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Solar water pump won’t start unless jump started

Fettster

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Jul 20, 2021
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Just installed an Eco-worthy solar waterpump. Two 195 watt panels, 24 volt 250 watt pump. Worked as designed for three weeks, ran when getting direct sun, stopped when a cloud covered the sun. Now it won’t start unless I jump start the pump with a 12 volt battery. Once jump started it runs fine. There is no battery or controller in the system because descriptions for the kit said it wasn’t needed. Is there a fix for the no start problem or do I have a bad pump. Eco-worthy doesn’t respond to my emails.
 
That the pump runs after being jumped says the pump works.

As motors get more friction they require a higher inrush, could be some sludge/algae inside the pump.
Could also be a wire that's come loose or some corrosion that has slightly lessened the power or even just bad luck with airmass in the morning.
If nothing else, a small battery with a timer or voltage cutoff switch could probably resolve the problem.
 
What I can’t understand is why it won’t start when getting 24 volts from the solar panels, but will start when getting 12 volts from the battery. All connections are clean and tight. I looked at the pump and there doesn’t appear to be any kind of build up on or in the pump I have read that the brushes in the pump may already be bad. Does that make sense?
 
What I can’t understand is why it won’t start when getting 24 volts from the solar panels, but will start when getting 12 volts from the battery. All connections are clean and tight. I looked at the pump and there doesn’t appear to be any kind of build up on or in the pump I have read that the brushes in the pump may already be bad. Does that make sense?
Are you actually measuring 24v or assuming panel is putting out 24v?
 
I think the panels no longer provide the high power by themselves needed to start the motor from a dead stop. The 12 volt battery has so much more power behind it than a couple of solar panels. Different voltages can still spin motors, just faster or slower than designed. Probably not good for them.

A couple more panels added to the system may work, but I would not spend my money on that.
 
...What I can’t understand is why it won’t start when getting 24 volts from the solar panels...

What turns the pump is power, which is volts x amps. Open circuit voltage on the panel is generally high, but probably under load there aren't enough amps.
 
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Sorry for the delay updating, I was waiting for a day without smoke from the fires out west. The solar panels were putting out 43 volts when I checked them today, pump not running. Jumped with a 12 volt battery and off she went, pumping like a champ. So if I have that many volts it must be not enough amps as pointed out by svetz. Now how do I increase amps? Would a LCB like this solve my problem? http://www.upnetech.com/Solar-Pump-Controller
 
Sorry for the delay updating, I was waiting for a day without smoke from the fires out west. The solar panels were putting out 43 volts when I checked them today, pump not running. Jumped with a 12 volt battery and off she went, pumping like a champ. So if I have that many volts it must be not enough amps as pointed out by svetz. Now how do I increase amps? Would a LCB like this solve my problem? http://www.upnetech.com/Solar-Pump-Controller
Do a short circuit test on your panel. Then you will know if it is really putting out what it should.
 
Also look into possibility of adding a 15uf -50 uF 50 to 100v run start capacitor on the positive side before the solenoid switch. It can help supply some inrush current.

check to see if there already is a capitor installed and either test it or replace it. If you said it used to work and now won’t, it could be a failed motor run capacitor.

they are commonly used to supply the inrush current to start furnace dance, refrigerator compressor and fans etc.
 
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