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Substituting H.D. Switch For Grundfos IO-50 Switch Box Question

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  • Substituting H.D. Switch For Grundfos IO-50 Switch Box Question

    Hello. Can I substitute a switch like this GE http://www.ebay.com/itm/30-amp-GE-He...3D350993888137 for the Grundfos IO-50? My well is on vacant land & would like something more HD to withstand the harsh desert & easy to lock out. My pump is a Grundfos 6 SQF-3.
    I know the switch must be a type 3R for outside use, but I'm not sure of any other specifics like the # of poles - I'm no electrician by a long shot.
    Thanks.

  • #2
    Originally posted by V8Vega View Post
    Hello. Can I substitute a switch like this GE http://www.ebay.com/itm/30-amp-GE-He...3D350993888137 for the Grundfos IO-50? My well is on vacant land & would like something more HD to withstand the harsh desert & easy to lock out. My pump is a Grundfos 6 SQF-3.
    I know the switch must be a type 3R for outside use, but I'm not sure of any other specifics like the # of poles - I'm no electrician by a long shot.
    Thanks.
    The switch appears to be a 3-pole switch, which spaces for three fuses. It is good for 600VAC pole to pole (but only 480VAC line to ground) and up to 250VDC.
    I am not familiar enough with the Grundfos part to say for sure that it is compatible, but I suspect that it is. If your wiring is single phase, you will just use one or two of the three poles of the switch.
    The design may be such that you will have to buy fuses for it or make dummy fuse connections to use it though. (There may not be screw terminals you can use to bypass the fuse holder.) Fuses may cost you a lot more than the cheap price of the switch itself.

    The Grundfos switch is rated at 300VDC, so if you are using a high DC voltage (more than 250V) then the GE switch will not serve the purpose unless you put two or more poles of the switch in series to increase the voltage handling capacity.
    Last edited by inetdog; 07-04-2014, 02:00 PM.
    SunnyBoy 3000 US, 18 BP Solar 175B panels.

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    • #3
      Originally posted by inetdog View Post
      The switch appears to be a 3-pole switch, which spaces for three fuses. It is good for 600VAC pole to pole (but only 480VAC line to ground) and up to 250VDC.
      I am not familiar enough with the Grundfos part to say for sure that it is compatible, but I suspect that it is. If your wiring is single phase, you will just use one or two of the three poles of the switch.
      The design may be such that you will have to buy fuses for it or make dummy fuse connections to use it though. (There may not be screw terminals you can use to bypass the fuse holder.) Fuses may cost you a lot more than the cheap price of the switch itself.

      The Grundfos switch is rated at 300VDC, so if you are using a high DC voltage (more than 250V) then the GE switch will not serve the purpose unless you put two or more poles of the switch in series to increase the voltage handling capacity.
      Thank you. It's not the cost, I need something tougher and more appropriate to be mounted on the pole out in the elements + the lock out deal which is critical. I was just using that box as an example.
      I'm running 6 Schott Poly-240 panels, so the voltage is under 250.
      I want to get the proper switch in this configuration.
      EDIT: This one should fit the bill right? It doesn't use fuses. - http://products.geindustrial.com/Ind...UMBER=THN3361R

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      • #4
        Looks OK on the surface, yes.
        SunnyBoy 3000 US, 18 BP Solar 175B panels.

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        • #5
          Glad to hear you got your system going. I talked to you on another forum when you were trying to figure out which direction you wanted to go. Would love to hear the details on how this one turned out.

          Another option is to find a NEMA 3R box that you can mount the Grundfos switch inside and be able to lock it.

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