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Solar Pool Pump is Rocking and Rolling

Lighthouse Beacon

Lighthouse Beacon

Following the Light
Joined
Sep 8, 2023
Messages
614
Location
FL
Got the Vevor 72v 900w DC Pool pump off eBay for $350. Came in yesterday and I had just enough time to test it on just 3X 330watt 35v panels in series, moving water pretty good! If this thing lasts it's going to pay for itself quickly considering the cash I throw at the utility company to spin by old 1.5horse pool pump. I havent put the pool pump or heater on my 10kw solar inverter/house inverter based on the inductive load it was putting on my unit. We'll see how this strategy goes.. I had 4 panels against my house on the carport array that were not in use due to shading but it seems to be plenty spinning this dc motor.
 
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One of these probably would have been my first solar project if they were this cheap 3 years ago. More like $749 back then.

Instead I changed from a 1.5HP to a 3/4HP and now I don't think I'd bother. Pump only draws like 500w.
 
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hwy17 said:
One of these probably would have been my first solar project if they were this cheap 3 years ago. More like $749 back then.

Instead I changed from a 1.5HP to a 3/4HP and now I don't think I'd bother. Pump only draws like 500w.
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I’d theorized this as well, was on the fence about it. I am keeping both AC and DC pumps available with check valves. I’m done with plumbing now about to start up the DC pump, AC can always still be used as a booster for cleaning or fallback. I will say I’m extremely impressed with how quiet this brushless DC motor isE8753D0F-1B8E-457F-A5C4-BA0D8B636DBC.jpeg
 
I've got the same 900W by HappyBuy (but it is the same pump). Bought on Amazon for about $400+. The thing starts running slowly at about 7:00am and just hums all day long. It doesn't stop no matter how cloudy it gets (although it slows down some when its cloudy). I've had it running non-stop for about 6 months so far. Not one burp.

It has its own MPPT controller with max input VOC at 150v. I'm hooked up to three 455w panels in series that push up near that 150v max. The controller outputs 70v to the pump but that happens inside the controller. I basically hooked my panels in series, ran them to the box, took the output wires from the box to the pump. Install done. I am a regular China basher and hate cheap stuff, but this is one pleasant surprise...if it lasts.
 
EscapedAritst said:
I've got the same 900W by HappyBuy (but it is the same pump). Bought on Amazon for about $400+. The thing starts running slowly at about 7:00am and just hums all day long. It doesn't stop no matter how cloudy it gets (although it slows down some when its cloudy). I've had it running non-stop for about 6 months so far. Not one burp.

It has its own MPPT controller with max input VOC at 150v. I'm hooked up to three 455w panels in series that push up near that 150v max. The controller outputs 70v to the pump but that happens inside the controller. I basically hooked my panels in series, ran them to the box, took the output wires from the box to the pump. Install done. I am a regular China basher and hate cheap stuff, but this is one pleasant surprise...if it lasts.
Click to expand...
Yeah it’s pretty awesome. I built a timer into my controller so I only let it run between 12pm-5pm. So I’ve got high output that whole time since I’ve got good sun. The bearings are the weak point on these pumps, also the axel seal in the front. Based on my research the front seal will go and you won’t know until your front bearing goes next due to the water intrusion. 2-4 years maybe? It’s paying for itself quick though based on how hungry for amps my old AC pump was. Very impressed
 
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Interesting. How can you have both the AC and DC pump connected? And how did you mount those panels to the side of the house?
 
Friend of mine got this pump 8 months ago. Replaced 10A 240V pump. Runs on 4x 230W panels in series. Energy savings have been ~300kWh/mo. Should have paid for itself by now.
 
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Why not just add more panels to your regular home solar system? What are the benefits of each way?
 
What kind of head pressure does this pump produce at various heights?
Do they have a chart?
 
Siamac said:
Why not just add more panels to your regular home solar system?
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It's offgrid, pump motor is DC brushless more efficient than induction motor. It also pumps slower than typical pool pumps (~600w vs 2400w) which lowers water velocity and reduces water friction losses. But overall it still produces clear pool water at fraction of energy usage. My friend runs 1200w pump model with 920w of panels on 10K gal pool. It keeps it very clean.
 
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I like this system. Unlike the PV powered AC units this one really does not require assistance from the Grid to be useful.
If the pool pump only comes on for 8 hours per day it’s good enough to keep the water clean. It’s kind of a nice set and forget system.
 
Siamac said:
Why not just add more panels to your regular home solar system? What are the benefits of each way?
Click to expand...
I'm not an expert in any way on this. But it is my opinion that when you hook it up to your regular AC output from your solar system, you will be running off batteries at times and you can't run the AC pump minimally like you can one of these solar pump. So if you have a few cloudy days, you'll be impacting your battery loads.

If you can time your pump on/off when the sun is generating excess power, then I think you have a good point. However, that is a system to be built, and it has to function well. With these pumps, they are cheap and they run with minimal sun. No battery impact and no switching requirements. These were my reasons. However, if the pump fails within a year or so, I'll probably build the switching device to monitor if there is enough sun to divert power to a pump without using the batteries.

Does anyone have a way to hook up any device to turn on only when there is enough extra power being generated to operate that device (without using the batteries)?
 
EscapedAritst said:
I'm not an expert in any way on this. But it is my opinion that when you hook it up to your regular AC output from your solar system, you will be running off batteries at times and you can't run the AC pump minimally like you can one of these solar pump. So if you have a few cloudy days, you'll be impacting your battery loads.

If you can time your pump on/off when the sun is generating excess power, then I think you have a good point. However, that is a system to be built, and it has to function well. With these pumps, they are cheap and they run with minimal sun. No battery impact and no switching requirements. These were my reasons. However, if the pump fails within a year or so, I'll probably build the switching device to monitor if there is enough sun to divert power to a pump without using the batteries.

Does anyone have a way to hook up any device to turn on only when there is enough extra power being generated to operate that device (without using the batteries)?
Click to expand...
I think that's all exactly right, the pumping based on solar availability is a benefit and something that pools are uniquely suited to. You don't necessarily need more pumping every day if it's not available, but when it is the extra skimming is nice. The excess triggers could be done with solar assistant and other automations, but it gets clunky and complicated.

My hangup is I need a specific minimum output for my solar thermal pool heating panels, and the variable speed of the solar pumps would give me trouble. So I'm sticking with my 500w 3/4hp single speed as long as it keeps running. Then probably a VS AC pump.
 
I have a regular AC powered variable speed pump. It has a built in soft start.

Here's a power consumption chart for last few days (includes power for the salt chlorinator):

Screen Shot 2024-06-01 at 7.31.42 am.png

And the same for a few days last December:

Screen Shot 2024-06-01 at 7.38.19 am.png

It is switched on/off using a smart plug controlled via a Home Assistant automation based on an offset to sunrise and sunset. Using this it automatically adjusts the duty cycle for the season.

There are probably smart plugs which have such a programmable timer feature built in and not requiring Home Assistant.

Since we have an 11 kW grid tied PV system, providing ~350 W is not an issue even when cloudy.

I used to also have in the automation a check for sufficiently available excess solar PV, but it just wasn't required at this level of consumption.

As an aside, the average power consumption tells me how the salt level is going. The higher the salt concentration, the more power the system consumes, on average.So if I see average power draw fall below ~320W I know I need to add salt. There are also variations due to grid feed-in voltage changes (rural power network).
 
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