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diy solar

240v well pump -> offgrid

I just did what what you are asking about. I took my 1.5hp deep well off grid with grid backup. I have it set to prefer the batteries, and some may laugh at the 12v batteries running a 1.5hp pump, but I have no issues in 4 months. Pump only runs for about 70 seconds at a time to fill with pressure tank from 35-55psig.
I used this site as a blueprint for equipment, but purchased the following individually:
4Kw Aims 12Vdc-240V low frequency inverter
Two, 440W panels with tamarack racking on my well pump house roof
80A charge controller (could get away with 60A as I've never seen >65amps charging)
2X Ampere Time, 200AH 12V batteries in parallel

I took the house supply 240VAC and plugged it into the Aims inverter/charger
I installed a new sub panel which is fed from the inverter (now I have 120V out there as well!)
I adjusted my 9 zone sprinklers to run 2 zones a day, staggering them.
I have not seen my batteries below 40%.
Now I'm working on insulating and wiring 12V self heating as everything is in an un-insulated pump house.


OGK-8 kit
Great job. Im considering building a shack and insulating it and maybe a mini split.
 
Wow, you guys have some serious wells!
Ours is only 150ft deep, pump is at 50ft.
Goulds 18GS10412C GS Stainless Steel Series, 4"
18GPM, 1HP, 230V

Fills a pre-charged 80 gallon tank.

Pump LRA is 41A, draws about 8A when running.
Schneider XW-Pro 6848 starts it easily.
 
Wow, you guys have some serious wells!
Ours is only 150ft deep, pump is at 50ft.
Goulds 18GS10412C GS Stainless Steel Series, 4"
18GPM, 1HP, 230V

Fills a pre-charged 80 gallon tank.

Pump LRA is 41A, draws about 8A when running.
Schneider XW-Pro 6848 starts it easily.
The benefits of living near sea level?
 
I figured out my clamp inrush setting and retook measurements. 47amps inrush on the well and 44 on the booster pump.
 
Knowing what I know now, I totally would have put a smaller (1hp) soft start pump like the SQ models. Our pump impellers went out after 19 years and we just replaced the pump with the current 1.5hp model. It takes all the juice in my 6Kw generator to start that guy when the power is off. I like this setup, I just wish I had an additional panel on the roof. I may add that in the future, but the charger is almost at max capacity (nameplate). I stuck with 12V because it was less expensive, and I could pull the whole setup and stick it in a travel trailer if needed in an emergency.
 
I recently installed a similar system for a customer. Although it is a 24V 4Kw Sungold and running a 3/4 horse deep well pump. The system has 2Kw of dedicated panels and two 12V Napa marine SLA. The little batteries provide inrush and then the solar takes over. They can pump water to their above ground tanks (100,000 gallons) all day.
Maybe you meant 10,000 gallons a day? 100k per day would take 70 GPM

Wow, you guys have some serious wells!
It's all over place around me. I have two wells on my place. Less than a 1/4 mile apart, one has static water level at 50' and the other has it at 200'. Both produce over 20 GPM. Yet a mile up the road they drilled 600' two holes on the same place and never got to water.
 
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Knowing what I know now, I totally would have put a smaller (1hp) soft start pump like the SQ models.
Right?!? So many of the problems these pump threads are needing help with can be solved with a Grundfos SQ (or SQF or SQE).

When our 20 year old 3 wire 1HP goes we're going to go to an SQE. It's the constant pressure model with a tiny 1G pressure tank.
 
Have a look at the LVX6048 does not need a battery, or the Growatt SPF 6000T that does need a battery.
Both are 6kW big heavy transformer output units.
So even though the battery is optional they can run off grid without a battery? That's pretty cool.

I've been looking at several AIO units and even though they can be battery or batteryless they can't run off grid without batteries. One that I like so far is the Voltronics InfiniSolar WP LV 6K but I'm pretty sure it needs batteries to be off grid. Side note: Are most of the AIO's made by Voltronics?

I'd have some concerns about a batteryless inverter being able to reliably start a well pump unless the solar was pretty hefty.
 
Maybe you meant 10,000 gallons a day? 100k would bw 70 GPM 24/7


It's all over place around me. I have two wells on my place. Less than a 1/4 mile apart, one has static water level at 50' and the other has it at 200'. Both produce over 20 GPM. Yet a mile up the road they drilled 600' two holes on the same place and never got to water.
I should have been more clear. The total volume of the storage tanks is 100k. The well is used daily to the tune of 2-5k gallons to keep them topped off.
 
FYI, if you have t three wire pump (etxternal capacitor) it can be converted to variable speed drive by installing a monodrive kit made by Franklin Electric. It eliminates start up surge and the pump will last a lot longer. Not cheap but cheaper than a new pump.
 
The goulds pump i have says its vfd compatible. Anyone know of a reliable 2HP vfd for doing slow starts?
 
So anyone had an SQ gundfos well pump for any long length of time? The goulds is pretty bullet proof and the start and run caps are above ground. It seems like the goulds pumps are more bullet proof. But I would like to hear someone whomran a SQ and how many years and or gallons thry got out of it. Ive got over 3 million gallons on my goulds and i think it can still go for quite a while. Im interested in the SQ for the built in soft start.
 
Now I'm working on insulating and wiring 12V self heating as everything is in an un-insulated pump house.
Maybe consider just digging down deeper and using the available soil warmth to keep your pipes and batteries at an acceptable temperature (with good insulation on top). The local authorities or civil engineers will know the historical frost depth in your area, and a pit that deep should everything above 0degC (32F) all the time. That, plus some heat from charging of the batteries, may be all you need.
 
So anyone had an SQ gundfos well pump for any long length of time? The goulds is pretty bullet proof and the start and run caps are above ground. It seems like the goulds pumps are more bullet proof. But I would like to hear someone whomran a SQ and how many years and or gallons thry got out of it. Ive got over 3 million gallons on my goulds and i think it can still go for quite a while. Im interested in the SQ for the built in soft start.
I've got a dozen or so SQ, SQE and SQFlexes installed at cutomer's places. Some are for irrigation/livestock but most are for household water. No failures other than a direct lightning strike to the well case (oh mama that was a deal). Some are over 10 years old. One is at almost 20 years of daily use.

I figured out my clamp inrush setting and retook measurements. 47amps inrush on the well and 44 on the booster pump.
So Post 7 in this thread?
 
For the meter, I had to hold down the inrush button for 3 seconds to arm the trigger on the clamp. Its a new meter, I just picked up and was not using it correctly.

I am looking at SQ pumps and also considering an offgrid inverter/vfd that I found that looks like it would work well.

Havent done anything yet, but am going to move on this soon. Mwybe get the vfd for noe and then build a rig to pull the pump and get an SQ once I can pull it. The pump is sitting down 640ft on 1.25" steel pipes. Its going to take a bit of work to pull it myself. I hate paying the pump company. Rather be able to do my own jobs.
 
The pump is sitting down 640ft on 1.25" steel pipes. Its going to take a bit of work to pull it myself. I hate paying the pump company. Rather be able to do my own jobs.
20' sections I assume. I think you're at least 2lbs. per foot just for the pipe and that's before the water in the pipe, the wire and the pump. We've brainstormed on this a few times but never built anything. I'm smart (old) enough now that I just let the pump service companies deal with it. Still burns my a$$ to see what the customer ends up paying.
 
Yeah I know its super heavy. The pipes come in 21 ft sections. My neighbors have the rigs already to do their. I just need to get myself setup to do it. We are fairly resourceful bunch out here. Lots of heavy equipment at our disposal and fabrication and construction and engineering know how. Paying people sucks. Being dependent on other people sucks worse.
 
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