Ask an Expert

Q:I want to run my pool pump with a solar system. I want to run the pump continously. The pump is 328 watts / 15 amps / 115 volts how many panels / batteries do I need?

A:

It sounds like your current pool pump operates using AC power, which can be configured with solar panels, batteries, charge controller and inverter, but this arrangement will tend to be less efficient than a DC solar pool pump which can be found in our solar pool section. Without knowing the specifics of the pool pump, a pump requiring 328 watts per hour will require 7872 watts for a 24 hour period. I'm not sure this kind of application will be practical considering you will need about 32 solar panels and many more batteries to operate the pool pump for a 24 hour period. The operating cost for the AC pool pump is probably running in the neighborhood of $20 - $30 per month or $240 -$360 annually. With all things considered, visit the solar pool pump section of SolarTown and review the DC solar pool pumps. Solar Pool Pumps require less energy to operate and in this situation will be probably a better fit for your configuration. Solar pool pumps are also built to work with solar panels so the final number of modules will be substantially less depending upon your runtime.

12-07-2012 by George Category: Solar Water Pumps

Q:Can I use a groundfos 200 3 80 watt panel set up and use it to charge batteries

A:

Solar submersible pumps can bet setup to access power from a reserve battery bank. To operate off the battery bank, you will need a solar charge controller connected to the battery  bank. Specialty Concepts, Xantrex, Morningstar Corp, Solar Boost all manufacture high quality charge controllers that can work with a Grundfos submersible pump depending upon the system technical parameters. The solar panels will connect directly to the charge controller, battery connects to the charge controller, and the charge controller will be connected to the CU 200 SQFlex Control unit or IO 101 SQFlex Switch Box.

09-17-2012 by laure Category: Solar Water Pumps

Q:Can 180 watt solar panel run 1hp pump and draw water 30 meters deep?

A:

A 1hp pump will generally draw substantially more energy than what a single 180w solar panel will be able to provide. The best way to determine how much power will be required on the pump is to review the technical parameters on the pump. Manufacturers provide this information on the manual or you can contact the manufacturer to confirm the specifications for the model of your pump. A single 180 watt solar panel may or may not be able to power the pump, but that really depends on the actual load's technical parameters. You may also want to check out some of the solar water pumps that we offer and do let us know if you have any further questions.

07-04-2012 by dennis Category: Solar Water Pumps

Q:I want to install a 2 wire submersible deep well pump and use solar to power it. The pump is 1hp, 230 volt, 8.28 amps. How many panels and batteries would be required to run this around 4 hours per day?

A:

Many submersible pumps can run off solar panels, and you have a wide selection in SolarTown's solar module section. Your system and equipment looks like it is built to run off 230v which means the power source that works optimal with the submersible water pump falls in the conventional source category. To size up a system to power a 230V device may not be feasible considering many solar modules are built between 12v - 24v and batteries are built up to 12v.

If you have not yet purchased the equipment, a suitable alternative to explore may be a solar water pump system that can handle the water extraction rate required for your application. There are several Solar Water Pumps, for example SunRotor Pumps, built for submersible applications. SolarTown published a learning article or how to guide on sizing and selecting a Solar Water Pump.

Another approach, if you already possess the equipment, is to offset the energy consumption of the pump system by feeding back solar power directly back to the grid. This arrangement will provide you with energy credits generated by the solar energy system which then indirectly offsets the power consumed by the water pump. There are many ways to get the job done, it really comes to what you want to achieve and how you want the system to be built. Feel free to contact us directly for more information.

01-16-2012 by Jeff Category: Solar Water Pumps

Q:I have a SUNROTOR SRPS4-150-24-SS solar water pump connected to 3 135 W panel in series. This makes 405 W using SRC-P100T controller. I do not have the performance curve of this pump, but I do not think I could get 2.8 GPM with 131 FT of head having this pump configuration. To me, it has the panel power but not the pump power.

A:

If you currently have three 135w solar modules, you can configure them in series which should generate about 6 GPM at the given lift of 131 ft. How you configure the solar panels whether it be in series or parallel can result in greater or lower flow rates at different lifts. Once you determine your environmental variables, you can easily adjust the SunRotor Solar Water Pump to meet your water extraction goals.

11-05-2011 by ROD M Category: Solar Water Pumps

Q:I want to put a solar submerisible pump in... However, i have three wells, all have working 230 volt 1 hp pumps, what is the least expensive way to convert to solar and retain those pumps. I envision a asolar array (24 vdc? or higher?) charging solar batteries, then to an inverter, I would like to use a 110 volt inverter and astep up transformer or should i simply change the pump to 110volt. the 230 volt inverterss are terribly expensive. I use the wells for watering cattle, and have pressure tanks,,, What type of system would work for me ???? Help!

A:

We are hearing from a lot of farmers and ranchers who want to use solar water pumps. We have a good selection of solar water pumps that may fit your needs, but you need to be careful about your design for your solar water pump system. We understand that you are trying to pump about 1200 gallons per day. One product that may fit your needs is the SR-4 SunRotor Helical Rotor Solar Pump. The SR-4 comes with a maximum lift of 250 ft for optimal configuration which will easily meet target depth of 120 ft. At 100 feet, the SR-4 can pump out 6.9 GPM or 9,936 gallons per day. As you increase the lift, the daily water output will be reduced. Most configurations will vary, but for your environment the SR-4 is more than enough to get the job done. The SR-4 can achieve the water output you are targeting. The SR-4 will require a single solar panel rate at 185w or above with additional mounting hardware and wiring. We suggest that you purchase a solar water pump package that will include everything you will need to set up your solar pump. Feel free to contact SolarTown directly if you need further assistance with your application.

12-10-2010 by Pat O Category: Solar Water Pumps

Q:which pump pumps the best (highest) psi rating.and how much solar watttage does it take. we have a number of livestock wells and they range in static 5gpm depth of 45feet down to 265 feet.?

A: 

There are many solar power water pumps available on the market today, and each has its own advantages and disadvantages. Based on your short description of the solar water pump system that you are looking for, the solar water pump that may suit your needs the best is the Lorrentz ECDRIVE 600. These submersible solar pumps
can handle volumes up to 20 gallons per minute and have a maximum lift of 250 feet. The amount of power determines the amount of output and lift. To meet your requirements, you would need to have approximately 300W of solar power to drive the pumps.

05-21-2010 by WWSVC Category: Solar Water Pumps

Q:What is the energy consumption of this solar water pump in watts.

A:

Please let us know which solar water pump you are referring to. Most of the solar power water pumps have a minimum wattage requirement before they will engage. However, based on your pumping requirements, in terms of distance and head, the wattage will vary. We would be happy to help you select the best solar water pump system to meet your requirements if you provide us with specifics.

05-16-2010 by Valentine A Category: Solar Water Pumps

Q:Trying to circulate water through a 4' x 20' solar panel with a pump powered by the sun. Highest lift is 5' above waterlevel. The Mocal 12 volt Water Circulation Pump fits the bill (cintinuous use brushless 12 volt DC motor with up to 7 GPM) but don't know how to mate with which solar panel? Want it to operate on sun only like many solar fountains on the market. (No charger, battery, etc.) Max 2.2 amps = 26 watts max? Can you recommend a panel that won't damage the motor? Thanks!

A:

The Mocal pump that you are looking at is an AC pump, and solar modules produce DC current. In order for you to use a simple pump + panel setup you would need a DC pump. The Shurflo 3.6GPM is an excellent solar water pump that is direct current. The BP 50W solar panel would provide ample output for this solar water pump, allowing it to meet your requirements. You may also want to check out our solar water pump systems, which include both the solar water pump and solar module. If you have any additional questions, we would be happy to help you design your solar water pump system to meet your needs.

04-27-2010 by Carl Category: Solar Water Pumps

Q:I was looking at solar panels here on this site and I noticed that the 60 watt Kaneka panels are very reasonably priced and have a voltage of 67 volts. This seems like it would be perfect for use with a Grundfos SQ Flex well pump. I ws thinking 3 of these panels for 180 watts would be cheaper than two 85 watt regular 12 volt panels. Any comments on this? Suggestions?

A: 

The Grundfos solar water pumps are 24VDC and will function above 129 watts from a solar array with a nominal voltage over 30V.  If you used the Kaneka 60 Watt solar panels you would need three panels to get above the requisite 129W. If you used 12V solar modules, you would need to use three panels as well to get the required nominal voltage. Another thing to consider is how far you need to pump at what volumes and to what head. If you have significant requirements, you may want or need to have more wattage. Perhaps the best thing for you to do would to buy two 24V nominal panels like the 200W Canadian Solar Module.  We would be glad to help you select a pump and pair solar modules to go along with it to meet your pumping requirements.

03-31-2010 by Bob A Category: Solar Water Pumps