Wiring two devices witha common neutral

[bm]

I have a remote water pump which I connected to the mains via a cable which I acquired from a friend which has 4 wires. After the pump had been working for some time I decided to fit a 13amp socket adjacent to the pump and I made use of the 4th wire as the live wire and made the neutral common to the pump and socket I found that the only time the socket was alive was when the pump was working. Is there any way I can avoid running another neutral to the socket which is a considerable distance away and underground? Blair

[ARWadsworth]

Is the problem that the pump is not running 24 hours a day and the control switch you use for the pump is switching the live (to the pump) and neutral supply (to both the pump and the socket?

With a little more detail of the switching set up I will be able to give more help.

Cheers

[bm]

Thanks for your reply The pump is controlled by a pressure switch and is only live when pumping. As the water tap is turned on the pressure in the system is reduced until the setting for turning on the pump is reached. The pressure in the system at rest is provided by a pressure vessel Hope that helps Blair

[bm]

Thanks for you help The pump is normally stationary and pumps only when the pressure switch is activated The switch controls both live and neutral I had forgotten that the neutral is switched as well So it seems that I will have to run another neutral cable underground which is a bit of a nuisance The switch is in the garage and the pump is approximately 100 ft away Unless you can suggest an alternative Blair

[ARWadsworth]

Make the neutral to the pump a permanent neutral. Pretty much what fred said.

Cheers

Adam