Tube-Well Motor Starter & Protection Panel Pakistan 2026 — 3HP / 5HP / 7.5HP / 10HP BoM
What goes into a Pakistani tube-well motor protection panel?
A correctly-sized Pakistani tube-well control panel for a 3-HP to 10-HP submersible motor needs eight components in series: main isolator, MCB, magnetic contactor with start/stop pushbuttons, thermal overload relay, phase-sequence relay (for 3-phase), capacitor (for single-phase motors), pilot indicator lights, and an over-voltage / under-voltage protector. Cost ranges from PKR 7,500 for a basic 3-HP single-phase panel up to PKR 35,000 for a 10-HP 3-phase panel with full IEC-compliant protection. Sizing is driven by motor full-load current (FLA), starting inrush (6-8× FLA), and the maximum prospective short-circuit current (Isc) at the irrigation pump house.
Motor FLA reference (Pakistani 230V single-phase + 400V 3-phase)
| Motor | Single-phase 230V FLA | 3-phase 400V FLA | Inrush (LRC) ~6-7× |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 HP (2.2 kW) | ~14 A | ~5 A | 85-100 A |
| 5 HP (3.7 kW) | ~23 A | ~7.5 A | 140-160 A |
| 7.5 HP (5.5 kW) | ~34 A (rarely 1φ) | ~11 A | 210-240 A |
| 10 HP (7.5 kW) | — (use 3φ) | ~15 A | 95-110 A (3φ) |
Above 7.5 HP, single-phase is impractical — switch to 3-phase. Submersible-pump motors have higher LRC (locked-rotor current) than surface motors; use the inrush column for sizing contactor AC-6b duty.
BoM — 3 HP single-phase Pakistani tube-well
| Component | Spec | CNC SKU | PKR |
|---|---|---|---|
| Main isolator | 2P 32A 220V | YCB7-63N 2P 32A | 900 |
| Branch MCB | 2P 20A C-curve | YCB7-63N 2P 20A | 900 |
| Magnetic contactor | 3P 18A AC-3, 220V coil | CJX2i 3P 18A | 2,200 |
| Overload relay | 12-18A adjustable | JR28S 12-18A | 1,650 |
| Capacitor (run) | 35 μF 450V | Motor-run cap (allied) | 450 |
| VA protector | 2P 40A 120-300V | YC7VA-2P 40A | 1,750 |
| Start/Stop pushbuttons | Red+Green LAY5-EA45 | LAY5-EA45 pair | 550 |
| Pilot indicators | 220V red + green | YCD9-1 R/G (order) | 650 |
| DB enclosure | 8-way steel IP-44 | YCX6 8-way | 3,600 |
| Subtotal | 12,650 |
BoM — 5 HP single-phase Pakistani tube-well
Same architecture, up-sized to handle 23 A FLA + 150 A inrush. Key changes:
- Main isolator → 2P 40A (PKR 1,200)
- MCB → 2P 32A C-curve (PKR 1,050)
- Contactor → CJX2i 3P 32A AC-3 (PKR 3,400)
- Overload → JR28S 23-32A (PKR 2,150)
- Capacitor → 55 µF 450V motor-run (PKR 750)
- VA protector → YC7VA-2P 63A (PKR 1,900)
- Subtotal: ~PKR 16,500
BoM — 7.5 HP 3-phase Pakistani tube-well
Switch to 3-phase for efficiency + smaller cable. Add a phase-sequence relay (mandatory for 3-phase submersible motors).
| Component | Spec | CNC SKU | PKR |
|---|---|---|---|
| Main isolator | 4P 32A | YCB7-63N 4P 32A | 1,900 |
| Branch MCB | 3P 20A D-curve (motor) | YCB7-63N 3P 20A | 1,350 |
| Contactor | 3P 18A AC-3 (LRA covered) | CJX2i 3P 18A | 2,200 |
| Overload | 9-13A adjustable | JR28S 9-13A | 1,650 |
| Phase sequence relay | 3-phase XJ3-D | XJ3-D | 3,500 |
| VA protector | 4P 63A 230-300V | YC7VA-4P 63A (order) | 6,950 |
| Push-buttons + indicators | R/G + 3 phase pilots | LAY5-EA45 + YCD9-1 | 1,500 |
| DB enclosure | 12-way steel | YCX6 12-way | 4,300 |
| Subtotal | 23,350 |
BoM — 10 HP 3-phase (deep-well industrial)
- Main isolator → 4P 40A YCB7-63N (PKR 1,900)
- MCB → 3P 25A D-curve YCB7-63N (PKR 1,350)
- Contactor → CJX2i 3P 25A AC-3 (PKR 3,400)
- Overload → JR28S 17-25A (PKR 1,650)
- Phase sequence → XJ3-D (PKR 3,500)
- VA protector → YC7VA-4P 100A (PKR 7,800)
- Enclosure → YCX6 16-way steel (PKR 5,150)
- Push-buttons + 5 pilot indicators + emergency stop → PKR 2,000
- Subtotal: ~PKR 30,000
Critical Pakistani-installer mistakes on tube-well panels
- Sizing contactor for FLA, not LRC — submersibles draw 6-8× FLA at start. A contactor sized for 5A nominal welds on first start of a 5 HP motor. Use AC-6b duty rating; sized 1.6× FLA minimum.
- Skipping phase-sequence relay on 3-phase — when WAPDA swaps phases (common after maintenance), the motor runs reverse, lifting the impeller off the seat = pump dry = burnt motor. XJ3-D prevents this for PKR 3,500.
- Wrong overload trip class — submersibles need Class 30 overload (slow trip on inrush). Class 10 trips on every start. JR28S-S is Class 10A by default; for submersibles use Class 30 (special order).
- No dry-run protection — when water table drops, motor runs dry. Use a dry-run sensor (level switch or current-sensor) to trip the contactor before burnout.
- Under-sized cable from panel to motor — voltage drop > 5% lengthens start time, overheats motor. Pakistani submersibles often use 4mm² copper cable for 100m+ depth where 6-10mm² is correct.
- No surge protection on remote pumphouses — open-field pumphouses are lightning magnets. Type 2 SPD (YCS6-B) at the panel + earth bonding.
- Forgetting capacitor de-rating on hot summer — motor-run cap rated 450V degrades fast in 60°C panel temperature. Use 500V or 550V rating in Pakistani climate.
Standards
- IEC 60947-4-1 — Contactors and motor starters
- IEC 60947-4-1 §8 Class 10/20/30 — Overload relay trip classes
- IEC 60898-1 — MCB residential branch (use for sub-15kW)
- IEC 60947-2 — MCCB industrial branch (above 15kW)
- NEPRA Regulation — agricultural tube-well tariff slabs (verify with your DISCO)
Related buyer guides
Magnetic contactors · Circuit breakers · Voltage protectors · PFC capacitor for tube-well