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5.4 Safety Rope and Binding
Safety rope can prevent loss of the pump If
the drop pipe breaks, the rope will prevent strain on
the electrical cable and can be used to pull the pump
out. Use 1/4 in (6 mm) water well safety rope. It can
be purchased from your pump supplier or from a local
pump supplier. Polypropylene marine rope is also good.
DO NOT use nylon.
WARNING Motor cable strain
relief: Submersible motors must
use a safety rope or cable to act as
a strain relief for the motor cable
and to avoid losing the pump in
the well if the pipe breaks.
Secure the safety rope at the wellhead Prepare to
tie the rope inside the well casing. If your well cap does
not have a place to tie the rope, drill a hole in the casing
and install an eye-bolt. Prepare this detail BEFORE you
install the pump. See section 12.4, Wellhead Assembly
for Drilled Wells
Bind the drop pipe/cable/wires/rope with tape
Lay out the pipe, submersible cable, probe wires and
rope on the ground. Do not twist them together. Bind
everything to the pipe about every 10 ft (3 – 4 m) using
vinyl tape. Use either standard (UL-listed) electrical tape
(about 6 to 8 turns) or “pipe wrap tape”, which is wider
and requires fewer turns. Pipe wrap tape is available
from plumbing and electric supply stores. Remember
that the pipe will stretch, and the cable will not. Leave
a slight excess length of cable between each wrap as
illustrated.
WARNING Do not use nylon cable
ties in water. Nylon absorbs water
and gets weak after a few years.
To bind the pump cable to the
drop pipe, use vinyl electrical tape
or pipe-wrap tape.
WARNING when using flexible
POLYETHYLENE (PE) pipe, allow for
pipe stretch. Make the cable,
probe wires and rope longer than
the pipe, to prevent tension when
the pipe stretches.
>> cable & wires – 1.5 % longer
than pipe
>> rope – 1 % longer than pipe
Distribute the excess length along the length of the
pipe (as illustrated) and leave a little more excess length
around the splice. If the water is highly mineralized or
has high biological activity, you may choose to hang the
low-water probe separately from the pipe, cable and
rope, so it can be pulled up separately for inspection or
service. See section 4.10, Low Water Probe
WARNING Safety rope for well
pump installation is for emergency
pump removal. It must not be a
primary means of support. Make it
slightly longer than the drop pipe
so it does not bear any weight.
WARNING Do not use nylon rope in
water. Nylon absorbs water and
weakens after a few years. Failure
can cause damage or loss of your
equipment. Use polypropylene
rope made for water well or
marine applications
WARNING Plastic rope will weaken
from long exposure to sunlight.
Secure it INSIDE the well casing to
avoid exposure. If sun exposure
cannot be avoided, use stainless
steel wire rope.
bind the submersible cable,
low-water probe wires and
safety rope to the pipe.
pipe wrap tape or electrical tape
located at about every 10 ft (3 m)
over the length of the pipe
submersible cable splice
low water probe
(not shown)
tie safety rope here
Figure 21: Safety rope
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