Need a Solar well pump

AnthonyH
AnthonyH Registered Users Posts: 18
Water Well info:

500' depth
405' to water
8" casing to 20'
5" casing to 460'
Steel & PVC casing
5+ GPM flow rate

any links to the Wind & Sun store for a complete setup/kit? This will be a self install, if that means anything.

Comments

  • mike95490
    mike95490 Solar Expert Posts: 9,583 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Re: Need a Solar well pump

    Well, at least you are not trying to get a lot from that depth. I assume you will have a storage tank above ground, that you will feed a pressure system from ?
    Powerfab top of pole PV mount | Listeroid 6/1 w/st5 gen head | XW6048 inverter/chgr | Iota 48V/15A charger | Morningstar 60A MPPT | 48V, 800A NiFe Battery (in series)| 15, Evergreen 205w "12V" PV array on pole | Midnight ePanel | Grundfos 10 SO5-9 with 3 wire Franklin Electric motor (1/2hp 240V 1ph ) on a timer for 3 hr noontime run - Runs off PV ||
    || Midnight Classic 200 | 10, Evergreen 200w in a 160VOC array ||
    || VEC1093 12V Charger | Maha C401 aa/aaa Charger | SureSine | Sunsaver MPPT 15A

    solar: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Solar
    gen: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Lister ,

  • Cariboocoot
    Cariboocoot Banned Posts: 17,615 ✭✭✭
    Re: Need a Solar well pump

    Solar is not a good solution here.
    If I'm reading your post correctly, you need to lift water over 400 feet @ 5 or more gallons per minute.
    That's in the 1.5 - 2 HP deep well 240VAC pump range; heavy duty stuff. Solar does not make a good choice for powering such equipment because it would be very expensive (1.5 kilowatts @ 240 for running, and perhaps as much as 5 kilowatts for start-up).
    That lift is daunting even for the "slow rate, store it in a reservoir and use a second pump to pressurize the system" design.
    If we had a few more details about the application we might be able to come up with a better solution.
    If you have grid power available, that is the better solution. :D
    Otherwise, the occasional generator run might be the way to go.
  • Dave Angelini
    Dave Angelini Solar Expert Posts: 6,731 ✭✭✭✭✭✭
    Re: Need a Solar well pump

    Call wind and sun and talk with Michael Mady or a technical person. There is no reason that this can not be done with solar (sorry marc) and you probably will end up with a grundfos. Marc is correct that if you have utility power with in $10,000 of distance or you love doing generator maintenance they are the way to go. It is really a personal decision also.

    We go 1000 feet deep quite often up here in the Sierra mountains. Rain water also looks very good if are not a gambler!
    "we go where power lines don't" Sierra Nevada mountain area
       htps://offgridsolar1.com/
    E-mail offgridsolar@sti.net

  • BajaGringo
    BajaGringo Solar Expert Posts: 40 ✭✭
    Re: Need a Solar well pump

    Some kind of online calculator would be handy for such kinds of things. I was looking at trying to come up with a setup to lift 1.5" pipe 60' feet, 24/7. It is for an abalone farm on an island off the coast of Baja California, Mexico. There is good wind so the solar could be helped out to support the batteries when the panels weren't charging...
  • Cariboocoot
    Cariboocoot Banned Posts: 17,615 ✭✭✭
    Re: Need a Solar well pump

    Dave;

    I didn't say it couldn't be done, only that it tends to be expensive. Your $10,000 figure confirms this. :D I'd hate to invest that kind of money just to pump water. Since we don't know any further details about the OP's situation (including budget) it's hard to say what is the best solution for him.

    I pump with solar. There are no electric lines anywhere near. My system cost $10,000. But it also runs everything else! :D
  • stephendv
    stephendv Solar Expert Posts: 1,571 ✭✭
    Re: Need a Solar well pump
    BajaGringo wrote: »
    Some kind of online calculator would be handy for such kinds of things.

    Grundfos have an online tool to help size their systems: http://net.grundfos.com/Appl/WebCAPS/InitCtrl?mode=18

    The sqlflex range is under the "renewable energy" section
  • Dave Angelini
    Dave Angelini Solar Expert Posts: 6,731 ✭✭✭✭✭✭
    Re: Need a Solar well pump
    Dave;

    I didn't say it couldn't be done, only that it tends to be expensive. Your $10,000 figure confirms this. :D I'd hate to invest that kind of money just to pump water. Since we don't know any further details about the OP's situation (including budget) it's hard to say what is the best solution for him.

    I pump with solar. There are no electric lines anywhere near. My system cost $10,000. But it also runs everything else! :D

    I just did not want the op to think that he had to produce AC power which you were sort of infering. The grundfos deep well gear is just over 100vdc for near 5GPM. You do need quite a bit of solar and anything that deep is expensive. I have a customer that spent three times that for smelly iron laden water. To treat the water was kind of a "BP affair" with dangerous chemicals and lot's of electricity.
    He now drinks rainwater and uses the well for the yard.
    "we go where power lines don't" Sierra Nevada mountain area
       htps://offgridsolar1.com/
    E-mail offgridsolar@sti.net

  • icarus
    icarus Solar Expert Posts: 5,436 ✭✭✭✭
    Re: Need a Solar well pump

    If you have good wind, why not avoid the middle man, and use the wind to pump directly?

    Wind has been pumping water from great depths for thousands of years.

    Tony
  • mike95490
    mike95490 Solar Expert Posts: 9,583 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Re: Need a Solar well pump
    BajaGringo wrote: »
    Some kind of online calculator would be handy for such kinds of things. I was looking at trying to come up with a setup to lift 1.5" pipe 60' feet, 24/7. It is for an abalone farm on an island off the coast of Baja California, Mexico. There is good wind so the solar could be helped out to support the batteries when the panels weren't charging...

    are you pumping from ocean to a 65' high tank farm ? or just pumping up cold water from deep, to farm with ? Simple air lift pump can do that water movement, like an aquarium filter, 65.5' high pipe, and 6 feet down, you hang an airstone, and let the air bubbles pull the water up from the deep. And it oxygenates the stale deep water too.
    Powerfab top of pole PV mount | Listeroid 6/1 w/st5 gen head | XW6048 inverter/chgr | Iota 48V/15A charger | Morningstar 60A MPPT | 48V, 800A NiFe Battery (in series)| 15, Evergreen 205w "12V" PV array on pole | Midnight ePanel | Grundfos 10 SO5-9 with 3 wire Franklin Electric motor (1/2hp 240V 1ph ) on a timer for 3 hr noontime run - Runs off PV ||
    || Midnight Classic 200 | 10, Evergreen 200w in a 160VOC array ||
    || VEC1093 12V Charger | Maha C401 aa/aaa Charger | SureSine | Sunsaver MPPT 15A

    solar: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Solar
    gen: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Lister ,

  • BajaGringo
    BajaGringo Solar Expert Posts: 40 ✭✭
    Re: Need a Solar well pump

    The idea is to pump water from the ocean into the abalone seed holding tanks that will be at most 60' above the low tide mark. We need to maintain a flow of around 50-75 gallons per minute. I hinestly hadn't thought about air lift - worth looking into...
  • mike95490
    mike95490 Solar Expert Posts: 9,583 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Re: Need a Solar well pump
    BajaGringo wrote: »
    The idea is to pump water from the ocean into the abalone seed holding tanks that will be at most 60' above the low tide mark. .......

    I don't think airlift will get you 60' elevation gain :(
    Powerfab top of pole PV mount | Listeroid 6/1 w/st5 gen head | XW6048 inverter/chgr | Iota 48V/15A charger | Morningstar 60A MPPT | 48V, 800A NiFe Battery (in series)| 15, Evergreen 205w "12V" PV array on pole | Midnight ePanel | Grundfos 10 SO5-9 with 3 wire Franklin Electric motor (1/2hp 240V 1ph ) on a timer for 3 hr noontime run - Runs off PV ||
    || Midnight Classic 200 | 10, Evergreen 200w in a 160VOC array ||
    || VEC1093 12V Charger | Maha C401 aa/aaa Charger | SureSine | Sunsaver MPPT 15A

    solar: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Solar
    gen: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Lister ,

  • Cariboocoot
    Cariboocoot Banned Posts: 17,615 ✭✭✭
    Re: Need a Solar well pump
    mike90045 wrote: »
    I don't think airlift will get you 60' elevation gain :(

    I think you're right. Somehow the figure of 32 feet comes to mind. Something about atmospheric pressure.
  • BB.
    BB. Super Moderators, Administrators Posts: 33,431 admin
    Re: Need a Solar well pump

    Apparently, you need to between 1/3 and 1/2 of the "well" under water... So, if you want a 100' lift, you need upwards of 100' underwater (200' of pipe).

    There is one company, at least, that makes wind powered air compressors (don't know anything about their product). This particular pump has about a 300' maximum lift (website is kind of sparse).

    Airlift Technologies

    -Bill
    Near San Francisco California: 3.5kWatt Grid Tied Solar power system+small backup genset
  • icarus
    icarus Solar Expert Posts: 5,436 ✭✭✭✭
    Re: Need a Solar well pump

    Wind powered mechanical water pump (old fashion rod pump) like those that dotted the american west for nearly a century. (Aeromotor??)

    http://www.aermotorwindmill.com/

    http://airliftech.com/ (Says it will pump 315')

    Sources:

    http://web.mac.com/kenobrock/iWeb/Site/Home.html
  • AnthonyH
    AnthonyH Registered Users Posts: 18
    Re: Need a Solar well pump

    not sure how my BUDGET fits this equation, sounds to me like the repairman who charges folks by the type of neighborhood or vehicle parked in the driveway.

    We do have a 7.5kw system out there that is for the outbuildings and house. Maybe we could run a line out to the pump from this?

    Thanks for the links Icarus, after looking at the links and pricing, we are almost at the same costs as the $10,000 price quotes on the 220VAC pumps.
  • icarus
    icarus Solar Expert Posts: 5,436 ✭✭✭✭
    Re: Need a Solar well pump
    AnthonyH wrote: »
    not sure how my BUDGET fits this equation, sounds to me like the repairman who charges folks by the type of neighborhood or vehicle parked in the driveway.

    We do have a 7.5kw system out there that is for the outbuildings and house. Maybe we could run a line out to the pump from this?

    Thanks for the links Icarus, after looking at the links and pricing, we are almost at the same costs as the $10,000 price quotes on the 220VAC pumps.

    The difference however is that the 220 vac pumps have on going energy costs that are not insignificant, while the wind only has maintenance cost. (As does the 220vac system)
  • azrc
    azrc Solar Expert Posts: 43
    Re: Need a Solar well pump

    I am looking at something similar and found MODEL SCS 10-400 which claims to be able to pump at

    PSI |FT |GPM| Panel Watts | Efficiency
    220 |508| 5.6 | 1913W | 35%