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  • Help with pool pump

    I have been trying to find out all I can to convert my 220-240 volt pool pump to solar. It is about 10.2 - 10.8 amps. I would like some help if possible. Things like... how many and size of panels, etc.

    Thanx - appreciate it.

  • #2
    You are kidding right? You want to power a 240 volt 10 amp pump 24 x 7 ? I assume you want to do it with batteries right?

    Well 240 volts x 10 amps = 2400 watts. 2400 watts x 24 hours = 57.6 Kwh. Assuming you get a whopping 5 Sun Hour day, you need a 17, 000 watt solar panel array that will set you back around $51,000 just for solar panels.

    Next is 48 volt 6000 amp bank. You will need a building of about 500/ft2 to hold those batteries of $42,000 and 8 tons of weight.

    You are looking at around $150,000 to $200,000 to do this. Here is the good news. The batteries need replaced in about 5 years at even higher cost. So instead of paying the electric company 12 cents per Kwh, you can do it with solar at $2 per Kwh or about 15 times more than you pay now, but with solar you have to pay it all up front in cash.

    Can I sign you up for a contract?
    MSEE, PE

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    • #3
      No, actually I am not kidding. Don't recall saying any thing about 24/7. Here in Vegas we have plenty of sun light. Smart answers like this almost make joining a discussion group not really worth while.

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      • #4
        Various parties (well meaning but misinformed) try to promote solar as the answer to all the problems but they neglect to mention that solar is a very - very - very expensive answer.

        Sunking is a bit blunt at times but he is 100% correct. For the 24 hours - divide by whatever portion of the 24 you would use. You would need less batteries but not going to make it much cheaper.

        Welcome anyway! Maybe you have another application that would be more suitable?
        [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]

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        • #5
          Originally posted by maggiems View Post
          No, actually I am not kidding. Don't recall saying any thing about 24/7.
          So how many hours per day will it run?

          You can figure out the answer yourself. Take the wattage of the pump which is 240 volts x 10.2 amps = 2448 watts.

          Now multiply the watts x hours = watt hours. So lets say the pump runs 12 hours per day. 2448 watts x 12 hours = 29.38 Kwh per day. Next to account for inefficiency of a solar system multiply that number by 1.5 (66% efficiency) so 1.5 x 29.38 Kwh = 44 Kwh You are now ready to design a system.

          To find the panel wattage needed take the adjusted watt hours and divide it by your location sun hours. I will help you out here Las Vegas receives 6.1 Sun Hours. So the solar panel wattage needed is 44,000 wh / 6.1 hours = 7213 watts. Round that up to 7300 watts. Solar panels cost $3 per watt, or $21,900

          For the battery capacity needed take the daily adjusted watt hours x 5, and divide that number by the battery voltage. [44 Kwh x 5] / 48 volts = 4583 Amp Hours. Ok batteries weight approx 50 pounds per Kwh of capacity and cost $130 per Kwh of capacity. You need a battery capacity of 5 x 44 Kwh = 220 Kwh capacity. That comes out to 11,000 pounds of lead acid, and $28,600.

          You are going to need 2-80 amp MPPT charge controllers at roughly $600 per unit or $1200.

          You will need a 5 KVA True Sine Wave Inverter $2500

          Then you will need another $20,000 for misc materials, labor, permits, and inspection fees.

          So just to run the pump 12 hours will cost you roughly $74,200. After 5 years you get to replace the batteries at around $35,000.

          The point I was trying to make your realize is it does not matter how many hours you run that pump per day. If you use solar battery system it will cost you 10 to 30 times more than you pay the electric company for the rest of your life or until you sell it, or get rid of it.

          A system like the one describe above can potentially generate 8784 Kwh per year and 43,920 Kwh in 5 years if you could some how utilize all the power. That is not possible, but for the sake of argument let's say you can to do some cost comparison. Since the batteries have to be replaced in 5 years we use a 5 year model. So $74,200 / 43,920 Kwh = $1.68 per Kwh. You pay right now around $0.13 per Kwh to the electric utility.

          So I am sorry if I offended you. My intention was to show you the light brother. I will be happy to design and build the system for you. I am licensed in NV and have built a many systems in NV, but the first thing I would do for you as a client is educate you as to your options. My advice is smile and think how much money you save paying the utility company rather than me and solar suppliers.
          MSEE, PE

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          • #6
            Thanx for the clearification. Some where I read about a "splitter" that is like plugging into two 110 outlets. I guess that is where I was coming from thinking that dedicating two outlets to one project wouldn't be all that expensive. Anyway... think I'm gonna fork out the money and buy one of the variable speed motors like the power company is pushing. Appreciate it & thanx.

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            • #7
              Originally posted by maggiems View Post
              Thanx for the clearification. Some where I read about a "splitter" that is like plugging into two 110 outlets. I guess that is where I was coming from thinking that dedicating two outlets to one project wouldn't be all that expensive. Anyway... think I'm gonna fork out the money and buy one of the variable speed motors like the power company is pushing. Appreciate it & thanx.
              Check for rebates, Ultra efficient motors, and of course, be sure the pump is sized correctly for your pool, and the proper hours. Many installs have 3x the amount of pump, just to pump up the profits. Also, other sanitizing systems (ozone, silver ion, salt) may allow lower overall energy costs.

              And a simple grid-intertie (batteryless) solar PV system can offset the electric usage, if you have favorable "Time of use" programs.
              Powerfab top of pole PV mount (2) | 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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              • #8
                Originally posted by maggiems View Post
                ..... to convert my 220-240 volt pool pump to solar.
                It is about 10.2 - 10.8 amps.
                Originally posted by Mike90250 View Post
                ..... Ultra efficient motors, and of course, be sure the pump is sized correctly for your pool, and the proper hours.
                Many installs have 3x the amount of pump, just to pump up the profits.
                Sizing pump base on capacity:
                litres or gallons per minute the pump can,
                against pool size.

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