacts, along with a coliform and nitrate water test and a written report. It also says to inspect a well whenever it is opened, or when taste, odor, turbidity, pressure or cycling changes.

Trades. Pump work can involve other trades: contractors are registered with the Department of Labor & Industries, electrical work generally requires an electrical contractor license, and plumbing work generally requires certified plumbers, with some exceptions. Check a company's registration on the Washington Department of Labor & Industries “Verify a Contractor, Tradesperson or Business” page.

Safety. Work on pump wiring, pressure tanks and wells can involve electricity, stored pressure and, in some cases, contaminated water, so it belongs with a qualified professional. Do not touch pump wiring or controls yourself.

Reasons to trust this page

Most statements on this page name their public source, such as the Department of Health or the Department of Ecology.
Cost factors are explained in plain terms, and this site does not quote prices.
The email address is shown at the top of every page, and the Privacy page says what a quote request collects.

Common questions

Who should do well pump electrical work?

A qualified professional. Electrical work generally requires an electrical contractor license in Washington, with some exceptions, and contractors are registered with the Department of Labor & Industries. Check each company on the L&I page and ask which trades the job involves. This site does not give wiring instructions.

What do pump electrical checks include?

NGWA's annual checkup list includes the pump's amp load, grounding and line voltage, and inspection of the pressure switch contacts. Those are measurements taken by a qualified person. They tell a professional whether the pump is working harder than it should and whether power and grounding are right.

Why would a pump trip a breaker?

Several causes are possible, including the wiring, the pressure switch contacts, the pump itself or a problem in the well. This site cannot say which. A qualified electrical professional should find the cause, and the rule is not to open controls or touch wiring yourself.

Is it safe to check pump wiring myself?

This site recommends against it. Pump wiring and controls carry electricity and sit on a system with stored pressure, so the work belongs with a qualified professional. Describe the symptoms, keep away from the wiring and ask a registered company to check it.

How much does pump electrical work cost?

Prices vary widely with the well, the pump and the work. The cause, the trade, the time to measure and diagnose, parts, access and any permit or inspection change the total. Get a written scope that lists what is included, so prices from different companies cover the same work.

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