Pond pump selection

mike95490
mike95490 Solar Expert Posts: 9,583 ✭✭✭✭✭
in Solar Water Pumping #1
I win the bad timing of the year award

Too early for the Morningstar MPPT 60A
Too late for Dankoff
[Conergy has discontinued all of the solar (ex-Dankoff) water pumps as of Sept 2009.]
And the funds in my 401K

I'm looking for a DC or AC trash pump, I can "float" about 2' underwater in a pond, and pump up about 30' of lift to a storage tank where a float switch will be. I only need a couple (1-3) of GPM, and some of the $1,500 pumps seem like overkill. Boat bilge pumps don't have enough lift.

Suggestions?
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 ,

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Comments

  • Windsun
    Windsun Solar Expert Posts: 1,164 ✭✭
    #2
    Re: Pond pump selection

    And most of the smaller pumps, like the submersible and Shurflo surface pumps clog up with debris and pond scums and bugs etc pretty fast.

    We are looking around for something to replace the Dankoff/Conergy, but not much available in the mid to low price range.
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  • stephendv
    stephendv Solar Expert Posts: 1,571 ✭✭
    #3
    Re: Pond pump selection

    Lorentz? http://www.lorentz.de/offgrid/en/products/surfacepumps/boost

    (No idea about price)
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  • Dave Angelini
    Dave Angelini Solar Expert Posts: 7,127 ✭✭✭✭✭✭
    #4
    Re: Pond pump selection

    Look at a marine impeller pumps for boats. Jabsco will pump to the top of the mast. Not very good with power but it will suck in sea weed/fish and spit it out. around $200....
    "we go where power lines don't" Sierra Nevada mountain area
       htps://offgridsolar1.com/
    E-mail offgridsolar@sti.net

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  • shinvong
    shinvong Registered Users Posts: 2 ✭
    #5

    For that flow rate (1–3 GPM) and only about 30' of head, I'd stop looking at high-end solar well pumps because they're really built for different jobs. A small diaphragm pump is probably a better fit if you don't mind a slower fill rate.

    The bigger challenge is that you want to pull from about 2' below the pond surface. Most diaphragm pumps aren't happy with much suction lift, so I'd either keep the pump close to the waterline or use a small submersible transfer pump feeding the storage tank if debris isn't too bad. If the pond has leaves or muck, definitely add a screened intake or coarse pre-filter—trash is what usually kills these setups long before the pump wears out.

    If you're running from solar directly, matching the pump to the available PV power is often more important than squeezing out a little more efficiency. A slightly oversized array can make the system much more reliable during cloudy mornings and evenings.

    Given your budget concerns, I'd lean toward a modest 12V or 24V diaphragm pump and spend a little extra on good intake protection rather than chasing one of the $1,500 specialty units. For moving a couple of gallons per minute into a storage tank with a float switch, simple usually ends up being the most dependable solution.

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  • Miller_Ranch
    Miller_Ranch Registered Users Posts: 57 ✭✭
    #6
    Maybe this would work.

    https://windandsolar.com/collections/pond-aeration
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