[RE-wrenches] Retrofit variable speed drive to old well pump?
Ray Walters
ray at solarray.com
Sun Dec 11 00:39:40 PST 2016
Hey Dan;
If this just problem just started, I'm with Drake, you could have a
premature cell failure. I also agree with Allan, 2 wire pumps are
certainly problematic on inverters. Many well service folks don't even
install them because they don't last near as long as 3 wire pumps, so
your customer may end up needing to replace the pump soon anyway.
We've used the Franklin Sub Drive with a 1.5 Hp Pump that would start on
an SW 4024, but not on an Outback VFX3524. Worked well, no call backs.
I'm not sure if they will work with a 2 wire pump though.
Before you take that long trip, have the customer check individual
battery voltages while the pump is running.
R.Ray Walters
CTO, Solarray, Inc
Nabcep Certified PV Installer,
Licensed Master Electrician
Solar Design Engineer
303 505-8760
On 12/10/2016 3:43 PM, drake.chamberlin at redwoodalliance.org wrote:
> Have you checked the condition of the batteries. Unless the L-16s are
> Rolls or East Penn, it might be about time for some cells to be going
> bad.
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From:
> "RE-wrenches" <re-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org>
>
> To:
> "RE-wrenches" <re-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org>
> Cc:
>
> Sent:
> Sat, 10 Dec 2016 10:39:30 -0700
> Subject:
> Re: [RE-wrenches] Retrofit variable speed drive to old well pump?
>
>
> Michael; Battery bank voltage at 75% SOC is around 24.7v, so it's
> in the ballpark and the battery bank has only about 3 years on it
> (8 x L-16) and not much abuse.
>
> Dan Fink
> Adjunct Professor of Solar Energy Technology, Ecotech Institute
> IREC Certified Instructor™ for:
> ~ PV Installation Professional
> ~ Small Wind Installer
> Executive Director, Buckville Energy
> NABCEP Registered Continuing Education Providers™
> 970.672.4342
>
>
> On Sat, Dec 10, 2016 at 10:34 AM, Shasta Daiku
> <mjmorningstar at gmail.com <mailto:mjmorningstar at gmail.com>> wrote:
>
> What is the battery voltage when the client says that SOC is %75?
>
> VFD driven pumps are three phase. There are single phase “soft
> start” controllers for pumps and motors designed for that
> application, but not for a two wire fed submersible pump. The
> pump, for mechanical reasons, not just electrical, may may be
> resisting start up.
>
> Michael
>
> On Dec 10, 2016, at 9:11 AM, Dan Fink <danbob88 at gmail.com
> <mailto:danbob88 at gmail.com>> wrote:
>
> Hi Bob; I checked the connections for corrosion, and the
> wire size looks like "the usual" for up here in this area,
> it's only about 100 feet and the usual well depth around
> here is 350 ft. Running stouter wire might be an option to
> consider...but that's a lot of digging. I'm just hoping
> VSD might be a quick and dirty solution.
>
> Dan Fink
> Adjunct Professor of Solar Energy Technology, Scotch
> Institute be
> IREC Certified Instructor™ for:
> ~ PV Installation Professional
> ~ Small Wind Installer
> Executive Director, Buckville Energy
> NABCEP Registered Continuing Education Providers™
> 970.672.4342
>
>
> On Sat, Dec 10, 2016 at 9:53 AM, RE Ellison
> <reellison at gmail.com <mailto:reellison at gmail.com>> wrote:
>
> Don't know about the variable speed but are the wires
> feeding the pump large enough for the distance?
> Sounds like it might be voltage starved because of a
> high resistance / bad connection or a long wire run
> and the need for a larger wire ?
>
> Just a thought,
> Bob Ellison
>
> On Dec 10, 2016, at 11:39 AM, Dan Fink
> <danbob88 at gmail.com <mailto:danbob88 at gmail.com>> wrote:
>
> Esteemed Wrenches;
>
> I have a client in a very remote mountain location
> who is having trouble with his inverter starting
> his well pump when battery state of charge is
> below 75%. 24v system, Magnum inverter.
>
> It's a 2-wire pump, unknown age, model,
> horsepower, or well depth. It has always given him
> trouble, that's why he upgraded to 24v, and the
> situation is better, but not ideal yet. I don't
> think adding a hard start capacitor would help as
> there should be one inside the pump itself, though
> I suppose it could be blown.
>
> Because of the distance and the rough road, it
> would be super expensive for a well company to
> come up there, pull the old pump and set a new,
> modern soft-start one.
>
> Has anyone here had any experience with
> retrofitting variable speed drive units to an
> unknown pump? If so, what models have you tried
> and what do you prefer?
>
> Thanks;
>
> Dan Fink
> Adjunct Professor of Solar Energy Technology,
> Ecotech Institute
> IREC Certified Instructor™ for:
> ~ PV Installation Professional
> ~ Small Wind Installer
> Executive Director, Buckville Energy
> NABCEP Registered Continuing Education Providers™
> 970.672.4342
>
> _______________________________________________
> List sponsored by Redwood Alliance
>
> List Address: RE-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org
> <mailto:RE-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org>
>
> Change listserver email address & settings:
> http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org
>
> List-Archive:
> http://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/maillist.html
>
> List rules & etiquette:
> www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm
> <http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm>
>
> Check out or update participant bios:
> www.members.re-wrenches.org
> <http://www.members.re-wrenches.org/>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> List sponsored by Redwood Alliance
>
> List Address: RE-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org
> <mailto:RE-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org>
>
> Change listserver email address & settings:
> http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org
>
> List-Archive:
> http://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/maillist.html
>
> List rules & etiquette:
> www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm
> <http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm>
>
> Check out or update participant bios:
> www.members.re-wrenches.org
> <http://www.members.re-wrenches.org/>
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> List sponsored by Redwood Alliance
>
> List Address: RE-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org
> <mailto:RE-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org>
>
> Change listserver email address & settings:
> http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org
>
> List-Archive:
> http://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/maillist.html
>
> List rules & etiquette:
> www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm
> <http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm>
>
> Check out or update participant bios:
> www.members.re-wrenches.org
> <http://www.members.re-wrenches.org>
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> List sponsored by Redwood Alliance
>
> List Address: RE-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org
> <mailto:RE-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org>
>
> Change listserver email address & settings:
> http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org
>
> List-Archive:
> http://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/maillist.html
>
> List rules & etiquette:
> www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm
> <http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm>
>
> Check out or update participant bios:
> www.members.re-wrenches.org <http://www.members.re-wrenches.org>
>
>
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> List sponsored by Redwood Alliance
>
> List Address: RE-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org
>
> Change listserver email address & settings:
> http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org
>
> List-Archive: http://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/maillist.html
>
> List rules & etiquette:
> www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm
>
> Check out or update 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/20161211/bd8ba101/attachment-0002.html>
More information about the RE-wrenches
mailing list