# DC solar deep well pumps



## artificer (Feb 26, 2007)

I mentioned it in the deep well hand pump thread in Country Living: I'm looking to get a solar well pump.

I would like to know what experience people have had with various pumps. I'm looking at the Grundfos SQFlex pump, Shureflo 9300 Diaphragm type pump, hand pumps with a DC motor jack, and a regular Flotec pump from the local Farm and Fleet using an inverter.

I've checked the archives, and haven't found people talking about their experiences with the pumps.

I'm looking at the Afordable Solar complete deep well solar kit  for about $2k as a base line. Since I want to add solar to our system anyway, I might mix and match a system that only powers the pump enough to fill the resevoir. The rest of the power goes to charging the batteries.

Michael


----------



## sisterpine (May 9, 2004)

I cant answer your question but I am also looking at a small sqflex - 3sqf-2 actually as we need a real slow pumper. sis


----------



## dunewalker (Mar 4, 2007)

My neighbor has a Shur-flo 9300 pump powered directly with solar panels--not sure how much wattage in panels he has--it just failed this week, after 7 years of reliable use. He has ordered a rebuild kit for it. It only pumps from a 17 foot hand-dug well, into a 2,000 gallon storage tank. His well recharges slowly, so that's why he chose this pump.


----------



## Texas_Plainsman (Aug 26, 2007)

It all depends on your static water level.




artificer said:


> I mentioned it in the deep well hand pump thread in Country Living: I'm looking to get a solar well pump.
> 
> I would like to know what experience people have had with various pumps. I'm looking at the Grundfos SQFlex pump, Shureflo 9300 Diaphragm type pump, hand pumps with a DC motor jack, and a regular Flotec pump from the local Farm and Fleet using an inverter.
> 
> ...


----------



## artificer (Feb 26, 2007)

Texas_Plainsman said:


> It all depends on your static water level.


They hit water at 200 feet. It then came up to 150ft. Water tower is probably going to be 20-25' tall. So... all told it should be about 180' now, and no more than the 230' that the Shurflo 9300 is supposed to handle.

Michael


----------



## wy_white_wolf (Oct 14, 2004)

M2C 

I would avoid tieing the well pump into the house solar system. You would need to add this into your load for calculating batteries. Cheaper to store 4 days water in the cistern than 4 days pump power in the batteries. 

Consider it if and only if the panels charge the batteries after the cistern is full and the pump never runs off the batteries. I personally don't know of a switch/controller to do that, but someone may make it.


----------



## artificer (Feb 26, 2007)

We don't have solar panels now. The well pump would have the first set. The idea was that we really don't need 600 gal of water a day. Once the tank was filled, the panels would charge our battery bank. I can build the switching circuits for that using off the shelf components.

I guess I have to decide if I want to go with the $600 Shurflo pump that will only put out 1gpm at max head, or the Grundfoss Sqflex pump for $1500+ which puts out 2gpm.

The simplest would be to just get one of the 3/4hp Farm and Fleet specials, and run it on the generator for the time being. $300 and 10gpm. Since we're running the generator a couple of hours a day anyway, its doable. Solar is in the future, but is is RIGHT NOW?

Michael


----------



## wy_white_wolf (Oct 14, 2004)

Can you get the Shurflo and run it off the generator until you get panels? If your generator puts out 12vdc or have a way of converting to dc you should be able too. It would put out half the volume at 12v though. But should do a good job of supplementing the rain catchment system.


----------



## Jim-mi (May 15, 2002)

In the long run you would be glad that you popped for the Grundfos now.
Thats good stuff.
It will out last the Shurflo.
And use less energy than that "common" pump.

If I had to replace the 3/4 hp hog thats in my well now I'd go with a Grundfos.
But under the heading "If it ain't broke . . . . . . ." so I'm putting up with the hog . . . I just wait for a sunny or windy day to fill my big holding tank.


----------



## Bois d'Arc (Mar 5, 2008)

I currently have three solar powered Grundfos pumps, two in wells and one in a spring-fed lake. We use one for household water and the other two for drip irrigation in an orchard and large garden area, and I highly recommend them. A little pricier than some available but our experience has been very positive.

Bois d'Arc


----------



## artificer (Feb 26, 2007)

Well, I did it. Picked up a pump, and put it in the well. Went with the Flotec 3/4hp 220V one from Farm & Fleet. The budget is somewhat tight, so I'll take the $1,100 savings over the Grundfos, and buy some gas for the generator and some solar panels. 

I need to get a power meter, and mesure the power and flowrate to get an efficiency. Not as good as a grundfos, but I don't think its going to be less than half as efficient. 

I'll probably eventually get a grundfos solar pump, but for now this is good enough. Pumped about 1,000 gal of water this weekend. All the tanks are filled. It should last for several months, unless Ann waters the garden. Then its fill one or two 300 gal tanks a week. It only takes a gallon or two of gas for the generator. Kinda hard to justify multi thousands of dollars for the solar pump and solar setup for now. Once I start getting solar panels, however, that will be another story. Unless I build the gasifier for the generator and feed it with wood chips ... Hmmm.... 

Michael


----------



## mightybooboo (Feb 10, 2004)

Funny you should mention gasifier,Ive just started looking into that.Thinking my Bud with all the wood needs one and we could make that our next project.Very exciting old tech for sure.


----------

