Off-grid pumps [RE-wrenches]

[Kelly Keilwitz]

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Hi Todd,
The water use will be small - two persons, living there, vacations +, for a
few years, anyway. They have dug a pond to collect water for irrigation.

We use the sealed inverters, here, because of the salt air. They'll do the
same surge, and the the temps are pretty cool most of the year, anyway -
except this afternoon in our office where it's 90+ (no one uses aircon,
here).

-Kelly


On 7/21/06 5:55 PM, "Todd Cory, Mt. Shasta Energy Services"
<toddcory at finestplanet.com> wrote:


> 
> One critical piece of information was not mentioned. That is how much
> water will they be using? If it is just for showers, toilet flushing,
> I'd go with a traditional submersible 1/2 HP 120 volt pump. I am an
> efficiency nut, but unless they are irrigating, the tiny amount of water
> they will use won't really amount to that much energy consumption with a
> traditional AC centrifugal well pump.
> 
> BTW I'd go with the 3648 inverter rather than the 2548.
> 
> My .02.
> 
> Todd
> 
> Kelly Keilwitz wrote:
> 
>> Pump Wrenches,
>> 
>> We have an off-grid customer living on an island in Puget Sound who needs
>> pumps for his well and storage tank. We don't have a lot of experience with
>> pumping and would appreciate any suggestions.
>> 
>> It's a small home (~800sf) that will be used part-time for probably several
>> years before going full-time. The well is 151' deep, with a static water
>> level at 138' and a reported water column of just under 13'. The well report
>> says 6 gpm production. But, as this is a salt water intrusion area, we want
>> to pump at no more than 3 gpm. There is an existing 1000 gal concrete
>> storage tank in the ground about 20 feet from the well head (no elev
>> change). Considerations are low-water sensor shut off and, probably
>> grit-tolerance of the pump (or some way to keep grit out), as the pump will
>> have to be located close to the bottom of the well.
>> 
>> The power system is not in-place, or even designed yet. But we're
>> contemplating an Outback PS-2 system starting with one FX2548 inverter. The
>> batteries (48V) and inverter will be about 50 feet from the well head.
>> 
>> I'm trying to weigh the pros and cons of either using a more expensive
>> battery-based, more efficient positive displacement (?) well pump or a less
>> expensive, but more power hungry soft-start 120V AC pump running off of the
>> inverter. If the energy savings of a more efficient pump (and keeping the
>> inverter off) can reduce the needed PV array size, then it will be a good
>> thing, as the PV array will probably live in a tree.
>> 
>> I've only considered the Grundfos SQ Flex, so far, as I'm not up on other
>> currently available pumps. The differences in cost between the 120V
>> soft-start pump and the SQ flex seem to be around $1000, not considering
>> larger wire sizing for the DC. I don't see the power needs of this place
>> needing more than one inverter, even using the AC pump - but have been
>> surprised before.
>> 
>> This customer also needs a pressurizing pump from the storage tank. There is
>> less than 10 feet suction head from the bottom of the storage tank to the
>> power house, where the pump will be located.
>> 
>> I would appreciate any suggestions and recommendations.
>> Thanks,
>> -Kelly
>> 
>> 
>> Kelly Keilwitz, P.E.
>> Whidbey Sun & Wind, LLC
>> Renewable Energy Systems
>> NABCEP Certified PV Installer
>> 987 Wanamaker Rd,
>> Coupeville, WA 98239
>> PH & FAX 360-678-7131
>> sunwind at whidbeysunwind.com
>> 
>> 


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