Well Pump Installer study guide
Well Pump Installer · Work through your exam, one topic at a time.
The Well Pump Installer credential - also written as Certified Pump Installer or NGWA Certified Pump Installer - is a professional certification aimed at the people who set up and service water well pumping systems: pump installers, well contractors, and field technicians who want a recognized marker of competence beyond a state license. Candidates are typically expected to combine hands-on field experience with working knowledge of codes, manufacturer literature, and basic hydraulic and electrical calculations. The Well Pump Installer study guide has 5 sections and about 1,506 words.
01Pump and Water System Components
A submersible system is a chain, and each link must match the others: a multi-stage centrifugal pump (stacked impellers and diffusers), a water-filled or oil-filled motor, drop pipe, submersible cable with a waterproof splice, a check valve, a torque arrestor or cable guard, a pitless adapter, a sanitary well cap, a pressure tank, a pressure switch, and a gauge. Know the job and the typical failure of each.
338 words, about 2 min02Hydraulics, Sizing, and System Design
Total dynamic head (TDH) equals vertical lift from the pumping water level to the discharge point, plus drawdown, plus pressure head, plus friction. Convert pressure to feet with psi x 2.31, so a 60 psi cut-out is about 139 ft of head.
305 words, about 2 min03Electrical Systems, Motors, and Controls
Understand two-wire versus three-wire motors, control box function, start capacitors and relays, and overload protection. Motor diagnostics rest on two tests: winding resistance, which should be balanced across leads and close to the manufacturer value, and insulation resistance measured with a megohmmeter with all leads disconnected.
293 words, about 1 min04Installation, Startup, and Commissioning
Record static water level, pump setting depth, cable length, and motor resistance and insulation readings before assembly. Assemble the pump with the check valve, torque arrestor, cable guards, and a waterproof heat-shrink splice, then lower it on the drop pipe, securing the cable so its weight is not carried by the splice.
298 words, about 1 min05Troubleshooting, Service, and Safety/Regulatory Compliance
Work from the source outward. For no water, check for voltage at the pressure switch line side, then the load side, then the control box, capacitor, overload, and finally the motor.
272 words, about 1 min