Off-grid pumps [RE-wrenches]

Matt Tritt solarone at charter.net
Tue Aug 1 10:02:53 PDT 2006


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Hi Kelly,

You're spot-on about the SQFlex. They are great pumps and are amazingly 
flexible concerning various power sources, but you are also right about 
the WEIRD customer service at the factory! One of my customer's had a 
failed Flex (not an easy problem to diagnose, by the way), but it took a 
very long time for them to even consider that there might be something 
wrong with one of their pumps. Worse, after they finally did agree to a 
replacement, in order to keep with "policy", you have to send them the 
pump in question and have them decide if it really is bad or if it's 
something else. If your customer prefers to have water during the time 
it takes them to come to some kind of conclusion, (it could take a week 
or more), you will install a replacement, which you will be billed for 
(nope, you can't return it) if the bad pump is actually OK.

Fortunately for my customer, the pump was a goner.

Matt

Kelly Keilwitz wrote:

>Hi Matt & Windy,
>Thanks for your additional comments. FYI, I've received other
>recommendations, off-list, for both the Shurflo and Sunpump, DC pumps.
>
>We may need to rethink the design, anyway as the customer may not have the
>time or money to put in the power system until next year. He'd like to run
>his pumps off of a generator, as needed, until the power system is in.
>
>He's willing to spend the $$ for a Grundfos SQ Flex to do this, now, and
>have the option of running it off of DC (48-V system) later. Yes, I know he
>could put the extra $$ cost into his power system. But, he prefers to invest
>in quality and reliability with the budget he has. We haven't heard any
>negative comments about the Grundfos SQ Flex pumps. One wrench mentioned
>poor Grudfos company response to problems (with other models).
>
>I'll let you know how it turns out.
>
>-Kelly
>
>
>On 7/30/06 2:23 PM, "Windy Dankoff" <windydankoff at mac.com> wrote:
>
>  
>
>>Hey Matt and Kelly,
>>
>>The Lorentz pump can be hung on polyethylene (black) pipe, like the
>>Shurflo.
>>
>>I speak from experience. My own home well has had a Lorentz (then
>>called Etapump) since 2001. LIke Kelly's proposed system, mine runs
>>on 24V battery. It's set at 165', on 3/4" PE pipe. I pulled it just
>>one time, to upgrade the pump-head when a more optimum size became
>>available. It took 2 guys to pull it by hand with my wife dragging
>>the pipe and cable to avoid kinking.
>>
>>Mine pumps at 3 GPM, so 3/4" pipe is plenty. These pumps start gently
>>and take 10 seconds to reach full speed, so there's no torquing of
>>the pipe. The manual has a section on hand installation using PE pipe.
>>
>>About the complaints you mention, I'm sorry to hear that. I'll
>>discuss it with Conergy support tomorrow.
>>
>>Windy
>>
>>
>>    
>>
>>>From: Matt Tritt <solarone at charter.net>
>>>
>>>Kelly,
>>>
>>>Not to create the feeling that I have anything against the Lorentz
>>>pump
>>>(OK, maybe I do, since I've received yet another complaint call from a
>>>rancher about the second Lorentz pump and third Lorentz controller
>>>installed at one of his wells to have failed), BUT, since cost
>>>seems to
>>>be a big issue with your proposed system, why not use a Surflo?
>>>Yes, the
>>>diaphragm will need to be replaced in a few years, and yes, they do
>>>seem
>>>pretty cheesy - what with the plastic case and all, but I have
>>>never had
>>>an early failure problem with these things in all the years I've been
>>>installing solar pumps.
>>>
>>>Limiting the output wouldn't be a problem either, since they will only
>>>produce about 1 GPM at that lift! :-)
>>>
>>>As if that isn't enough, they are inexpensive, can be installed
>>>without
>>>a pump rig, weigh very little and always work right out of the box.
>>>You
>>>can also run them from a 24 volt battery if needed. I would use one 24
>>>volt Sharp 180 for max performance in Winter.
>>>
>>>Whatever.
>>>
>>>Matt T
>>>
>>>      
>>>
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>>    
>>
>
>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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>
>
>  
>


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