[RE-wrenches] Oddball pumping question

[Ray Walters]

First look at what his actual pumping needs are, and come up with a more 
efficient way to provide the water.
I just got back tonight from changing out hydronic circulators for a 
customer with new Hi Efficiency brushless ECM models.  I was able to cut 
the watt draw by 65%.
Also, its very possible that multiple smaller pumps could be used in his 
situation as well.   I'm sure changing pumps and using a smaller array 
will be much lower cost, and has higher chance of meeting his 
challenge.  Just cowboying in a system to run that monster is a bad 
idea, just like on smaller scale projects.

R.Ray Walters
CTO, Solarray, Inc
Nabcep Certified PV Installer,
Licensed Master Electrician
Solar Design Engineer
303 505-8760

On 3/27/2014 8:07 AM, Allan Sindelar wrote:
> Wrenches,
> Here's one of the oddest questions I have come across in years:
>
>     PRC Commisioner Lyons issued a challenge to NM solar companies
>     today. He stated that he cannot get his electric coop to bring
>     three phase into his property to run his irrigation (a 150 hp
>     motor). He said that whenever he mentions this to a solar outfit -
>     running a 150 hp motor on pv - they look back at him like a deer
>     in the headlights. Can you meet his challenge? 
>
> This application is way above my pay grade, and normally I would not 
> give this question much pause, as few ranchers would be seriously 
> willing to put up the money for the design and research time to work 
> up and price a solution, especially given that as far as I know, none 
> even exists. No rural water pumping PV designer that I know works with 
> motor loads of such scale. Indeed, it makes my head spin to think of it.
>
> I checked an older (2003) Franklin motor application guide and found 
> specs for a 150 HP 3 phase motor: 128 kilowatts at 380-575 VAC at 60 Hz.
>
> The only reason I am writing is this: The rancher is one of our 
> state's five Public Regulatory Commissioners. These are the folks who 
> regulate our three private utilities and 20 +/- rural co-ops, and he 
> is perhaps the most conservative one of the five. Last fall he 
> initiated an ill-conceived regulation to cut in half our state's RPS 
> and pushed it through to passage on the PRC; about two months later 
> the ruling was rescinded due to a huge public outcry. So if it were 
> even possible to address his particular request, the potential 
> consequences could have far-reaching effects politically.
>
> Has anyone attempted or accomplished anything even close to this? Is 
> there existing equipment that could handle such an application? Could 
> such an application be justified economically? Or can anyone offer a 
> reasoned answer why it's not possible?
>
> Thank you,
> Allan
> -- 
>
> *Allan Sindelar*
> _Allan at positiveenergysolar.com_ <mailto:Allan at positiveenergysolar.com>
> NABCEP Certified PV Installation Professional
> NABCEP Certified Technical Sales Professional
> New Mexico EE98J Journeyman Electrician
> Founder, *Positive Energy, Inc.*
>
> A Certified B Corporation^TM
> 3209 Richards Lane
> Santa Fe, New Mexico 87507
> *505 424-1112 office 780-2738 cell*
> _www.positiveenergysolar.com_ <http://www.positiveenergysolar.com/>
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> List sponsored by Home Power magazine
>
> List Address: RE-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org
>
> Change email address & settings:
> http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org
>
> List-Archive: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org
>
> List rules & etiquette:
> www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm
>
> Check out participant bios:
> www.members.re-wrenches.org
>

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org/attachments/20140327/391f73f5/attachment-0004.html>