[weetamoe79]

How do I make certain that my well pump is grounded? Two pumps have burned out in three years. Both were installed by different people. Last installer thought both pumps were struck by lightening (insurance company will not cover unless I give them the exact date of lightening strike). Approximately 20 feet away from the pump, there is a grounding rod outside the house near the electric meter. Inside the basement near the water pipe, there is a thin copper wire wrapped around a copper pipe and attached to a screw in the wall. Is this enough to ground the pump? Thanks for any information you can provide.

[jerro]

Sounds like the screw in the wall is just to support the copper pipe and not a ground. I'm assuming your well pump is in your basement and not in the ground. That pump should be grounded through your electrical feed by a ground wire back to the electrical panel.

[hkstroud]

there is a thin copper wire wrapped around a copper pipe and attached to a screw in the wall.

That doesn't sound like a proper ground to me. Show us a picture.

What makes the well man think it was a lightening strike. If it was , you most likely would have seen other signs. Which is why insurance company is saying show me proof. While grounding is for lightening protection I don't think it guarantees no damage. Grounding is also done through the ground wire connection to the ground rod.

Short pump life could be caused by short cycleing cause by water logged tank, or voltage drop cause by incorrect size wire and probably a number of other things.