How to monitor well pump power usage

I have a well pump and had the check valve near the pressure tank fail. This caused the pump to run excessively. However I don't hear the system and it ran this way for weeks before I found out and replaced the valve.
Does any1 know of a means to monitor pump run time and power draw? This would be helpful in corrective and preventive maintenance not to mention the money wasted on the 220 draw of a underperforming well pump
Thanks in Advance.
Mr. Pibb

"Mr Pibb" wrote in message

I have a well pump and had the check valve near the pressure tank fail. This caused the pump to run excessively. However I don't hear the system and it ran this way for weeks before I found out and replaced the valve.
Does any1 know of a means to monitor pump run time and power draw? This would be helpful in corrective and preventive maintenance not to mention the money wasted on the 220 draw of a underperforming well pump
Thanks in Advance.
Mr. Pibb

How about a light that goes on whenever the pump is running?

"Mr Pibb" wrote:

Does any1 know of a means to monitor pump run time and power draw?

You could put in a small transformer or 220V power supply driving a light in a place you could see it, and then maybe add an hour meter.
For current draw, use a current transformer and remote ammeter, but I suspect your current won't change that much (mine doesn't) from full load (well nearly empty, pressure tank near full) to minimum load (well full, pressure tank at minimum).

In article , "JoeSP" wrote:

"Mr Pibb" wrote in message I have a well pump and had the check valve near the pressure tank fail. This caused the pump to run excessively. However I don't hear the system and it ran this way for weeks before I found out and replaced the valve.
Does any1 know of a means to monitor pump run time and power draw? This would be helpful in corrective and preventive maintenance not to mention the money wasted on the 220 draw of a underperforming well pump
Thanks in Advance.
Mr. Pibb
How about a light that goes on whenever the pump is running?

Use a cheap analog clock on one side of the line when the pump is running. Start it at 20 Oclock high and you have a cheap running time meter up to 12 hours.
-- Free men own guns, slaves don't www.geocities.com/CapitolHill/5357/

Depends how complicated you want to get and what kind of data output you desire, or perhaps you want a simple indication.
To sense when it is ON, you can use a current sensor alarm. Do a google search. Here are a few examples:
http://www.mod-tronic.com/Love_AC_Current_Indicator.html http://www.automatictiming.com/pages_div/currentmonitorsection/currentmonitors.html
If you would like to LOG the data over time to see how often the pump comes on, and when, try an inexpensive data logger from ONSET: http://www.onsetcomp.com/
I actually did something similar with my septic tank pump. Used a FLUKE datalogger (I have access to lab grade equipment) to monitor the voltage drop in the NEUTRAL wire that is connected to the pump. When the pump is running there will be a small voltage drop between the neutral wire (about 1V) and ground which was read by the datalogger's AC Volts input. This voltage method saved me having to install a current transducer.
Hope this helps.

In article , "RoughRider" wrote:

Depends how complicated you want to get and what kind of data output you desire, or perhaps you want a simple indication.
To sense when it is ON, you can use a current sensor alarm. Do a google search. Here are a few examples:
http://www.mod-tronic.com/Love_AC_Current_Indicator.html http://www.automatictiming.com/pages_div/currentmonitorsection/currentmonitors .html
If you would like to LOG the data over time to see how often the pump comes on, and when, try an inexpensive data logger from ONSET: http://www.onsetcomp.com/
I actually did something similar with my septic tank pump. Used a FLUKE datalogger (I have access to lab grade equipment) to monitor the voltage drop in the NEUTRAL wire that is connected to the pump. When the pump is running there will be a small voltage drop between the neutral wire (about 1V) and ground which was read by the datalogger's AC Volts input. This voltage method saved me having to install a current transducer.
Hope this helps.

Another method is to put an electric clock on the motor leads. Check it once a day, and total the readings for total run time. This will work as long as it runs less than 12 hours a day. If you want to spend a small amount of money you can buy a hour meter and just subtract the starting hours from the ending hours to get the total. Hours works because the power does not change much while pumping, so you just measure power once when it is running then multiply by the time.
-- Mike Swift
Two things only the people anxiously desire�bread and circuses. Decimus Junius Juvenalls