Solar Panels- power.....

banjoman09

Well-known Member
Will start by saying- I know this is not tractor related...hope you will allow- I have read many times there are more people see this post than the others...so.....
One of our "fish ponds" is dug deep for "run-off" water but this time of year gets low- sometimes dangerously low. There is a well 30' from the pond- use to be a windmill there for yrs- now just the well and pipe. How can I pump water out of this well to run water in the pond- with Solar? I was in Harbor Freight store last week and see they sell "Solar Panel Kits"....100watt maybe? Can I do this myself? With your help? Thanks!
 
How deep is the well? 100W of power isn't much, when you are talking about lifting water.
 
There are low-draw, low-pressure, and low-voltage DC water pumps that can run off a small solar panel (100 watts) and a battery. A battery is a must since solar panels only work for a 1/4 of the day, and that only if the sun comes out. Harbor Freight is great for some tools but an awful place for solar electric equipment.

High water pressure is what takes high power. If you can get by with a small rate at near zero pressure, running at a trickle rate, then you can likely get by with a 100 watts of solar. If you wanted to run a conventional 1/2 horse high-pressure pump - you'd need 4000 watts in solar panels.
 

Solar doesn't make sense for this kind of occasional application most likely. It's a lot of cost and if you only need to pump water once in a while...

One solution would be to buy an electric well pump, either submersible or shallow well jet pump. They go to everyone's favorite store, Harbor Freight and get a generator that has enough power to drive the pump. Plug in the pump, fuel up the generator and let 'er rip. You may have to refuel occasionally, but most generators have enough gas to run 6-8 hours per tankful. Yes, I know it may take a lot of pumping over many days, but for a once a year need, this may be the cheapest solution and it's DIY.

Other solution is to go old school and get a windmill. They're still out there, but used and new. I see a couple of guys on Craigslist in this area who buy old windmills, refurb, and then reinstall them. Lots of ranchers out west still use these things.

Grouse
 
I had our local power company come look at this set-up a year ago- gave me an est. of $5000 for solar panels and pump. I said no way. Our water is 60' deep- 4" metal casing; how many panels would I need? where do I get all supplies I need plus battery...etc...maybe a "kit". ?
 
great advise Grouse.... I will think on this. Just trying to get $$$ on Solar- would like to go off the grid. I have a 8000w generator..... could buy the pump and 1" tubing....; windmill would be better...maybe. Thanks!
 
Is electricity supply too far to run wire. If not too far that would be the cheapest and most efficient way to go.
 
I think you are getting some bad info. You can buy a kit for less then $200 with the pump and the solar-panel. I'd add a $85 battery from Walmart if I was installing it. It is a heck of a lot cheaper then a windmill. Lot easier then running a hand-pump. I have installed several of similar systems and they have worked fine.
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That was the quote from our local Electric company- I am a 150 yds from power; for them to install box- lay line...install pump down "my well" was $7000.00
 
and why? Is it because I wont get much water from a solar pump? My pond is 3/4 acre- now it is about 3' deep; would like to "maintain" this level or maybe add to it. I don't know how long a solar pump will work? Or how much water it will pump? Thanks!
 
Have you checked the condition of the well?

Is there still an intact casing?

If there is, the solar might be the best choice, especially if the well in a low producer.
 
One more thing to consider is, what kind of material is lining your pond? Does it hold water well, or allow water to seep through into the ground as the water table drops?

Also, you might consider adding Lily Pads to the pond if not already there. Everywhere that the pads cover helps prevent water evaporation, adds shade for fish, and adds diversity - also helps clean the water.
 
honestly no- hasn't had a mill on it since the 60's.... assuming the casing is still good. Will Solar pump enough water?
 
To start with, 1) You can probably buy solar panels and solar charge controllers much cheaper then the kits like sold at big box stores, I bought my last 245 watt panel for 90 cents per watt. 2) 100 watts isn't hardly enough to power a rubber chicken but if you get enough sun and have enough battery power you can perhaps run a low power a 12 volt pump and harvest enough solar energy to keep the battery charged. THE ANSWER DEPENDS ON HOW MUCH ENERGY THE PUMP REQUIRES,,,,,,,,YOUR BATTERY CAPACITY,,,,,,,,,,THEN YOU CAN SIZE HOW MANY SOLAR WATTS MAY BE REQUIRED which depends on the sun and angle and how many hours of light per day etc etc etc. To give you an idea, in my RV I'm running 715 watts of solar, a 50 amp MPPT solar charge controller, Four Trojans for a capacity of 450 Amp Hours of energy storage, and I can run 12 volt DC fans and water pumps and furnaces and lights till the cows come home if I get any sunlight at all during the day. Of course, you need a battery to store energy you cant rely on a solar panel alone to power that pump very well that is.

John T
 
Yes- I understand...now what I need is this; can you tell me what YOU would buy to do this job; panels? battery(s); and pump and wire; then Ill try to find where to buy this(or you tell me) and see what the cost will be. Thanks.
 
(quoted from post at 10:41:08 09/21/17) Will start by saying- I know this is not tractor related...hope you will allow- I have read many times there are more people see this post than the others...so.....
One of our "fish ponds" is dug deep for "run-off" water but this time of year gets low- sometimes dangerously low. There is a well 30' from the pond- use to be a windmill there for yrs- now just the well and pipe. How can I pump water out of this well to run water in the pond- with Solar? I was in Harbor Freight store last week and see they sell "Solar Panel Kits"....100watt maybe? Can I do this myself? With your help? Thanks!

I haven't read all the replies, don't know if I'm duplicating.

Go here first: http://nemosolar.com/dcsubmersiblepumps/index.html

These pumps are US made, quite simple and I have installed 4 so far and no issues. Get the 24 volt DC model, for fewer amps required, and smaller wire needed. Soldering in sealing the connection wires is critical to protect from water ingress.

Next go here: http://nemosolar.com/dcsubmersiblepumps/id51.html and use the charge controller they spec.

Next go here: http://nemosolar.com/dcsubmersiblepumps/id47.html get the float switch(automatic leveling).

Next go here: https://www.wholesalesolar.com/cms/solarland-slp120-24u-120-watt-module-24v-solar-panel-specs-2236047560.pdf and get the ~120 watt, 24V nominal panel. (or something very similar)

Finally here: https://www.batteriesplus.com/productdetails/sli24mdc or similar. Don't go weird on the batt, just stick with flooded lead-acid, stay low cost.

Get 100' of stranded 12Ga wire. While you are there, get a 100' coil of hard plastic vinyl 1/2" sprinkler tube, couple stainless 2" hose clamps, and a bag of good quality zipties.

Again, careful solder seal connecting the wires to the pump. Warm the sprinkler tubing end and fit it over the pump discharge flange. Secure with the hose clamp. Start running the pump, hose and wires down the bore. Secure the wires to the tubing every 10' or so. You will feel the resistance chance once you get into the water. Go down another few feet and secure the wires and tubing to the well case. I use a split block of wood that pinches the tubing gently. Connect the wires briefly to the batt, with red on + and black on -, and check you draw water up and out of the tube.

Connect the batt to the charge controller first, then the solar panel. Connect the pump + wire to the plus leg of the charge controller load, and run the other wire out to the float switch. Aim the solar panel at the sun, tip the float switch down, and check the pump runs and delivers water.

The last job is to attach the wire of the float switch to a suitable rod stuck in the pond at the approx level you want to maintain. Note that the height delta of the water level can be adjusted by how your attach the leash of the float switch cable to the rod. The longer the leash length, the longer the duty cycle, and the more delta you will have in the level. Use the other hose clamp to secure the float switch leash to the rod. I use a piece of hold hose sleeve around the pump cable to protect it from damage.

Mount your solar panel so it faces the sun, toss the float switch in the water, and the tubing into the pond and viola!

If the batt runs all the way down at first, the charge controller will protect the pump and the batt from damage. Just lift the float switch for a bit, and let the batt recover. Once you have it where you want it, the whole thing will work without intervention. In areas where there is a hard freeze, the batt should be protected from freezing, and the pump should be protected from pumping water into a frozen tube. Either shut it off, or lift the float switch and tie it up so it won't regulate the water level.

I've done a bunch of these, and so far they are all working fine.
 
By my calculationside an inch of water on 3/4 of an acre would be over 20,000 gallons. A hot windy day with low humidity and 1/4" an hour might evaporate. Just something to consider when trying to justify project. 14 gpm to add an inch in 24 hours.
 
Great! so after Im done going here- then there- then here - then there again- what is my final cost? Thanks!
 
Check out ABB they are working on a system using solar panels, battery, inverter and VFD to start and run deep submersible single phase pumps
 
I have the exact pump that John shows above. They are on Ebay for about $80. I am running it on 2 12v 100w solar panels in series. I am pumping from a spring against approximately 65' of head. Very similar to your situation.

There are no batteries. The pump starts when full sun hits the panels. If it clouds up it slows way down. It pumps constantly from about 8:30 AM to about 4:00 PM as long as the sun is shining. It is delivering one gallon per minute.

I know this may seem marginal but it is nearly 500 gallons per day and would easily supply domestic use. It is doing wonders for our garden. It is affordable, it cost me about $300. It is free. It is solar. I don't see how anyone can complain about that.

I think the pump is capable of pumping 2 gallons per minute. More panels and a controller could get more water out of it. The pump is guaranteed for a year. If you ran it at high speed it might not last as long. There are a lot of pumps out there, this one is entry level I figure.
 
Im not computer savy I guess- when I try to "copy and paste" these sites - it does not work...what do I do ?
 
It's very difficult to copy and paste on this site when they don't put the address on a line all by itself. I've mentioned this before, and don't mean to beat up the helpful fellas that bother to write out all that helpful info! :)

But if we learn to at least put a link on a line all by itself, no other text, it is so much easier for us to cut and paste it.....

Paul
 
I would consider buying a pumping windmill, and let it pump. You might get a lot more output, and it might look way cool to boot.

No, I don't know what that would cost you.

Paul
 
"Great! so after Im done going here- then there- then here - then there again- what is my final cost? Thanks!"

Sorry, I'm not gonna go total it all up for you. This is pretty cheap and reliable. I was looking at going back to wind, and this was about 1/7 the price of a small windmill. More reliable too.

http://nemosolar.com/dcsubmersiblepumps/id51.html

http://nemosolar.com/dcsubmersiblepumps/id47.html

https://www.wholesalesolar.com/cms/solarland-slp120-24u-120-watt-module-24v-solar-panel-specs-2236047560.pdf

https://www.batteriesplus.com/productdetails/sli24mdc

the other stuff can be sourced at orange or blue of course. Some web applications don't recognize http:// prefix and automatically create hyperlinks. It's poor coding, but we all pay the price.
 

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