what am I doing wrong (wiring) Update

[Droodles1]

I have run into a road block while wiring up my contol box I finally was able to wire the main power plug so when I turn flip the main power switch I don't trip the breaker . What I have problems with is i have 2 single outlets for the pumps to plug in and I want them on a switch to power them on and off. This is what I have



switch





So Here is what I did and it does not work
connected black wire to brass screw on outlet to position 3 on switch
connected black wire postion 2 on switch to hot bus
white wire to silver screw on outlet to netrual bus
green wire to greeb screw on outlet to ground bus
greeb wire from postion 1 to ground bus

When I hit the switch I get no power to the outlet what am I doing wrong

[codewritinfool]

I am not an electrician.

You only need two wires on that switch. Get rid of that green wire on the switch. I suspect that that is a SPDT switch with the center as the common, and when in the alternate position, the power on the input is connected to ground, tripping your breaker.

Tape up that now unused terminal on the switch because it'll have power on it in the alternate position.

After doing this, if you have no power then you've burned up your switch. You really need a VOM to verify the topology of the switch and that it still works.

[BadRock]

Does it blow the breaker in either position as it is currently wired? My guess is that it is like Code says or it is a SPST that uses a ground/neutral for the illumination.

Do you have a Volt/Ohm meter?

[Bugeater]

I am curious as to the voltage you are wiring this for. The outlet pictured is a 220V 20 amp outlet. Are you indeed wiring a 220 volt circuit?

Wayne

[codewritinfool]

Bug is right. That's a NEMA 6-20R socket. A few thoughts:

If you really are in Maryland and wiring a 240VAC outlet, then a single-pole switch is not safe anyway, because only switching one pole leaves one pin position on the socket energized at all times relative to the ground pin. Secondly, if you are intending to power anything high-power, you should be considering a relay, and use the panel switch to control the relay.

You could also make friends with an electrician and trade some homebrew for a safe system. I am not an electrician.

[Kbar]

You should be attempting a simple household 110V circuit, with the assumption that you have a pump much like 99% of us in the HB world, 110V. I do not care for the wall plate swiutch style, but it is just that simple. Interrupt one of the poles on the circuit to the pump. KISS principle.

see here.

http://www.do-it-yourself-help.com/wiring_switches.html

Allied/McMsater/MSC/etc. will have many 110V options to use for your box if you so not want to use Household equipment. Normally open SPST switch. Look up NEMA switches at Mcmaster.com

Take care!

[SoCalBrewer]

Is that switch rated for 120, and I believe you don't need a ground in that switch. As long as the plug is grounded there is no need to add a ground to that. Maybe I'm lucky cause none of my switches have ground wires on them just the wire that controls the electrical flow to the pump or heating elements. Unless they are lighted switched they have the neutral wires to them for the light.

[CodeRage]

switch wiring.
pin 3 should goto 110v
pin 2 should goto the black wire of the pump
pin 1 should goto neutral
*Don't bond neutral to ground. the ground conductor is not intended to be a current carrying conductor. The only place these two should be bonded is in the service panel.

pump wiring.
pin 2 of the switch to black
ground to green
neutral to white.

If it doesn't work, double check the pin out of the switch. I thought the bronze pin normally went to neutral...

Now if you are running 240v to the pumps and they are rated for 240 there should not be a white wire on the pump. It will be red instead (or should be)
If that is the case then wire everything the same except wire the red wire to the second leg of 240. I would hazard to guess that you got the wrong socket image though..