Baker IEC Starter Kits for Three-Phase Submersible Motors

Every Baker three-phase submersible motor requires a starter kit — it's the above-ground switching assembly that safely energizes and protects the motor. Baker's IEC starter kits ship fully assembled with a NEMA 1 enclosure, correctly sized contactor, and properly rated overload relay, all pre-wired with the correct voltage coil for your electrical supply. This eliminates the guesswork and code risk of sourcing individual components from different manufacturers, and it means your starter is factory-matched to Baker motor specifications from day one.

Starter kits are available in three voltage configurations — 230V, 460V, and 575V — covering motors from 1/2 HP through 75 HP. The 4-inch motor kits handle residential and light commercial applications from 1/2 to 10 HP, while the 6-inch through 10-inch kits extend the range to 75 HP for municipal water supply, agricultural irrigation, and industrial dewatering systems. Each kit's overload is calibrated to the specific motor amperage it's designed to protect, so proper HP and voltage matching is critical.

4-Inch Submersible Motor Starter Kits

These kits cover Baker's complete 4-inch three-phase motor range. The 230V kits are most common in residential and light commercial applications, while 460V and 575V kits serve commercial and industrial installations with higher voltage service.

Starter Kits with 230V Coil 230V

Starter Kits with 460V Coil 460V

Starter Kits with 575V Coil 575V

6-Inch Through 10-Inch Motor Starter Kits (Commercial & Municipal)

For larger submersible motors used in municipal water supply, commercial irrigation, and industrial applications, Baker offers starter kits covering 5 HP through 75 HP. These kits use heavier-duty contactors and overloads sized for the significantly higher current draw of large three-phase motors. The 460V kits are the most common in this range since most commercial three-phase service runs at 460V.

Large Motor Starter Kits — 230V Coil 230V

Large Motor Starter Kits — 460V Coil 460V

Large Motor Starter Kits — 575V Coil 575V

What's Included in Every Baker Starter Kit

Each Baker IEC starter kit ships as a complete, ready-to-install assembly. There are no loose parts to wire together and no separate components to source. Here's exactly what you get:

What AutoDRIVE Does & Why It Matters

A standard well pump system has one speed: full on. When the pressure switch calls for water, the pump runs at 100% until the pressure tank is full, then shuts off. This creates the familiar pressure fluctuation everyone with a well system knows — strong pressure when the pump kicks on, weakening pressure as the tank empties, a brief dip as the pump restarts. It's especially noticeable when someone flushes a toilet while you're in the shower.

Baker's AutoDRIVE VFD eliminates this entirely. Instead of running the pump at full speed or not at all, the AutoDRIVE continuously adjusts motor speed to match real-time water demand. Open one faucet, and the pump runs at 30%. Turn on the irrigation system, and it ramps to 80%. The result is rock-steady, constant pressure at every fixture — just like city water. It also dramatically reduces the size of pressure tank required (since the VFD handles demand dynamically), cuts energy consumption by not running the pump harder than necessary, and reduces mechanical wear from constant start/stop cycling.

AutoDRIVE is American-made, built into a rugged NEMA 3R powder-coated steel enclosure rated for outdoor installation, and can be set up in five steps or less using the large backlit graphic display that's visible even in direct sunlight. It comes in two configurations: single-phase output for residential 2-wire and 3-wire motors up to 2 HP, and three-phase output for 3-wire motors from 2 to 5 HP.

AutoDRIVE Models — Single Phase vs. Three Phase

AutoDRIVE Product Lineup & Pricing

AutoDRIVE Technical Specifications

AutoDRIVE Key Features

SD1 Control Method: Pressure Switch vs. Transducer

The SD1 single-phase AutoDRIVE comes in two variants that differ only in how they sense system pressure. This choice matters more than most people realize.

Our recommendation: if you're investing in a VFD system to get constant pressure, spend the extra $213 for the transducer model. The whole point of the AutoDRIVE is tight pressure control, and the transducer gives you meaningfully tighter regulation than a mechanical switch can deliver.

AutoDRIVE Replacement Parts

One of the advantages of the AutoDRIVE over competing VFDs is full parts availability. If a component fails, you don't replace the entire drive — you swap the specific board or part. Baker stocks individual components for field repair:

Starter Kit vs. AutoDRIVE: Which Do You Need?

These two products serve completely different purposes, but customers confuse them constantly. Here's the decision framework:

The simple rule: if your motor is three-phase and you just need it to start and stop with overload protection, you need a starter kit. If you want constant, steady water pressure from your well system (and your motor is 5 HP or under), you want the AutoDRIVE. They are not interchangeable — the AutoDRIVE replaces both the starter/control box AND the pressure switch in your system.

Frequently Asked Questions