I am going to have a well dug on some land that I have purchased in Ok. What I would like to know is how U changed the pump to DC and some info on the solar power for it? Thanks for the inf.

-- Mary (timmary0@airmail.net), June 11, 1999

Answers

Mary:

A great resource for 12V equipment is your local RV Dealer or Marine Supply. Try to get a catalog from West Marine.

-- BiGG (supersite@acronet.net), June 11, 1999.

Good morning!

You might want to talk to the folks at "Real Goods": Main catalog number 1-800-762-7325 or Tech Svc. (very helpful with solar) 1-800- 919-2400. I called Tech Svc. about solar pumps recently and they were very knowledgeable. These folks seem to know their stuff.

I don't know from firsthand experience but have heard from multiple sources that dc pumps don't last as long as ac - just thought I would mention it.

-- Kristi (securx@succeed.net), June 11, 1999.

Marrrrrrry: I purchased the D.C. water well pump, the charge controller, the 4 solar panels (they suggested 75 watt ones, I chose 90 watt ones for better action), roof mount for solar panels and the float switch from:

Real goods.....go to www.realgoods.com

I have an A.C. current well and a D.C. current well on its way. There is a flex tube of about 50 feet that attaches to the pump you need to enquire about. The remainder is a pvc line installed by the drillers. THe well pump pumps water from sun up to sun down. Right when the sun just peaks up above the horizon, the charge controller will put the pump in low gear and draw water more slowly than when the sun has a more direct hit on the panels. Then it speeds it up. The well pump will pull a few thousand gallons a day at a shallow depth while at 600 ft,it will only draw maybe 500 gallons. I also purchased a medium flow D.C. water pump to pressurize the house. It has 45 lbs of pressure and will go to a 40 gallon pressure tank. That requires (2) 6 volt golf cart batterys, a charge controller and (2) 100 watt panels if you want to run that lil pump 6 hours straight. You'ld need less panellage if you want less run time. Don't be shocked when yopu see the price. For the basics it'll run about 4,300$ . I spent about 6,000$ to get it the way I wanted it.

Good luck and feel free to ask any more questions Marrrrrry. It's a wonderful life, right? Right!

-- Feller (feller@wanna.help), June 11, 1999.

Mary,

Energy outfitters is a good source for DC pumps. Or how about patronizing a small, but longterm store with good expertise whose owners use all the stuff they sell? http://www.energyoutfitters.com/ index.htm

Either way, you'll have to buy a new pump (DC, lots of different types with lots of different life expectancies, pumping capacities, etc), and some solar panels. The normal way to set this up is to also use what's called a "linear power booster" which acts more or less like a capacitor, and allows the pump to run directly off the solar panels without using batteries. This is good, as batteries are expensive to buy, have a limited lifespan, and add another factor of inefficiency into the system.

I was looking at a direct current set up, and for the whole system it was going to cost several thousand dollars, not counting the wire, pipe, storage tank, etc, to get a pump that would deliver five gallons per minute from my very shallow well to my storage tank. And this rate of pumping only occurs during max solar insolation, approximately four hours per day. During morning and evening hours, or when there is a bit of overcast, the pump will run only intermittently, thereby delivering less gallons per minute on average. You need to be very committed to justify spending this kind of money, in my opinion. I have personally opted to do without; I have a flowing artesian well, and if the power goes out for more than a couple or three weeks (the length of time my storage tank will supply my household needs) I'll just get the water at the well head in a bucket or a jar.

But if you're really needing the water at your house, solar is an effective method. (Don't forget, in rainy weather, when the solar pump won't deliver, you can get water from the downspout of your raingutters.

-- malcolm drake (jumpoff@echoweb.net), June 11, 1999.