Powering a Manta II with Solar panels.

ALH

Hi,
Looking at replacing a diesel powered farm water pump.
Pump is a multi staged centrifugal pump which requires 4 Kw @ 2850 rpm.
Currently has an auto start yammar diesel motor on it.
How possible is it to drive a 10hp Manta II DC motor from solar panels.
Water pump will spin easily at startup and load increase with RPM.
Is it possible and what controllers would be necessary?
Would be nice not to have batteries  and related controllers etc

BB.

Yes... It is possible, but the answer is "more complicated" and may depend on your exact needs. Are you pumping to irrigation ditches/pond, or pressurizing spray nozzles (more energy needed, variable pump output vs solar energy/clouds/sun angle/etc.)?

Just to give you an idea of what is being done now in many "overseas" locations:

Some discussions about VFD (Variable Frequency Drives)... Basically a variable frequency inverter with (typically) three phase output. Used to soft start motors (handy for 3 phase well pumps, or pumps with well head starting capacitor) and can also turn an AC motor into a variable speed motor (very handy for pumping applications).

WELL PUMP and Inverter QUESTION
Wind/solar for large scale pumping etc (out of my depth!)
could use knowledge - using Gould jet pump - transfering from 230vAC to ? DC (new link/thread 10/27/2012)
Help required to design off grid system (information on possibilities to connect "standard VFDs direct to solar panels) (new link 1/13/2013)

And from a new poster, link to solar VFD (looks interesting):

VeichiElectric said:
u really should read this article about solar pumps: http://www.veichi.org/solar-water-pump-inverter.html.
In your case I wonder if a solar PV inverter would help or not.

Please feel free to ask more questions--The above is just for some basic information.

-Bill

Dave Angelini

Grundfos has been doing solar water pumping for 30 years in the Americas and over the seas
http://us.grundfos.com/about-us/news-and-press/news/Pumped-by-the-Sun.html
They have some really nice plant tours down in the Fresno area of California.