# Running a well pump on solar...



## seedspreader (Oct 18, 2004)

I would assume wind would be best, but our well isn't deep in this area, figure 100 feet or less. What would be required to run a pump for say an hour or two a day during a power outage? The panels would be dedicated just to the pump.


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## mightybooboo (Feb 10, 2004)

110 or 220 volt? And starting amp draw.

BooBoo


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## Aintlifegrand (Jun 3, 2005)

Is there a solar pump for a well that you can buy instead of the electrical pumps?


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## mightybooboo (Feb 10, 2004)

Aintlifegrand said:


> Is there a solar pump for a well that you can buy instead of the electrical pumps?


Yep,run on a single panel.Pricey tho......

http://divpower.com/store_pattypump.htm

BooBoo


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## Aintlifegrand (Jun 3, 2005)

Thanks. We are finally getting the well in and that was what I wanted to have installed. Any company you think better than another to purchase the pump. Where should I begin looking rather than just googling?


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## mightybooboo (Feb 10, 2004)

Aintlifegrand said:


> Thanks. We are finally getting the well in and that was what I wanted to have installed. Any company you think better than another to purchase the pump. Where should I begin looking rather than just googling?


Google away,so many different choices,but pricey,my oh my,they are pricey.
Maybe Solar Gary has some innovative links?

BooBoo


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## jnap31 (Sep 16, 2005)

I wanted one also but I sure dont want to spend 1k plus on one. I just wanted a shallow well one for 35 feet or so.


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## wy_white_wolf (Oct 14, 2004)

Shurflo's 9300 series can be found for well under $1000, usually around $700. I picked one up new off of ebay for $450, but haven't hooked it up yet.


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## seedspreader (Oct 18, 2004)

mightybooboo said:


> Yep,run on a single panel.Pricey tho......
> 
> http://divpower.com/store_pattypump.htm
> 
> BooBoo


Pricey is an understatment...


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## seedspreader (Oct 18, 2004)

wy_white_wolf said:


> Shurflo's 9300 series can be found for well under $1000, usually around $700. I picked one up new off of ebay for $450, but haven't hooked it up yet.


http://www.energyoutfitters.com/def...fitters.com/products/water_pumps/shurflo.shtm


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## Jim-mi (May 15, 2002)

ZYG.....Stop to think what the weather conditions could/would be during a grid power outage. You might get thirsty waiting for a sunny day.
And if you dedicate some PV to -Just- that pump,..then you could be wasteing a hugh amount of potential PV energy.

Grundfos has some very good *soft start* 120vac pumps---around $580. Worth the bucks so as not to have to use a BIG inverter just for the start surge. They say a 1200 watt inverter will power these pumps.

Grundfos also has the SQFlex series that can run on PV (a lot of it) an inverter, a battery, a generator, or the grid. And yes the price is $1500.

And of course its easy to pump water with the wind........when the wind is blowing.

Theres a lot more options for pumping water *today* than just a short time ago.


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## seedspreader (Oct 18, 2004)

Jim-mi said:


> ZYG.....Stop to think what the weather conditions could/would be during a grid power outage. You might get thirsty waiting for a sunny day.
> And if you dedicate some PV to -Just- that pump,..then you could be wasteing a hugh amount of potential PV energy.
> 
> Grundfos has some very good *soft start* 120vac pumps---around $580. Worth the bucks so as not to have to use a BIG inverter just for the start surge. They say a 1200 watt inverter will power these pumps.
> ...


Well (no pun intended), I was talking about batteries and inverter also, I suppose I was just figuring that was assumed. Sorry.


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## Jim-mi (May 15, 2002)

Yup, A *hybrid* system (I think) is the only way to go.

PV---Wind---Batterys---Inverter


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## Tango (Aug 19, 2002)

Gas generator $480, ac motor/pump $250, gasoline about $2.71/gal , pipes, don't remember :shrug: After checking out the prices of alternatively powered well motors/pumps, I went with conventional. Some of them are not only pricey but a little "iffy" with starting surges and less than optimum water quality.


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## seedspreader (Oct 18, 2004)

Jim-mi said:


> Yup, A *hybrid* system (I think) is the only way to go.
> 
> PV---Wind---Batterys---Inverter


So with a typical well pump, how many panels would you need?


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## caballoviejo (Sep 6, 2004)

Just curious. I've got to drill a househouled well anyway, on grid electricity. Probably 160 - 200 feet, maybe less if I can actually get a driller to go shallow. 

Anyway, just curious, is there a way I could slip down to the bottom of the same hole a small (I mean really small) solar pump to bring up a couple of hundred gallons a day to help keep water in a stock-sized pond that I use as a water cache? Solar would be great because the cache pond could use the added water exactly when it was sunny, hot, and dry - not night or cloudy winter.


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## SolarGary (Sep 8, 2005)

caballoviejo said:


> Just curious. I've got to drill a househouled well anyway, on grid electricity. Probably 160 - 200 feet, maybe less if I can actually get a driller to go shallow.
> 
> Anyway, just curious, is there a way I could slip down to the bottom of the same hole a small (I mean really small) solar pump to bring up a couple of hundred gallons a day to help keep water in a stock-sized pond that I use as a water cache? Solar would be great because the cache pond could use the added water exactly when it was sunny, hot, and dry - not night or cloudy winter.


Hi,
You might find a way to do it here:
http://www.builditsolar.com/Projects/WaterPumping/waterpumping.htm

Gary


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## Jim-mi (May 15, 2002)

ZYG, thats a loaded question.
Just what do you define as a *typical* well pump ... ?

cab, "really small"---"couple hundred gallons"........not likely.
thats wishfull thinking.


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## rambler (Jan 20, 2004)

caballoviejo said:


> Just curious. I've got to drill a househouled well anyway, on grid electricity. Probably 160 - 200 feet, maybe less if I can actually get a driller to go shallow.


I know little about it, am reading this thread to learn.

You may wish to look at western USA livestock publications - they have various ads & suppliers for solar water supplies for livestock watering, from windmill pumps to solar pannels & pumps.

Not just homesteaders are doing this, look outside the box. 

However, it is not a cheap thing - a low torq motor to pump water that high & solar panels to run it won't be a bargin bin item for sure.

--->Paul


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## JAK (Oct 15, 2005)

In my thinking if you are going to have dedicated solar you might as well let her run whenever the sun is shining. So instead of 1-2 hours a day during a power outage, why not 6-12 hours a day? By running more continuosly the pump will not have to be as big, though it will have to be reliable or get replaced more regularly. You will eliminate batteries and charging and discharging losses and heavy startup currents. Perhaps you might still have a battery just to serve as a voltage regulator of some sort. You would need some sort of a cistern, and perhaps another pump to get from there to the house and up to pressure if that's what you want.

Here are some pumps:
http://www.enviro-equipment.com/products/proactive_12VDC_pumps.html


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## caballoviejo (Sep 6, 2004)

JAK said:


> In my thinking if you are going to have dedicated solar you might as well let her run whenever the sun is shining. So instead of 1-2 hours a day during a power outage, why not 6-12 hours a day? By running more continuosly the pump will not have to be as big, though it will have to be reliable or get replaced more regularly. You will eliminate batteries and charging and discharging losses and heavy startup currents. Perhaps you might still have a battery just to serve as a voltage regulator of some sort. You would need some sort of a cistern, and perhaps another pump to get from there to the house and up to pressure if that's what you want.
> 
> Here are some pumps:
> http://www.enviro-equipment.com/products/proactive_12VDC_pumps.html


JAK, what you said is my intention - keep a small pond filled. But the pumps at the link you provided only last 400 hours.


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## Fire-Man (Apr 30, 2005)

ZealYouthGuy said:


> So with a typical well pump, how many panels would you need?


What you have to think about here is---------If you have several batteries------you don't need solar panels to pump water---------example here----say you have 6 golfcart batteries on stand by---fully charged (from battery charger)and the power goes out-----With a 1/2 or 3/4hp water pump and a 2500 watt inverter---you can pump water for hours. Now I am off grid and my original set-up was----4-80 watt panels hooked to 8-6 volt batteries through a charge controller-----I use a 3/4hp pump bought from Lowes, a 80 gallon tank(so pump don't have to start as often--pulls alot more amps/watts on start-up) a 2500 watt inverter(Cobra)--------I never run out of water and I water the garden some. Now, I have added 1200 more watts of panels and I have 24-6 volt batteries, with 12 more on stand by that I keep charged(2 golfcarts with 6 batteries each) that I have set-up(big quick disconnects) to use if I had a Looooooong cloudy spell. But to answer your question------Just for water pumping-----I feel I could take 1 80 watt panel and keep 6 or 8 GOOD 6 volt gold cart batteries charged---Then when the power goes out, I could pump water a long time. Good Luck!! Randy


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## JAK (Oct 15, 2005)

caballoviejo said:


> JAK, what you said is my intention - keep a small pond filled. But the pumps at the link you provided only last 400 hours.


Bummer.

They are quite cheap but at 4 hours per day that would be only be 100 days.
It would be nice to have something last at least 12 months so you can change it in summer. I think you would want at least a 1200 hour pump. The human heart can last up to 1,000,000 hours. Some say that Republican hearts last longer as they don't seem to get as much use, but I think it depends on the situation.  

Maybe a good hand pump hooked up to a windshield wiper motor with some sort of a linkage. 
( For the water pump that is, not the government. )


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## ace admirer (Oct 5, 2005)

i've been thinkin about this for years, but only a little at a time cause it hurts.

i'm considering using a pump jack. (like the oil wells, or the old time water well pumps). a cheap 12 volt motor would run the pump jack. water would be pumped to a plastic storage tank. pump would run when ever enough sun. (no batteries to maintain or storage losses.) a float switch could be used to stop process when 100% full. 

now,,, from this storage tank....you would need batteries...use the cheaper 12v pumps like used for RV's to boost water pressure up to what ever you need for bath, etc. 

not saying its would be cheap...but in the long run...maybe. i think major upfront cost would be for panels, tank, down well mechanical pump, a handy fellow could design and build the pump jack for around a hundred.


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## mightybooboo (Feb 10, 2004)

ace admirer said:


> i've been thinkin about this for years, but only a little at a time cause it hurts.
> 
> i'm considering using a pump jack. (like the oil wells, or the old time water well pumps). a cheap 12 volt motor would run the pump jack. water would be pumped to a plastic storage tank. pump would run when ever enough sun. (no batteries to maintain or storage losses.) a float switch could be used to stop process when 100% full.
> 
> ...


Get your water tank elevated above the homesite and skip the 12 volt pump from tank to house.Better yet.

BooBoo


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## JAK (Oct 15, 2005)

For a small camp you could use small hand pumps instead of faucets, like on a boat. The shower and laundry could have their own separate pumps. Also like BooBoo says if you elevated you cistern you could eliminate the pressure tank and pump and motor. 40psig system pressure is about 100 feet. You could probably get by with 10psi or less if you are frugal. In a small place you could use larger diameter plumbing to help with the flow rate and reduce friction losses. The nice thing about a no pressure or low pressure system is that it would be very easy to integrate with rainwater collection and solar water heating.


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## jnap31 (Sep 16, 2005)

mightybooboo said:


> Get your water tank elevated above the homesite and skip the 12 volt pump from tank to house.Better yet.
> 
> BooBoo


Now that is exactly what I was planning on doing.


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## 12vman (Feb 17, 2004)

I thought this site was kinda neat.. Check it out..

http://www.bwsolar.com.au/index.htm

Air Pumps.. Hmm..


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## mightybooboo (Feb 10, 2004)

12vman said:


> I thought this site was kinda neat.. Check it out..
> 
> http://www.bwsolar.com.au/index.htm
> 
> Air Pumps.. Hmm..


Hmmmm....that POLY PUMP is interesting for sure.

BooBoo


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