solar powered water pump

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  • Polly Van Luven
    Junior Member
    • Aug 2012
    • 1

    solar powered water pump

    Hi
    I have a 180 watt solar panel and a shore well. I have a 12 volt pump and a pressure tank. I am trying to get the water from the well about 8 feet deep to my cabin which is about 60 feet from the well. Major frustration the pump keeps losing its prime. Even when it works it does so with tap turned on half way. I had the well drilled so that I could water my very large garden. So far no luck. Checked and replaced foot valve and line going to well. Pump does not seem able to do this job very well. Please somebody do you have a better option re an electric pump fired by solar
  • Naptown
    Solar Fanatic
    • Feb 2011
    • 6880

    #2
    Look into a submersible pump where the pump actually sits at the bottom of the well.
    12V may be a problem however if the well is very deep. You may want to look into a higher voltage pump.
    NABCEP certified Technical Sales Professional

    [URL="http://www.solarpaneltalk.com/showthread.php?5334-Solar-Off-Grid-Battery-Design"]http://www.solarpaneltalk.com/showth...Battery-Design[/URL]

    [URL]http://www.calculator.net/voltage-drop-calculator.html[/URL] (Voltage drop Calculator among others)

    [URL="http://www.gaisma.com"]www.gaisma.com[/URL]

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    • confused
      Member
      • Jul 2012
      • 33

      #3
      Originally posted by Polly Van Luven
      Hi
      I have a 180 watt solar panel and a shore well. I have a 12 volt pump and a pressure tank. I am trying to get the water from the well about 8 feet deep to my cabin which is about 60 feet from the well. Major frustration the pump keeps losing its prime. Even when it works it does so with tap turned on half way. I had the well drilled so that I could water my very large garden. So far no luck. Checked and replaced foot valve and line going to well. Pump does not seem able to do this job very well. Please somebody do you have a better option re an electric pump fired by solar
      Hi Polly
      first things first, have you tried pumping without the pressure tank connected?

      regards
      Confused

      Comment

      • inetdog
        Super Moderator
        • May 2012
        • 9909

        #4
        Originally posted by confused
        Hi Polly
        first things first, have you tried pumping without the pressure tank connected?

        regards
        Confused
        Also, with a well which is only 8 feet deep, have you checked the refill rate of the well as the pump is emptying it? Sucking air will certainly cause the pump to lose prime no matter how good the foot valve is.
        SunnyBoy 3000 US, 18 BP Solar 175B panels.

        Comment

        • Wy_White_Wolf
          Solar Fanatic
          • Oct 2011
          • 1179

          #5
          Originally posted by inetdog
          Also, with a well which is only 8 feet deep, have you checked the refill rate of the well as the pump is emptying it? Sucking air will certainly cause the pump to lose prime no matter how good the foot valve is.
          That would be my guess too.

          Does the pump lose prime while running or while sitting idle? If it's while running then it's sucking air and the well needs to be deeper.

          WWW

          Comment

          • ananthapriya
            Junior Member
            • Jul 2013
            • 11

            #6
            Do you have any information on solar panels for homes? I have a south facing roof just not he $30K to install-- but haven't given up.
            Dan

            Comment

            • Ezrio315
              Junior Member
              • Nov 2013
              • 11

              #7
              solar powered water pump

              Originally posted by Polly Van Luven
              Hi
              I have a 180 watt solar panel and a shore well. I have a 12 volt pump and a pressure tank. I am trying to get the water from the well about 8 feet deep to my cabin which is about 60 feet from the well. Major frustration the pump keeps losing its prime. Even when it works it does so with tap turned on half way. I had the well drilled so that I could water my very large garden. So far no luck. Checked and replaced foot valve and line going to well. Pump does not seem able to do this job very well. Please somebody do you have a better option re an electric pump fired by solar
              You should choose photovoltaic solar powered pump system which includes some parts like pump, controller and solar panels which are cost effective.
              The solar panels make up most of the systems cost. The size of the PV-system is directly dependent on the size of the pump, the amount of water that is required A solar-powered pump is a pump running on electricity generated by photovoltaic panels available from collected sunlight as opposed to grid electricity. The operation of solar powered pumps is more economical mainly due to the lower operation and maintenance costs.

              Comment

              • russ
                Solar Fanatic
                • Jul 2009
                • 10360

                #8
                Originally posted by Ezrio315
                The operation of solar powered pumps is more economical mainly due to the lower operation and maintenance costs.
                The operation cost I can buy as you are using olar PV power but the maintenance won't be different.
                [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]

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