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Grundfos SQ vs RPS system

Subiaco

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Jun 18, 2021
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I have a 42 gpm well with static water level between 30 and 60 feet. I will pump to a large tank next to the well, and my water needs are relatively low. An RPS 200 system is more than adequate, but I think a 1/2 hp Grundfos SQ pump is probably higher quality than whatever RPS supplies. My question is what components are required to power the Grundfos besides solar panels and inverter? This is in Central California and I'm only interested in pumping while the sun shines.
 
You'd need an SCC in between them if you're inverter doesn't have it built-in. I'd look into if you can use a DC pump, then you won't need the inverter and won't have to put up with its power losses. Pumps usually have an enormous start-up energy draw, so you might need some sort of soft-starter (A battery can help overcome that draw too).

A small battery or capacitor to buffer energy might make the system more resilient to short-lived shade-brown-outs. Circuit breakers are probably required by code, but even if they're not it can make working on the gear a whole lot easier.
 
Check out the SQ Flex line of pumps from Grundfos. They take AC or DC at a huge range of voltages. Pretty sure you can just connect your solar panels straight to the pump...
 
You don’t have to have any thing ?
You need solar panel run in series , they have a on off switch and a control box but the pump can pump with nothing
you can run it on 120v 240v and any thing you can thing of .
im going to run mine thru the inverter the pump is 700’ deep
I’m going to add extra solar panels to my house system and just pump water mid day when I have lots of power .
I like the grundfos better then rps pumps .
 
I only camp on my acreage, but it's time to develop a small water system. I don't need to power anything else. The RPS system is appealing because it's complete, but I'm sure the Grundfos pumps are a better value. I just want to be sure not to leave anything out.
 
O that’s different, I think for a camp I would get a cheapie $3/400 pump kit and see how it works out.
Eco worthy has one for 300 bucks with battery’s ?
You can pump down to 80 feet with any pump .
I have a friend the uses one to pump from his spring house with 20’ of lift and his pump is in it 6th season .
You can use a 275gallon tote to hold water .
It would give you 1.5 gallons a minute, I’m sure it will give you 300gallons a day .
I only use about 75 gallons a day with 3 people taking showers flushing the toilet Doing dishes .
When we where camping 2 totes fulled up with rain water would last me from April to November
if you are in a area that freezes over winter you will need a way to drain the line at the well head
you could use a pitiless adaptor exiting the well casting below the frost line .
Or if the pipe is mounted above ground you could drill a small hole in the drop tube so the line drains out
Or maybe a pump house .
 
O that’s different, I think for a camp I would get a cheapie $3/400 pump kit and see how it works out.
Eco worthy has one for 300 bucks with battery’s ?
You can pump down to 80 feet with any pump .
I have a friend the uses one to pump from his spring house with 20’ of lift and his pump is in it 6th season .
You can use a 275gallon tote to hold water .
It would give you 1.5 gallons a minute, I’m sure it will give you 300gallons a day .
I only use about 75 gallons a day with 3 people taking showers flushing the toilet Doing dishes .
When we where camping 2 totes fulled up with rain water would last me from April to November
if you are in a area that freezes over winter you will need a way to drain the line at the well head
you could use a pitiless adaptor exiting the well casting below the frost line .
Or if the pipe is mounted above ground you could drill a small hole in the drop tube so the line drains out
Or maybe a pump house .
Yes, my water needs are quite low. My concern with a DC pump is the distance/wire gauge to the pump. I'm going up this week to measure the static water level to see where we're at. The cheapo kits don't go very deep.

My camping is about to evolve to Art Camp/Builder Camp. I'm considering buying a portable solar generator to recharge my tool batteries. Could a Bluetti AC200P power the SQ 1/2 hp pump?
 
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Yes, my water needs are quite low. My concern with a DC pump is the distance/wire gauge to the pump. I'm going up this week to measure the static water level to see where we're at. The cheapo kits don't go very deep.

My camping is about to evolve to Art Camp/Builder Camp. I'm considering buying a portable solar generator to recharge my tool batteries. Could a Bluetti AC200P power the SQ 1/2 hp pump?
Hmmm., the plot thickens .
I have not used this pump and allmost never take the cheep way out ? but for some water this little system looks really easy and in expensive .
It is kind of hard to leave a expensive pump system just sitting in the woods .
The little pump in the pic looks awfully enticing.
it says it will pump to 230’ ?
I’m thinking the pump is low watts so the voltage drop should not be very much .
A 10 /2 with ground coated pump cable cost .95 cents a foot .
My buddy’s runs one of these 75’ from his well house to the panels and he did not have any trouble with VD ?
His water line to the cabin Is 100’ of pex and the pump is 10 feet inthe ground with 40’ of head it seams ok.
I think he ran under ground Direct burial cable 12g .
I think the b ac200p mite power a SQ pump I think it draws 450 watts at 100 feet. Look at the chart below .
The SQ is 2500 bucks for the pump I just bought one a few weeks ago.
The wire , pipe plus assorted trinkets for the well cost 2100 bucks .
The well cost me lunch and beers plus I owe the guy ( he is a friend )
So the 300 bucks looks good .
I built a deck and roof 12x20 out of rough sawn lumber at my place and Collect water in 275 gallon totes
I still use it for water now .
A deck to sit on is nice when it’s raining ?
54CDD696-BF69-43A2-B2D2-63CD5FF07FF4.jpeg2E8F448A-0DFE-410D-A061-FEC62C1B1386.jpeg4183FB63-2327-48C5-95A0-703ED5A6D003.png
 
Hmmm., the plot thickens .
I have not used this pump and allmost never take the cheep way out ? but for some water this little system looks really easy and in expensive .
It is kind of hard to leave a expensive pump system just sitting in the woods .
The little pump in the pic looks awfully enticing.
it says it will pump to 230’ ?
I’m thinking the pump is low watts so the voltage drop should not be very much .
A 10 /2 with ground coated pump cable cost .95 cents a foot .
My buddy’s runs one of these 75’ from his well house to the panels and he did not have any trouble with VD ?
His water line to the cabin Is 100’ of pex and the pump is 10 feet inthe ground with 40’ of head it seams ok.
I think he ran under ground Direct burial cable 12g .
I think the b ac200p mite power a SQ pump I think it draws 450 watts at 100 feet. Look at the chart below .
The SQ is 2500 bucks for the pump I just bought one a few weeks ago.
The wire , pipe plus assorted trinkets for the well cost 2100 bucks .
The well cost me lunch and beers plus I owe the guy ( he is a friend )
So the 300 bucks looks good .
I built a deck and roof 12x20 out of rough sawn lumber at my place and Collect water in 275 gallon totes
I still use it for water now .
A deck to sit on is nice when it’s raining ?
Raining? What is this "raining" you speak of? Our 10" a year translates to getting 2" or 20" in the winter. At 3200' elevation, we also get snow a few times, but it never stays on the ground more than a day. We have lots of sun and lots of stars.

I have worried about leaving expensive goods out there- not so concerned about two legged thievery, but I've learned the hard way that all the critters LOVE it when I leave anything that can possibly be used as shelter. Rodent proof design is becoming a passion.

$300 does look good. Thank you! I was looking at the SQ series, not the SQFlex series. The SQ series is about a third of the price of the SQFlex, but it would still be a lot more than $300. I'll save the higher quality stuff for when things get more serious out there. Thank you again!
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Ahhh, things are never as simple as I would wish. The Eco-worthy pump can be submerged up to 100', but its electrical cord is only 10' long and 14 gauge. Whatever I use is going to be submerged at least 50'.
 
Ahhh, things are never as simple as I would wish. The Eco-worthy pump can be submerged up to 100', but its electrical cord is only 10' long and 14 gauge. Whatever I use is going to be submerged at least 50'.
Most pumps only have short electrical cords. You just use something like this to connect to your wire.
 
Whatever is submerged will be water-cooled and not have a problem with getting hot.
That sounds a little too quick-and-dirty, even for me. Only about 15 feet will be under the water. The remaining 30 to 50 feet will be in the air in the 4" well casing and above it. I should clarify- the static water level is somewhere between 30 and 60 feet down, so the cord will be in the air that far before it reaches water. (Not submerged in water 50 feet, sorry.)
 
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That sounds a little too quick-and-dirty, even for me. Only about 15 feet will be under the water. The remaining 30 to 50 feet will be in the air in the 4" well casing and above it. I should clarify- the static water level is somewhere between 30 and 60 feet down, so the cord will be in the air that far before it reaches water. (Not submerged in water 50 feet, sorry.)
The rest of the wire above the splice can be any gauge you want even 10 gauge.
 
Most pumps come with 3’ of lead wire
I would cut the wire to 3 ‘ and add 10 gage pump wire .
I would assume if the pump is good for max head of 230 ‘ you
should be able to use the pump at that depth ?
In the questions page on Amazon it says to add 100 feet of 12g wire to the pump .
So it should work fine .?
 
cool let me know how you make out , I was reading the 5 bad reviews on Amazon ?
I’m think most of the people where in over there head it begin with.
A few tips tape the wire to the pipe and leave a little slack in the wire , the pex tube / nylon 3/8 rope will stretch
over time
cut the lead wire @ 2/3 ’ don’t melt the wire with the touch when you melt in the splice .
I would use colored pump wire down to 100feet no need for cased wire .
Use good hose clamps on the pipe leave a 3’ loop of wire above the pump and tape it good
buy the pump on amazon in case there is a problem . Good luck with your Project
 
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