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  • Help with basic setup

    Hello!

    I'm wanting to power two 24v pond pumps using solar panels, but I want them to be able to run when sunlight is low so I want to build the following configuration:

    SOLAR PANEL ====== CHARGE CONTROLLER ===== Battery ===== 2 x Pond Pumps

    So my question really, is what power panel should I be looking at, what type of controller would be best, what voltage/amp battery do I need?

    Any help with the numbers would be much appreciated!

  • #2
    You have to start with your required load. What pumps are your running? What is their power requirement? How many hours a day are you wanting to run them?

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    • #3
      Yeah, watt hours is the first figure you need, everything else is based off of that.

      In your case, you said 24V pond pumps, I'd be open to changing that to 12V or 120AC pumps because the panel size needed to charge a 24V battery bank at the proper charge amps may be more than you bargained for in terms of price.

      I assume you realize that the power you get will cost significantly more than your POCO charges per Kwh?
      1150W, Midnite Classic 200, Cotek PSW, 8 T-605s

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      • #4
        YOu are going to have to have a way to turn on/off the pumps because with a battery they keep on running until the batteries are dead. Be prepared for sticker shock because it will be very expensive.
        MSEE, PE

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        • #5
          I see...

          ok so lets say two x 240V AC (UK) pumps, running at 12W for 8 hours a day... so that's 96 watt-hours each = 192watt-hours

          I could also do this on 12V pumps.. which would also be about 12W...

          I also assumed that solar power would be cheaper for such low power pumps... ? I would also have them on some sort of electronic timer and/or light/night sensor.

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          • #6
            If my calculations are correct, I think I would need an 80W panel...?

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            • #7
              Originally posted by prbaxter View Post
              I also assumed that solar power would be cheaper for such low power pumps... ?
              No sir the exact opposite. YOu are volunteering to pay some 10 to 20 times more for electricity taking anything off-grid. Smaller the scale, th emore expensive it gets. So if you are doing this to save money forget it, not going to happen.

              The battery alone will cost you $200 USD or more and will only last 2 or 3 years. Do the quick math 200 wh/day equates to about 3-cents per day of electricity bought from the power company So in 3 years if you buy the electricity would cost you 3-cents x 1100 days = $33. Now you want to pay $200 or more just for the battery alone.
              MSEE, PE

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              • #8
                That's astonishing. I guess the same goes for wind power too!

                Thanks for the help guys.

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                • #9
                  sorry, double posting.....


                  so where does solar power become efficient? is it with extremely large builds? or places where grid power is not available?

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                  • #10
                    You are not moving much water at that low of wattage. I've got two 17.5 watt pumps and they only move ~ 200 gph each at about 3' of head. At any rate I'll tell you now to just stay at 12v so you don't have to deal with buying another inverter, put up with inverter inefficiencies, and have to deal with that pesky thing called power factor on pumps with AC.

                    Is it critical that these pumps MUST run 8 hr a day? Are you trying to keep stuff alive or just something nice to look at?

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                    • #11
                      I've got 2 ponds with fish in them.

                      currently there are 2 pumps, one in each, just spurting a small fountain in order to ripple the water to keep the surface clear and healthy and put some oxygen in there too with the splashes. I can either pump vertically and have a small fountain or what i've been doing is pump up against a rock which fans the water over the pond like rain.

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                      • #12
                        Do this then....

                        http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-Solar-Po...item2ec8d22fc1

                        No charge controller - no battery - runs when the sun is out.

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                        • #13
                          so basically,

                          If I get enough panels to generate the same power consumption of the pump then it would work. Just trying to work out how to do this cheaply. buying panels or panels I build myself separately and reusing my existing pumps... ?

                          probably still cheaper to leave them on the grid.

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                          • #14
                            The only way those solar pond setups save you money is if they can do the same job and are cheaper to buy than running power out to where you need it. If you are already on the grid, then yes.... leave it that way.

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                            • #15
                              Originally posted by prbaxter View Post
                              so basically,

                              If I get enough panels to generate the same power consumption of the pump then it would work.
                              No as panels only generate their rated power for a few minutes around solar noon. The kind of power you are talking about is 2 or 3 cents worth of power per day. A 200 watt battery type panel will cost you $400 or more. You will be dead 40-50 years from now before you receive a payback. Replace batteries every 5 years and your great-great-great Grand Children will be dead.
                              MSEE, PE

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