The sun and wind are the natural source of energy for an independent water supply. Solar pumps operate anywhere that the sun shines, and the longer it shines, the more water they pump. When it's cloudy, they pump less water, but often you need less water when it is cloudy. Photovoltaic modules, the power source for solar pumping, have no moving parts, require no maintenance and last for decades. A properly designed solar pumping system will be efficient, simple and reliable. Whereas wind power is good where there is prevailing winds and are also a good backup for solar powered pumping.

Solar water pumping systems operate on direct current. The output of the solar power system varies throughout the day and with changes in weather conditions. The nature of variable electricity in the form of direct current (DC) is quite different from conventional, steady alternating (AC) current from the utility grid or a generator. To use solar energy economically, the pumping system must utilize the long solar dary, drawing a minimum of power. This means pumping slower than conventional pumps. Pumping at rates of less than 6 GPM requires different mechanisms from the conventional (centrifugal) pumps.

Small solar pumps are unique, both electrically and mechanically. The most efficient pumps are "positive displacement" pumps; that pump a certain amount of water with each rotation. If it is cloudy or early morning, the pump will receive less energy and run slower. A "positive displacement" pump will pump approximately ½ as much water with ½ as much energy.

Conventional AC pumps are usually centrifugal pumps that turn at high speed to pump as many gallons per minute as possible. They also consume a large amount of power. If you run a centrifugal pump at ½ speed, it pumps ¼ the water. Their efficiency is very low at low speeds and when pumping against high pressure.

If your water sources are remote from power lines, add up your long-term costs of fuel and repairs on generators, or the cost of utility line extensions. Now consider the savings with a solar pump that needs attention only once every 2 to 20 years depending on model.

Solar powered pumps can provide an equal volume of water per day without the high and inefficient energy demands of a large capacity AC pump. Instead of pumping a large volume of water in a short time and turning off, the solar pump works slowly and efficiently all day. Often a solar pump will work fine in a well with a recovery rate too slow for a conventional AC pump.

Solar Submersible Pumps

If you are pumping from a well, we have solar pumps that can deliver from 1 gallon per minute (GPM) to over 75 GPM.

The smallest pump, the low power diaphragm pump from Shurflo, operates from two 50 to 75 watt solar modules, depending on the head (vertical distance) they are pumping. It can pump 500 to 1000 gallons per day and lift water 200 feet. This pump requires service every 2 to 4 years.

If you have a higher lift, need more water or want a pump that does not require service for 15 to 20 years, the Grundfos SQFlex pump is a good choice. The SQFlex can lift water 525 feet and can pump over 20,000 gallons per day at lower lifts.

For greater water needs or deeper wells, the Grundfos SQ-series AC submersible pump can easily be powered by an inverter or generator.

Larger conventional single and three phase AC pumps, up to 10 HP, can be solar powered with the Aerovironment AC Pump Controller and a large PV array.

Surface Pumping

Surface pumps are less expensive than DC submersibles, where applicable. A surface pump is not submersible. It can draw water from a dug well, spring, pond, river or tank, and push it far uphill and through a long pipeline to fill a storage tank or to pressurize it for home use or for irrigation, livestock, etc. The pump may be placed at ground level, or suspended in a well in some cases.

High Lifter Water Powered Water Pumps

This pump can be used for water lifts of up to 1,000 feet.

The High Lifter is a powerful water pump designed to move water uphill without using gasoline or electricity. By harnessing the energy of piped water pressure from an uphill source, the High Lifter pump can drive a portion of this water through another pipe to a tank higher than the water source. Pistons provide the pumping action and water is the only lubricant used. With adequate water and pressure it can pump up to 1500 gallons of water per day as high as 300 feet, or it can pump 200 gallons per day as high as 1000 feet! It can also pump smaller amounts on as little as one quart per minute of source water, and can pump to lower elevations with as little as a 30 foot drop from the water source. It is self-starting and requires no lubrication, priming, or tuning, and is quiet compared to gas engine pumps.

Due to its light weight, ease of installation, and lack of fuel requirements, it is ideally suited for hilly or remote terrain. Simply run a pipe downhill to your High Lifter from a pond, stream, or spring, lay out a pipe to your high tank, and start pumping! Designed to be installed and maintained by the user with basic hand tools, the High Lifter requires little attention other than filter cleaning for years of hard working service. Depending on how clean the water source is, a High Lifter can operate continuously for 1-3 years between piston replacement service, or even longer if the inlet water is processed through a settling tank to remove grit.

The High Lifter is an efficient, economical, and reliable way to handle many water pumping requirements. It can be effectively used for domestic water pumping, garden water supply, irrigation, range cattle, etc. All High Lifter parts are made of stainless steel, Teflon, and acrylic, so they are safe for drinking water. Pump is 26" long. 1 year warranty on materials and workmanship.

As illustrated in the graph, the High Lifter responds to both inlet and output pressure. Because the High Lifter utilizes inlet water pressure to pump water, locating the pump farther down from the water source will yield greater delivery or higher pumping elevations. The higher the upper tank is located, the slower the pump will work. If the upper tank is placed too high, the pump will stall (with no damage to the pump) and no water will be pumped.

To determine how much water will be pumped,

1. Find the net lift for either the 4.5:1 or 9:1 pump on the left side of the graph.
2. Move across the graph horizontally to the right until you cross the curve for the fall (inlet pressure).
3. From the point where lift and fall cross, move vertically down to the bottom of the graph and read the Delivery (gal/day) for the type of pump being used.

To get this delivery amount, the input flow to the pump must be equal to or greater than the Flow (gal/min) at the top of the chart in line with the point where the lift and fall lines cross. If the input flow is less than this number, the output will be correspondingly lower.
 

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