diy solar

diy solar

Pool Pump

Sherm

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Joined
Sep 22, 2020
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I'd like to power my swimming pool filter pool pump 16 hours a day for 5 months a year with solar. The pump is 110v and draw 13 amps. What size and strength of each component would I need?
 
110*13A = 1430W

1430W * 16h = 22.9kWh/day.

You'd need about 5000W of solar to run that. If you never ran the pump during days where you couldn't get full solar, the battery could be sized to supplement the weaker solar hours. You'd also need an inverter with a robust surge capability to start the motor.

A better estimate could be had by installing a kill-a-watt meter to measure actual consumption. 13A is probably a maximum of sorts and continuous run is lower.
 
Grid-tie net metering is the preferred way to go. Then the grid runs your pump (including surge current to start it), and PV puts watts into the grid.
Biggest problem with grid tie net metering is the rules and rates get changed, and not to your benefit.

Once you determine actual power draw of the pump, if you got a UL-1741 grid-tie inverter with no more panels than it takes to match pump wattage, you could wire it behind the pump "on" switch. It would only operate when the pump ran, effectively zero export.

Your pump is 110V and most inverters 220V, but connecting the inverter across 220 with one wire going to the switched pump circuit should do the trick.
 
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