Solar well pump

[Redmt]

Does anyone have any first hand experience with deep well submersible solar pumps? The one we have been using for the last 3 years has been down more than it has been pumping. We're pumping from 260' + another 60' to gravity back tank. Well depth is 280'. Static at about 180'.

 

[2rocky]

Is your concern with the pump itself or the power source?

i can't help you but that might clear up the nature of the issue...

 

[Redmt]

No concerns, I'm looking for recommendations.

 

[hank4elk]

Go Grundfos.
I'm on 3rd brand for my windmill replacement. Tried to DIY and save $.
Talk to your well service guy about Grundfos pumps. The panels need to supply enough power too.
I got good panels and Shakti pump. Pump only lasted 3 years.

Switched service guys and well is pumping again. New guy took out the expensive control panel and replaced with simple switch in box.

Well is 175'deep and water is at 80. Was 89 when drilled.......yep, rising. Pumping 6gpm out of 45gpm well. Into dirt stock tanks.
Panels produce even on cloudy/overcast/winter days. 2 300w panels.

Solar is only way to go without power close. Quality has gone way up, with right system. From deep wells too.

 

[Redmt]

Thanks but I'm looking for first hand experience and recommendations

 

[Redmt]

Go Grundfos.
I'm on 3rd brand for my windmill replacement. Tried to DIY and save $.
Talk to your well service guy about Grundfos pumps. The panels need to supply enough power too.
I got good panels and Shakti pump. Pump only lasted 3 years.

Switched service guys and well is pumping again. New guy took out the expensive control panel and replaced with simple switch in box.

Well is 175'deep and water is at 80. Was 89 when drilled.......yep, rising. Pumping 6gpm out of 45gpm well. Into dirt stock tanks.
Panels produce even on cloudy/overcast/winter days. 2 300w panels.

Solar is only way to go without power close. Quality has gone way up, with right system. From deep wells too.

Thanks Hank! That's exactly the info I'm looking for. Grundfos has an excellent reputation but until someone who actually has one in place it's hard to believe all the shiny pictures in the ads.

 

[Hunting Wife]

I’ve installed about 15 on our public properties over the past couple years. We’ve used both Grundfos and RPS. RPS is super simple and customizable if you want to DIY. Plus they have great tech support and customer service if things go sideways. Our wells have run anywhere from 40’ to about 250’. A couple of those are pushing out to a mile or so of pipeline we plowed in. We’ve accomplished all of these with 400w setups, but if you’re worried about the vertical lift, I would think you could pretty easily get it done with 800w. RPS can help you spec it out if you are interested.

 

[Redmt]

I’ve installed about 15 on our public properties over the past couple years. We’ve used both Grundfos and RPS. RPS is super simple and customizable if you want to DIY. Plus they have great tech support and customer service if things go sideways. Our wells have run anywhere from 40’ to about 250’. A couple of those are pushing out to a mile or so of pipeline we plowed in. We’ve accomplished all of these with 400w setups, but if you’re worried about the vertical lift, I would think you could pretty easily get it done with 800w. RPS can help you spec it out if you are interested.

RPS 800 watt system has been the problem. Super friendly people. Super crappy Chinese pump and panels. The pump is looking at the 3rd replacement. The control box has been replaced once and the panels have lost nearly 30% of what they were. RPS claims 20 year warranty on the panels to produce at least 80% of advertised amperage. They are fighting the warranty replacement. It was installed in June of 2022. Nice knowledgeable people, bad product. They seem to think that pulling out a pump from 260' is something that just happens with a snap of my fingers.

 

[Hunting Wife]

RPS 800 watt system has been the problem. Super friendly people. Super crappy Chinese pump and panels. The pump is looking at the 3rd replacement. The control box has been replaced once and the panels have lost nearly 30% of what they were. RPS claims 20 year warranty on the panels to produce at least 80% of advertised amperage. They are fighting the warranty replacement. It was installed in June of 2022. Nice knowledgeable people, bad product. They seem to think that pulling out a pump from 260' is something that just happens with a snap of my fingers.

That’s too bad. Hasn’t been our experience. The only one we’ve had to scrap was a Grundfos.

Hope you find something that works for you.

 

[Dan-06]

Ya, I did a grunfos high voltage pump below the windmill. This way they both can work. Lift is about 400 feet. Pump into elevated holding tanks.

 

[Redmt]

That’s too bad. Hasn’t been our experience. The only one we’ve had to scrap was a Grundfos.

Hope you find something that works for you.

I lost a Grundfos AC pump also but it was from sand in a newer well. It lasted maybe 8 or 9 years.

 

[hank4elk]

I started with RPS and did it myself. Lasted a year and it stopped. Lift problems.

Local yahoo put in newer system and it worked for 3 years. He avoided the replacement problem by avoiding me.

Lucky I had also upgraded the RPS from smaller panels.
My windmill guy came and had new system in between 9am & noon. Solo. While pulling the pipe I saw the waterline at the 80ft joint,up 9'.
He had also replaced my domestic well system after lightning strikes.
Grundfos is the quality standard and 10 years is average life of a pump.

Amazing to watch them pump on overcast or partly cloudy days. Lots of water for the elk. Antelope are regulars too.

 

[Redmt]

I started with RPS and did it myself. Lasted a year and it stopped. Lift problems.

Local yahoo put in newer system and it worked for 3 years. He avoided the replacement problem by avoiding me.

Lucky I had also upgraded the RPS from smaller panels.
My windmill guy came and had new system in between 9am & noon. Solo. While pulling the pipe I saw the waterline at the 80ft joint,up 9'.
He had also replaced my domestic well system after lightning strikes.
Grundfos is the quality standard and 10 years is average life of a pump.

Amazing to watch them pump on overcast or partly cloudy days. Lots of water for the elk. Antelope are regulars too.

Out of our 4 Wells that seem to come and go randomly we have 2 Gould pumps at 280' and a Grundfos at 400' the 2 Gould pumps have been in the ground 30+ years. We replaced the Grundfos with another one as it pumps very well from 400' but blue hard rock sand killed the first one after 8-9 years. The RPS is a nice system in theory. The company seems great. The tech people are super friendly and helpful as they can be but the products just don't measure up to the other well known brands. We have done the installation on our our Wells. Have the toys to do it helps but we'll pumps don't just slide down the hole by themselves nor do they just jump out of the hole with a snap of the fingers.
We were given the complete RPS system by way of one of the disaster charities after the fires of 2020. Had I bought the system at nearly 4k I would have dumped the entire system on their doorstep within a year after getting it installed. All the defective controllers, pumps and panels aren't worth the trouble it has all been even when it was basically a "free" system.

 

[2rocky]

Out of curiosity, are folks with Solar pumps using battery storage or just running the pumps when the sun shines? Float valves or Pressure Switches?

All my experience is with shallow wells with surface pumps and footvalves on a rigid intake we prime before restarting that goes to a pressure tank. Our Gould pumps have been reliable. Local Pump and Well guy promoted Grundfos. I'll ask my neighbor art school board about their solar setup..

 

[Redmt]

I just run when the sun shines. The tank has a high water full sensor and the well has a low water sensor to shut down the pump.