# Solar Well Pump



## FarmerBoyz (Mar 30, 2017)

*Pro's and Con's of Grundfos and Lorentz well pumps. *

(Well specs: 105' Static water level, 45' drawdown at 15 GPM.

My well is complete and now I'm designing my solar pump. (I'm completely off grid). 

I have been researching Grundfos and Lorentz pumps what are the pro's and con's??

Specifically, I have been looking at the Grundfos 11 SQF-2 and Lorentz PS2-1800.


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## stanb999 (Jan 30, 2005)

I've had my water offgrid for a few years. Doing it with a big pump like these is expensive and mostly wastes energy. They are great for a stock tank or filling a pond. But for house use as you would a grid connected model it will require a ton of panels and battery power.

I use a Shurflo 9300 to pump to cisterns (2 55 gallon plastic drums) and dual Shurflo revolution 3 series pumps to provide house pressure. The whole system runs on 200 watts of panel and 240 amp hrs of batteries. The best part of the shurflo stuff is the pumps are fully user serviceable and the parts a reasonable in price. But I have to say I haven't had any issues at all.

There are a few others that have the same setup as me on here maybe they will chime in.


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## wy_white_wolf (Oct 14, 2004)

I to use the Shurflo 9300 to fill a cistern. It runs solar direct and gravity feeds my needs.

Not any experience with Grundfos or Lorentz solar pumps. We might be more able to help if you explained how you intend to use it. Are you going to pump from the well and pressurize the system or just fill a cistern? Solar direct or battery bank? What's your water needs? Simple household or watering a large garden?

WWW


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## lynnemabry (Dec 28, 2013)

We are running a grunfos sqf3 on a 600ft well with water at 500ft. Runs off 3-180 watt panels or a medium generator. 
It provides for 2 small households with no problem.


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## TraderBob (Oct 21, 2010)

lynnemabry said:


> We are running a grunfos sqf3 on a 600ft well with water at 500ft. Runs off 3-180 watt panels or a medium generator.
> It provides for 2 small households with no problem.


Exactly, it's not a huge outlay for a solar pump. I'm at 475 ft well, pumping from 350. SQF-3 and 2 panels. Works good. Why would someone think you need grid connected or that it's too expensive to run solar?


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## stanb999 (Jan 30, 2005)

TraderBob said:


> Exactly, it's not a huge outlay for a solar pump. I'm at 475 ft well, pumping from 350. SQF-3 and 2 panels. Works good. Why would someone think you need grid connected or that it's too expensive to run solar?


Because most want water to flush in the evening or first thing in the morning. Without a big battery bank a pump like that is useless for charging house hold water.


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## lynnemabry (Dec 28, 2013)

Or use a storage tank. Each house has a 2500 gallon tank, one is gravity feed and the other with a 12volt shurflo pump( the 24 volt was too strong.) Plus two gravity feed tanks in each garden and one that is portable for projects. When the panels are not being used for water they feed into the solar system for the house.


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## stanb999 (Jan 30, 2005)

lynnemabry said:


> Or use a storage tank. Each house has a 2500 gallon tank, one is gravity feed and the other with a 12volt shurflo pump( the 24 volt was too strong.) Plus two gravity feed tanks in each garden and one that is portable for projects. When the panels are not being used for water they feed into the solar system for the house.


Using a cistern is exactly what I suggested. 99% of the people think they will replace their current 240 pump with a solar one and all will be fine. That simply isn't so.


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## TraderBob (Oct 21, 2010)

stanb999 said:


> Because most want water to flush in the evening or first thing in the morning. Without a big battery bank a pump like that is useless for charging house hold water.


No it's not. You pump to a cistern during the sun, and use a 12 volt pump in the evening. no large battery bank is needed.
I know many people doing this.


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## sisterpine (May 9, 2004)

I also had very good results with a Grundfos. Our well was a very slow filler so we only pumped 300 gal per day and the solar was the same as we used for the house.


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## stanb999 (Jan 30, 2005)

TraderBob said:


> No it's not. You pump to a cistern during the sun, and use a 12 volt pump in the evening. no large battery bank is needed.
> I know many people doing this.


Hmm.... I do this. I have a deep well pump, cistern, and a 12 volt pump for household... Which is exactly what I suggested to the op. You can't have just a deep well pump if your on solar. Did you miss the posts I made?


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## Steve_S (Feb 25, 2015)

Myself: 280' deep well, Grundfos SQ-5, 120V soft-start, goes to a 50gal Pressure Tank @ 45psi. Pump is powered from my Solar System (100% off grid) and with pressure tank the pump doesn't run that often... Although it's just me & Magz so, that would be relative to bodies in house. I should also say that GrundFos is not cheap stuff (product or cost) but worth it if you want a dependable & reliable pump.

PS: No Cistern / Holding tank on my property. Subject to DEEP COLD but pressure tank is in Pump House which is kept above freezing at all times.


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