Determine Pump Circuit Voltage

[Kona]

I'm going to be installing an aquarite salt water chlorinator later this week.

Seems easy enough.

The only thing that I'm unsure of is whether my circuit is 120 or 240 volts.

The jumpers on the aquarite control box need to be placed differently depending on the circuit voltage.

Is there any easy way to determine this?

If I need a multimeter, which type would I need in able to determine this.

I have one (actron cp7672), but it's for automotive use.

Thanks for any suggestions,

Jeff

[BillinKingstonSprings]

I'm going to be installing an aquarite salt water chlorinator later this week.

Seems easy enough.

The only thing that I'm unsure of is whether my circuit is 120 or 240 volts.

The jumpers on the aquarite control box need to be placed differently depending on the circuit voltage.

Is there any easy way to determine this?

If I need a multimeter, which type would I need in able to determine this.

I have one (actron cp7672), but it's for automotive use.

Thanks for any suggestions,

Jeff

It depends on if you are coming off a single pole or double pole breaker. The single pole is 120 and the double pole is 240. You should consider the wire size to amp draw rating.

[Kona]

@BillinKingstonSprings - thanks for the response.

There are 2 poles coming into the circuit breaker at the bottom (running in parallel) that go into a small box, then to a thicker pole that goes into the ground.

Where the lines coming from the circuit breaker come into the timer box, there is a black, a red, and a ground (green).

The black wire goes to the first "Line" terminal of the timer.

The red wire goes to the other "Line" terminal.

Each of these "Line" terminals also has a neutral (white) wire that is somewhat hard to see where they end up.

From the "Load' terminals, there is 1 red wire from each "Load" that go to the pump (in addition to the ground).

I'm assuming that each of these "red" is 120 V for a total of 240 V, but not certain if I'm correct.

[Kona]

Here are a few photos - one of circuit box, 2 of timer.

http://s919.photobucket.com/home/jeff775533/set/6585

My timer wiring seems to be just like this one:

http://www.swimmingpooltimeswitch.com/imag...ms/bg-Cd104.gif

Thanks for any advice on this,

Jeff

[MKuz14]

Jeff-

Looks to me like you got 220 because those are 10 gauge wires but you need to be certain. Use your actron meter and set it to ACV 750 and put you black lead on to one of the red wires (port 2 that is shown in the timers wiring diagram) and your red lead to the other red wire (port 4 this is shown in the timers wiring diagram) You meter is either gonna give you a number around 220 or 110. That should put you in the right direction as to what kind of voltage your using

[Pool Clown]

Jeff-

Looks to me like you got 220 because those are 10 gauge wires but you need to be certain. Use your actron meter and set it to ACV 750 and put you black lead on to one of the red wires (port 2 that is shown in the timers wiring diagram) and your red lead to the other red wire (port 4 this is shown in the timers wiring diagram) You meter is either gonna give you a number around 220 or 110. That should put you in the right direction as to what kind of voltage your using

+1

The two white wires on the timeclock going to both the line sides tell me that it's a 220 time clock. If you are unsure, hook it up the way that it is wired from the factory (220). If the supply turns out to be 110V you wont wreck the unit. If you convert it to 110V and then hit it with 220V, you will need to get a new transformer.

[Kona]

Thanks guys.

This makes me feel a lot more comfortable moving forward with this.

[Kona]

Thanks again for the replies. I did verify that it is a 240 V circuit using the multimeter.

I went out to buy wire today.

There seems to be some ambiguity around the need for THWN versus THHN wire.

Lowes, for instance, had mostly THHN. They only had 1 THWN, which was 14 gauge.

I was wondering is it OK to use THHN instead of THWN.

I've read on some sites that they are basically one in the same these days. Is that true?

The THHN at Lowe's doesn't say anything on it about THWN.

Also, should I stick to the same wire thickness that the pump uses even though the Aquarite draws very little current?

The pump is using either #10, or #12.

Do you think I should use the same for the Aquarite?

Also, should the ground be the same size wire as the hot wires?

Lastly, I was wondering exactly where I should bond the Aquarite to? Would it be ok just to bond it to the circuit box?

I can't tell exact where the pump bonds to. It's bond wire goes along the ground towards the circuit box, but then disappears underground. It is not encased, which I'm assuming is fine for bonding.

[Dr. Spa]

Bonding is simply, connecting together (by a wire), every metal object or metal component within 5' of the spa.

[Pool Clown]

Basically they are, if you are talking wire (conductor). The classifications are for the insulation. The THHN should not be used in wet locations, even if you use conduit. Given the nature of pool equipment, your electronics have to be safely shielded from water.

[Kona]

Is it relatively easy to find THWN wire?

I would have thought Lowe's would carry this.

That's why I was wondering if the THHN would be OK, but it doesn't sound like it.

I can try some local electrical supply shops.

Thanks,

Jeff

[Kona]

From doing some additional reading, I found that even though it states THHN on the product label, if you look at the wire coating itself, it will say thhn / thwn.