Catchment water system

Ainokea
Ainokea Registered Users Posts: 1 ✭
in Solar Beginners Corner #1
I live on the Big Island of Hawaii. We have rain catchment systems here. We have a 20k gallon rain catchment tank powered by a 220v Grunfos pump. We have a solar company installing a home system to power our 110v outlets (no lights), however they will not power our 220v water pump. Is there a way that we could power this 220v pump with its own solar panels, inverter and battery? 
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  • mcgivor
    mcgivor Solar Expert Posts: 3,854 ✭✭✭✭✭✭
    #2
    Anything is possible what's the specifications of the pump and what so of run time are you looking at ? Using gravity in the form of a raised holding tank will greatly reduce equipment required and could eliminate the need for a large battery. There are other options such as pumping directly from solar but this would require a different type of pump, a 3 phase with variable speed drive. 
    1500W, 6× Schutten 250W Poly panels , Schneider MPPT 60 150 CC, Schneider SW 2524 inverter, 400Ah LFP 24V nominal battery with Battery Bodyguard BMS 
    Second system 1890W  3 × 300W No name brand poly, 3×330 Sunsolar Poly panels, Morningstar TS 60 PWM controller, no name 2000W inverter 400Ah LFP 24V nominal battery with Daly BMS, used for water pumping and day time air conditioning.  
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  • Estragon
    Estragon Registered Users Posts: 4,496 ✭✭✭✭✭
    #3
    Generally speaking it's simpler and cheaper to build a single system capable of running all loads if possible.  Higher voltage load(s) can be powered by either a separate inverter  on the battery bank, or by an AC transformer.

    As Mcgivor says, it would help to know the details of the pump, and also of the system being installed.
    Off-grid.  
    Main daytime system ~4kw panels into 2xMNClassic150 370ah 48v bank 2xOutback 3548 inverter 120v + 240v autotransformer
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  • Dave Angelini
    Dave Angelini Solar Expert Posts: 6,870 ✭✭✭✭✭✭
    edited December 2019 #4
    Actually the grundfos is probably already 3 phase internally. Is it an SQ or SQE ?
    "we go where power lines don't" Sierra Nevada mountain area
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  • MichaelK
    MichaelK Registered Users Posts: 235 ✭✭✭
    #5
    Can you put a hold on the home installation?  The problem I would guess is that they are installing an 120VAC only inverter.  My cabin has a 240VAC Grunfos pump, which I am powering via a Schneider XW+6848 inverter and solar.  It's wired just like a regular house main electrical box, with L1, N, and L2 going from the inverter to the main power panel.  L1 to N is 120VAC, L2 to N is 120VAC, and L1 to L2 is 240VAC.  So, half your home's breakers go to L1, the other half to L2, and both to the pump.  That's how you get both 120 and 240VAC at one location.  Both Schneider's Conext and Outback's Radian series of inverters can handle this.  I'd talk to your installer and find out why they are not installing a 120/240V inverter?
    System 1) 15 Renogy 300w + 4 250W Astronergy panels,  Midnight 200 CC, 8 Trojan L16 bat., Schneider XW6848 NA inverter, AC-Delco 6000w gen.
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