1 hour ago, Johandup said:

Do you intend to use the borehole pump for irrigation?

The plan is to use it only for irrigation and maybe the pool. Only 2 adults living at the house so not viable to spend money on filters to use it inside the house. That might change in future

Putting in a 1.5Kw pump in the borehole. It should produce 3,000lt/hour from the hole into a 4,500lt JOJO tank.

After the JOJO tank I am installing a DAB45/50M. It is a 1.1KW pump producing 6,000lt/hour at 3 bar which is more than enough pressure/flow.  I theory a 750W pump should also pump enough water (3,600lt at 3 bar) but I have only heard people complain about the performance of a 750w pressure pump.

On 22/09/2016 at 10:16 AM, Louw said:

I am thinking that the issue might be with the pump. When I bought the house there was a pump installed. I tested it once on the solar and it ran fine. The bearings went and the whole pump was a right off. The new pump does not want to start on the solar. I am going to check what will happen if I replace the capacitor.

When CPT (Not if) goes to Level 3 restrictions water will be R200.16 Inc VAT for usage above 50Kl/month

 

 

I think your problem is the inverter. Most cheap inverters can not  handle motor start -ups. 

ps: the axpert can.

 

I would like to hear from someone who has tried a softstart control on a small pump.
It reduces the startup amps considerably.


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I use VSDs all the time and they work very well. A VSD has a built in soft start, plus a lot more. But the soft-start should on its own do the trick. they are a bit expensive.
 

Hi, please give me more information on your vsd.
Much appreciated.


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Hi, need some help to reduce electrical usage.  Have 4 pumps, 1 wellpoint to pond, 1 pump from pond to garden via irrigation, 1 pump on pool, 1 pump on fish pond. Costs me an arm ... bought the house like this. Thanks in adv

You have too Manny pumps... Do you? 

Seems like a lot of motors running is there way that can centralize them and mybe use just one? 

4 hours ago, PaulF007 said:

Seems like a lot of motors running is there way that can centralize them and mybe use just one? 

Sounds to me that they do sufficiently different things that you can't do that. Maybe go from the well directly to the irrigation, so that pump can double up its function... but then, the idea of cycling it through the pond (aquaponics anyone?) might be by design :-)

13 hours ago, Haggers said:

1 wellpoint to pond, 1 pump from pond to garden via irrigation, 1 pump on pool, 1 pump on fish pond.

You have 3 options: 
1) Replace one by one the existing pumps with solar pumps - that will costs a small fortune per pump
2) Put it all on solar with inverter/s that can handle the startup current on the existing pumps - smaller fortune, but still a bit.
3) If possible, probably requiring either clever creative ideas or more effort, reduce the pumps needed - then revisit option 1 and 2.

Bottom line for you to consider based on your situation: Needs are cheaper than wants.

Note: With needs to you either reduce to save OR you have to spend for you have no choice i.e. it is a Need.

Solar doesn't do well with large loads for a short period of time, as there is a large startup load, and then the running load is likely  pulling more than the solar panels are producing, so you need a lot of storage as well. It is easier to use smaller pumps that run for longer periods of time, so you get the same number of litres moved, but the instantaneous power drawn is lower. I used to have a 1.1Kw pool pump, but now I am going to turf that and get a 650W pump and run it six hours a day, rather than the 1.1kw for 3 hours. Should have the same effect, but less load on the system at one time.  

Also, losses due to turbulence and constrictions in the pipes will be less as these increase with the square of the water velocity I am told. (will have to google to confirm)

4 hours ago, DeepBass9 said:

increase with the square of the water velocity

Sounds about right. e = 1/2 * m * v^2. Since you're moving something with mass (water), the kinetic energy will be proportional to the square of the speed. Lower speed means lower energy. Less potential to do work. Smaller forces. Pressure is force/area. Area is constant (same pipes). So less pressure.

Sounds about right :-)

Your normal battery invertor does not like to start large motors!

Rather look at Hybrid invertors when motors and pumps is involved.

Yes, you can go the solar pump route, but it outlay cost is huge and not really worth it IMHO.

Since the recent rain just filled up my pool, I have just installed a new pool pump to clean up the water. Previously I had a 1.1kW pump, and I have just installed a 800W pump. The pump draws 600W while running, and as soon as I get some more panels on my system I will run it for 4 or 5 hours a day. My inverter is 6kVA so it handles the motor starting with ease. I suppose as the filter blocks up the 600W will increase as there is more work to be done.

At nearly R2 per kwh it becomes feasible to look at powering the pump from a solar array.
I would like to know if anyone has succeededin doing this along with photos and specs.


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I,m not sure that it would make sense to have a dedicated system just for a pool pump. 

It would be a fit for purpose design. The alternative use for such a system would be in winter with a covered pool.
A pool pump consumes power constantly whilst working while house units only do so for short periods.


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Not sure that The sums will work out. Since I already have a system powering the house, I can use a normal cheap pump and add panels only, so it is the marginal cost of increasing power production. Buying panels and inverter just for a pool pump will be very expensive.

 

Currently a pump working 10 hours per day will cost R900 pm calculated.
I've put an ellies meter on it now.


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Not mine.......

Is 10 hrs per day a bit excessive? Change to 5hrs per day and halve your cost.

I also started my solar path due to the pool pump.

As I have a chlorinator, it needs to run long periods during the day to produce enough chlorine.

At this moment I am running 3 pumps from the Infini, 700w pool pump, 600w pressure pump and 500w wellpoint.

There is also the small 300w grey water pump, but that is small compared to the rest.

 

If you have to start your solar journey somewhere, poolpump is the best place to start.

I did look at those solar pumps, but the idea of spending all the money on a solar system that is nearly going to do nothing in winter did not sit right with me.

 

I have had my pool pump now running 7 hours a day on solar. I still have to manually switch it off if it gets cloudy, which I haven't sorted out yet.

I am also circulating the water through 200m of black pipe, so the water is now noticably warmer. 

I was floating in the pool at the weekend thinking that it is amazing that I am in a pool full of water that was pumped there by the sun, is being circulated by the sun, warmed by the sun, and I am drinking a beer that was cooled by the sun! Awesome.....