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Baker Submersible Pump Starter Kit & Auto Drive
Availability
Type
Voltage
Price
$0
$3,067.51
A.Y. McDonald Starter Kit - Three Wire Three Phase 230V/460V/575V, 5-75 HP
A.Y. McDonald
A.Y. McDonald Starter Kit - Three Wire Three Phase 230V/460V/575V, 5-75 HP
- Price
- From $718.42
A.Y. McDonald IEC Starter Kit for Three Phase Submersible Motors - 1/2-10 HP
A.Y. McDonald
A.Y. McDonald IEC Starter Kit for Three Phase Submersible Motors - 1/2-10 HP
- Price
- From $637.66
A.Y. McDonald AutoDRIVE Variable Frequency Drive - 2-5 HP
A.Y. McDonald
A.Y. McDonald AutoDRIVE Variable Frequency Drive - 2-5 HP
- Price
- From $1,157.75
Baker Submersible Pump Starter Kit & Auto Drive
Description
Authorized Baker Water Systems Dealer · Houston, TX
Baker Starter Kits
& AutoDRIVE
VFD
Two ways to run a submersible motor. The IEC starter kit is the conventional path for three-phase motors — a pre-assembled contactor and calibrated overload covering 1/2 through 75 HP in 230V, 460V, and 575V coils. The American-made AutoDRIVE VFD is the modern path: variable-speed control that holds one constant pressure at every fixture, shrinks the tank, and can even run a three-phase motor from single-phase house power.
1/2–75 HP
Starter Kit Coverage
3 Coils
230V · 460V · 575V
To 5 HP
AutoDRIVE Constant Pressure
Made in USA
AutoDRIVE · NEMA 3R Outdoor
Start Here
Starter Kit or AutoDRIVE?
Customers confuse these constantly, and they serve completely different purposes. Thirty seconds here settles it.
Three-phase motor just needs to start, stop, and stay protected?
The starter kit: NEMA 1 enclosure, IEC contactor sized to the motor's full-load amps, and a thermal overload pre-calibrated to its HP. Conventional pressure-switch operation, 1/2 through 75 HP.
→ IEC Starter Kit
Tired of pressure swinging between the shower and the sprinklers?
The AutoDRIVE varies motor speed to match demand in real time — one steady pressure at every fixture, city-water feel from a private well, through 5 HP.
→ AutoDRIVE VFD
Want a three-phase motor but only have single-phase power?
The AutoDRIVE SD3 converts 230V single-phase input to 230V three-phase output — a 2, 3, or 5 HP three-phase submersible running on ordinary residential service, with constant pressure included.
→ AutoDRIVE SD3
Ordering a Baker three-phase pump too?
Check the suffix first. Standard three-phase pumps ship with the starter kit in the carton — only LS (Less Starter) orders and standalone motors need a kit added.
→ Check the LS Suffix
Three-Phase Motors · Pre-Assembled · Factory-Matched
IEC Starter Kits — 1/2 Through 75 HP
Every three-phase submersible motor requires a starter: the above-ground assembly that safely energizes the motor and disconnects it before an overload cooks the windings. Baker's kits arrive fully assembled and pre-wired — no sourcing contactors and overloads from three manufacturers and hoping the coordination is right, and no code risk from a field-built panel.
| Coil Voltage | HP Coverage | Typical Service |
|---|---|---|
| 230V | 1/2–30 HP | Residential & light commercial three-phase |
| 460V | 1/2–75 HP | Most commercial & municipal service — widest coverage |
| 575V | 1 1/2–50 HP | Canadian & select industrial supply |
Two families cover the catalog: the 4" motor kits run 1/2 through 10 HP for residential and light commercial systems, and the large-motor kits run 5 through 75 HP with heavier-duty contactors and overloads for Baker's 6" through 10" three-phase motors in municipal, irrigation, and industrial service.
⚠ Two Matches, Both Mandatory
Coil voltage matches your electrical supply — and the motor nameplate must be wound for the same voltage. HP matches the motor exactly — each kit's overload is calibrated to a specific motor amperage, so a 5 HP kit on a 7 1/2 HP motor protects nothing. Wrong sizing is the most common ordering mistake on this page; send us the motor nameplate and we confirm in minutes.
Inside Every Baker Starter Kit
EnclosureNEMA 1 steel with conduit knockouts
ContactorIEC-rated, sized to motor full-load amps ✓
Overload relayThermal, pre-calibrated to motor HP ✓
Coil voltage230V, 460V, or 575V — matched to supply
AssemblyFactory mounted & wired ✓
Field installationConnect incoming power and motor leads — done
4" motor kits1/2–10 HP
Large motor kits5–75 HP for 6"–10" motors
Constant Pressure · Variable Speed · Made in USA
AutoDRIVE Variable Frequency Drive
A conventional well system has one speed — full on — and pressure that swings between cut-in and cut-out on every cycle. Strong when the pump kicks on, fading as the tank empties, dipping when someone flushes mid-shower. The AutoDRIVE ends that pattern entirely.
Instead of full-speed-or-off, the AutoDRIVE continuously adjusts motor speed to match real-time demand. One faucet open, the pump idles along; the irrigation zone starts, it ramps. The result is one rock-steady pressure at every fixture — city-water feel from a private well — plus a pressure tank shrunk to a small buffer, energy use that tracks demand instead of running flat out, and far less start/stop wear on the motor.
The drive lives at the wellhead in a NEMA 3R powder-coated steel enclosure rated for outdoor installation from -4°F to 122°F, with insect guards and pre-cut conduit openings. Setup runs five steps or less on a large backlit graphic display readable in direct sunlight — no laptop, no proprietary software. It carries its own motor protection (overload, over/under voltage), replacing both the conventional control and the pressure switch.
Coverage: through 5 HP
Enclosure: NEMA 3R outdoor
Setup: 5 steps, no laptop
Origin: Made in USA
Shrinks the Pressure Tank
Because the drive holds pressure dynamically, the system needs only a small captive-air buffer instead of a full-size tank — real wellhouse space and tank cost recovered.
Gentler on the Motor
Soft ramping and demand-matched speed eliminate the hard start/stop cycling that ages conventional systems — the quiet second benefit after the pressure itself.
Field-Repairable by Design
Inverter boards, control board, keypad, transducer, pressure switch, fan kit, and enclosure cover all stock as individual parts — a qualified electrician swaps a board instead of replacing the whole drive. A genuine advantage over throwaway VFDs.
Two Models · One Decision
AutoDRIVE SD1 vs SD3
Residential
SD1 · 1Ph Out
Runs your existing single-phase motor
- Motor fit2-wire & 3-wire single phase
- HPThrough 2 HP
- Input115/230V single phase
- OutputSingle phase, equal to input
- ControlPressure switch or transducer models
High Demand
SD3 · 3Ph Out
Three-phase motor on single-phase house power
- Motor fit3-wire three phase
- HP2, 3 & 5 HP
- Input230V single phase
- Output230V three phase — conversion built in
- ControlPressure transducer
SD1 Only: Pressure Switch or Transducer?
The switch model senses pressure with mechanical contacts (roughly ±2–3 PSI regulation); the transducer model reads a continuous electronic signal (roughly ±0.5 PSI) with no contacts to wear. If constant pressure is the reason you're buying a VFD, the transducer is the version that fully delivers it — our standing recommendation, and the reason the SD3 line is transducer-only.
The Decision Framework
Starter Kit vs AutoDRIVE — Side by Side
They are not interchangeable: the starter kit starts a three-phase motor conventionally; the AutoDRIVE replaces both the control and the pressure switch with variable-speed operation.
| Criteria | IEC Starter Kit | AutoDRIVE VFD |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Start/stop and overload protection | Variable-speed control for constant pressure |
| Motor type | Three-phase only | Single-phase (SD1) or three-phase (SD3) |
| HP coverage | 1/2–75 HP | Through 5 HP |
| Pressure behavior | Cycles between cut-in and cut-out | Holds one constant set pressure |
| Tank requirement | Full-size pressure tank | Small buffer tank only |
| Energy use | Full speed whenever running | Speed tracks demand |
| Replaces pressure switch | No — switch still cycles the system | Yes — sensing built into the drive |
| Best application | Standard wells, commercial, municipal, irrigation | Wells wanting city-water-like pressure, ≤5 HP |
The simple rule: three-phase motor that just needs to run → starter kit. Constant, steady pressure on a motor of 5 HP or less → AutoDRIVE.
Technical FAQ
Common Questions
Do I need a starter kit if I'm buying a Baker three-phase pump?
Check the model suffix. Standard three-phase Baker pumps include the starter kit in the carton. If the model ends in LS (Less Starter), the kit is not included and must be ordered separately — LS ordering exists for builds pairing the pump with an AutoDRIVE or a starter you already own. Check before ordering, or you'll own two.
What's the difference between a starter kit and a control box?
Phase. A control box serves single-phase three-wire motors — capacitors and a relay managing the single-phase starting sequence. A starter kit serves three-phase motors, which start without capacitors and need only the contactor and calibrated overload. Single phase → control box (its own collection). Three phase → starter kit, here.
How do I pick the starter kit voltage?
Match the coil to your electrical supply — 230V for most residential three-phase, 460V for most commercial and municipal service, 575V for Canadian and select industrial installations — and confirm the motor nameplate is wound for the same voltage. Then match HP exactly: the overload is calibrated to a specific motor amperage, and oversizing it removes the protection you're buying.
Can the SD3 really run a three-phase motor on my home's single-phase power?
Yes — it's the model's defining feature. The SD3 accepts 230V single-phase input from a standard residential panel and outputs 230V three-phase to the motor in 2, 3, and 5 HP sizes. It's how a home with ordinary utility service runs an efficient three-phase submersible, with constant pressure, from one wall-mounted unit.
Does the AutoDRIVE replace my pressure switch and control box?
Both. The drive handles pressure sensing (transducer or switch, depending on model), motor starting and speed, and motor protection — overload plus over- and under-voltage — in one unit. What remains of the conventional system is a small buffer tank in place of the full-size pressure tank.
Will the AutoDRIVE work with a non-Baker motor?
Yes — it's a standard VFD that runs any submersible motor within its HP and voltage ratings, though it was designed around Baker motor electrical characteristics and performs best matched to one. Using another brand, verify the motor's full-load amperage falls within the drive's rated output current before ordering; send us the nameplate and we'll confirm.
Can an AutoDRIVE be repaired in the field?
Yes — and it's a real differentiator. Inverter boards, the control board, keypad, transducer, pressure switch, fan kit, and enclosure cover are all stocked as individual replacement parts, so a qualified electrician swaps the failed component instead of replacing the entire drive. Competing VFDs that fail as sealed units don't offer that math.
Is a starter kit hard to install?
It arrives as a complete assembly — contactor and overload mounted and wired inside the NEMA 1 enclosure at the factory. Field work is connecting incoming power and outgoing motor leads through the conduit knockouts. As with any line-voltage equipment, the wiring belongs with a licensed electrician per local code.
Wrong Sizing Is the Most Common Mistake — Let's Prevent It
Send your motor's HP, voltage, phase, and wire configuration and we confirm the exact starter kit or AutoDRIVE model — a five-minute check that prevents a costly return and re-order.
sales@watermainsupply.com
281.664.8000Free Matching & Technical Support
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Authorized DealerBaker Water Systems · Starters & AutoDRIVE
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