PUMP STATION

ELECTRICAL
DESIGN
40 Years Lessons Learned
Maynard Wayne Robertson, PE, CEM
mwrobertson@vaughnmelton.com
mwrdcr@comcast.net
TAUD Technology Conference
Gatlinburg, TN
March 13, 2013

Pump Station Design Requirements

Tennessee Dept. Environment &

Conservation
Environmental Protection Agency
NFPA- 70- National Electrical Code
Tennessee Fire Marshall- Electrical
Inspections
OSHA/TOSHA

TDEC Requirements
General Design Requirements for Sewerage Works
Key Chapters for Pump Stations; 1, 2, 14
Chapter 2. Section 2.5 Pump Stations
Alarm System and totalizers on All stations
2.6.3 All wet well wiring to be Class l, Division l, per NEC
2.7.3 PS Capacity Greater Than - 1.0 MGD
Requires Flow Meters
Requires Back Up Power System

TDEC Requirements
Chapter 2.6.1.6 Requires to comply
with All OSHA Rules. Work place
safety.
Chapter 2.7- Operability/ Reliability
Do you need generator/backup
power? Essentially EPA
requirements.
Reliability Class 1, Class 2, Class 3.

TDEC
2.5 Septicity Controls. I guess something that
smells BAD. Do not make it smell worse. Setting
controls for minimum time in wet well.
Auto Pump Out (Timed pump start after low
level contact made, low cost to reduce odor )
Electric Power Systems
Chapter 1.3.11.5
www.tn.gov/envionment/wpc/publications
Design Criteria for Sewerage Works

National Electrical
Code
Latest Version NEC-2011
Next Version NEC-2014
Code revised on Three Year Cycle
Version adopted in Tennessee
NEC-2008

NFPA CHAPTER 70
National Electric Code / 70E work place
safety
NEC 2008 Used Statewide
*Exceptions In Some Cities NEC-2011
70E Work Place General Safety
Requirements
Installation Of Equipment
Protection Of Electrical Equipment

NEC-2008
Organization
Chapters: One thru Nine
Articles
Tables
Appendix
Chapters: One Thru Four
Basic Wiring Requirements.
Apply to all Wiring Installations.
Chapters: Five thru Nine
Special Conditions

NEC Chapters

Chapter
Chapter
Chapter
Chapter

1 General
2 Wiring and Protection
3- Wiring Methods and Materials
4 Equipment for General Use

Chapter 5 Special Occupancies

Chapter 6 Special Equipment
Chapter 7 Special Conditions
Chapter 8 Communications Systems(Stands
alone)
Chapter 9 Tables
Annex A thru H ; Informational Only

Key NEC Articles for

Sewer Pump Stations
Articles: 200, 215, 220, 240,
250, 310, 312, Table 310.16,
400, 430, 445, 500 & 700.
Note:
Entire Code Applies Always!!

Tennessee State
Fire Marshall
Requires Electrical Inspection of all
New and Modified Electrical
Installations.
Require Use of Listed EquipmentUL, etc.
Current Enforcement NEC -2008
Authority Having Jurisdiction

EPA
EPA-430-99-74-001
Operability and Reliability
Class 1 Standby Power nearly always
required
Class 2 Standby Power maybe
Required
Class 3

Normally not Required

Service Terms
Service
Service Entrance
Metering
Service Disconnect
Service Type
Overhead
Underground
Single or Three Phase
Available fault Current

NEC Voltage
Low Voltage = Less Than 600 Volts
Single Phase
120/240 Volts
Motors 5 HP or Less( 7.5 & 10.0 are
manufactured)
Three Phase
120/240 Volt Delta Connected
120/208 Volt Wye Connected
277/480 Volt Wye connected

Electrical Service
Entrance
Capacity for both pumps to operate
Service disconnect rated for service
entrance and capacity to allow second motor
to start without tripping
Service Equipment( Main Breaker and panel
boards, etc.) rated for available fault
current
Fault Currents can be high at PS as result of
large transformer and short wire runs
Standard Interrupting capacity: 10,000,
22,000, 65,000amps
Grounding and Bonding
Adequate work space in front of electrical
equipment

Wiring Methods
NEC Article 250 Grounding and
Bonding
Table 250.122 Size of Equipment
Ground Conductor
Grounded Conductor
Ground Wire
Lightning protection
Table 310.16 /Table 310.15B(2)a, more
than 3 conductors in raceway/conduit
Conductors Rated at 75C
Conductors Rated for Wet Location

Control Panels
Correct NEMA Enclosure ( 3R, 4X,
etc. )
Ventilation/Cooling
Drains
Labeled (UL, CSA)
Alarms
Control Transformer (Reduce line
Noise)
Instrumentation (Runtime, Volts,
Amps, Calibration)

Motor Starters
Manual
Across the Line starters( NEMA
SIZE 0, 1, 2, etc.)
Part winding
Auto transformer
Soft Start
VFD (6 pulse more noise and 12
pulse less noise)
VFD noise may interfere with
controls/SCADA

PHASE CONVERSION
Single Phase Power to 3 Phase Power
Phase Conversion Using VFD
Size VFD Based On Single Phase Load
Plus 15%
20Hp, 3P, 230V, FLA=54 Amp
Based on single phase = 100 Amp
Use 120 Amp VFD

Common WWPS
Problems

Corrosion, Corrosion, Corrosion!!!!

Electrical Junction Boxes in Wet Wells
Excessive Pumps starts/ Short run time
Unlisted Electrical Equipment (Inspector Rejects)
FAILURE TO DERATE CONDUCTORS in Conduit. (more
than three)
Lack of Phase Loss Protection
Phase to Phase Voltage/excessive voltage difference.
Poor Electrical Grounding
No Isolation of sewer gas from control Panels thru
use of junction boxes with double conduit seals.
Complete failure less than 1 year.
Circuit Breakers too small, Result excessive heat in
Panel.

Common WWPS
Problems
NO Conduit Seals, Sewer Gas direct line to control
Panel.
Pump Rotation
Wrong NEMA Class Enclosures
Low Equipment Electrical withstand Ratings.
VFD noise on Control circuits
No GFIC Receptacles
Generators/ transfer switches improperly wired/ Phase
Reversed.

Checklist/Records
Always use startup Checklist
Voltage, Line to Line, Line to
Ground, Phase to Phase
Amperes
Discharge Head
Pumping Rate
Photos
Nameplate Data
Terminals Tight

WWPS Life Cycle Cost

Initial Cost
Installation
Commissioning Cost
Maintenance and Repairs Cost
ENERGY COST 90 PERCENT
OF TOTAL
High Efficiency Motors
High Efficiency Pumps

Generators
Correctly Sized to start second
pump with all loads energized
Portable /Permanent
Transfer switches/ Manual or
automatic
Fuels/ Diesel, Natural Gas,
Propane, Gasoline.
Long Term maintenance cost

PUMP STATION
ELECTRICAL
DESIGN
40 Years Lessons Learned
Maynard Wayne Robertson, PE, CEM
mwrobertson@vaughnmelton.com
mwrdcr@comcast.net
TAUD Technology Conference
Gatlinburg, TN
March 13, 2013