SOLAR WATER PUMPING
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For
livestock producers and many other applications, "solar" and
"water pumping" go along together as well as pigs in
mud! If you have
a well you're not using, and need to expand your pasture's horizons,
call us with your well specifications, as well as the number of cow-calf
pairs you're watering. We'll let you know what it will take to
keep your thirsty cows happy. If you have need of a residential
water system, let us know what kind of pump you have in place now, how
much water it pumps in terms of gallons-per-minute, and the amount of
water you need on a daily or weekly basis.
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BASIC WATER
PUMPING SYSTEM -
as simple as it gets!
(sized at the approximate
depth of 100 ft.) Components consist of:
-
Fronius IG / Kyocera
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Shurflo Sub Pump, 9300
Series
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Optimizing Controller
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2 - 60W Solar Modules
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1 - Zomeworks Tracker
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Float Switch and Low Water
Cut-off Electrodes
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10/2 AWG Submersible Wire
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Float Switch and Electrode
Wire
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Poly Tubing and Safety Rope
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Pump Fittings
Total cost before
freight: $3332
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Check the
insolation map to
determine the amount of water this system will supply in an average day,
and in what zone:
Zone 1…………………………..600 GPD*
Zone 2…………………………..565 GPD
Zone 3…………………………..510 GPD
Zone 4…………………………..465 GPD
Zone 5…………………………..400 GPD
Zone 6…………………………..330 GPD |
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(*gallons
per day--and these figures are tend to be conservative) This Shurflo model
will pump from a maximum depth of 230 ft. in a minimum of 4" casing. At that
depth you'd need two 75W modules (with an additional cost of $160) instead
of 60W modules. Remember, the above figures reflect averages; you will get
more water in summer--perhaps 25% more (in times of higher livestock and
garden demands) and less in winter. This system is meant to pump into a
holding tank or cistern, and will not provide for a pressurized system by
itself. For additional information on the Shurflo Series
9300 Sub Pump, click here! |
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TO POWER YOUR EXISTING 230VAC pump
all depends, as usual, on how many hours per day that load is sustained.
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We will
assume (for example) you're powering a 3/4 HP pump for one hour daily, for
this system's load requirements. A pump that size draws 1325 watts per
hour--or 1660 watt-hours adjusted for the load correction factor. Since the
starting surge can be 3 to 5 times the load current, it'll take a sizable
inverter to cover the surge...fortunately, Trace Engineering makes a
remarkable transformer (their T-240) that'll handle most motor loads up to 1
1/2 HP, and that fact keeps us from having to "stack" two 110 AC inverters
to receive our 230 VAC output. We will assume that the average daily
insolation (amount of full sun) is 4 hours per day where this site is.
Here's how the system breaks down:
- 4 - 130W Modules
- 1 - A Frame Roof or Ground Mount
- Outdoor Disconnect, Breakers and Surge
Protector
- Module Interconnects
- C35 Charge Controller with Digital Volt
Meter Option
- Trace T-240 Transformer
- Xantrex DR3624 inverter
- Midnight E-Panel Power Center
- Inverter Cables
- 8 - 345AH Batteries (for 4 days of
back-up)
- Battery Interconnects
TOTAL COST BEFORE FREIGHT: $10,225
(wire runs, miscellaneous check valves, widgets not included)
If you needed two hours of pump run-time a day, you'd need twice the number
of modules and batteries, three hours of run-time, 12 modules...etcetera.
The low flow DC submersibles are much less costly, but you get less water;
the system to back-up your conventional 230VAC pump is more costly, but you
get much more water in a shorter run time. For more info on the
DC
Submersible Pumps, click here
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Back to our
solar pumping home page |
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