setup

[steveh]

My house is gravity fed from a tank on the hill above my house. The tank has a float switch that activates a relay that feeds power to my pump thru its control box when it needs water. Where would I place the CSV in this system? Would it be before or after the control box? There is no pressure switch or pressure tank at all.

[Cary Austin]

There is no place to install a CSV on a gravity fed system.  But you could use a Cycle Sensor to protect your well pump from running dry.

[steveh]

Sorry, my mistake. I didn't mean a CSV, I meant a cycle sensor specifically to protect the pump from dry run.

I just learned about cycle sensors. I have been using a B/W control for dry run protection, but it has it's own problems. Lightening strikes anywhere on the mountain destroy the coils in the control and now the sensors in the well are giving me problems that force the pulling of the pump to solve.

[Cary Austin]

Yeah a Cycle Sensor would replace the BW and probes, and be a lot more dependable.

[steveh]

So I have the power from the breaker, to the relay (which is controlled by the float switch), to the control box, to the pump. Where does the Cycle sensor go in this power flow system? I would think it should go between the breaker and the relay. Am I right?

[Cary Austin]

If you have a contactor or relay here is how to wire a Cycle Sensor.

[steveh]

Thanks for the info. I just ordered a sensor.