solar water pump

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Anybody know about a good solar water pump? The static level is 325 feet. The well has a 16 inch casing. The pump would have to be capable of pumping a depth of about 450 feet. If solar is not feasible money wise, what would be best to use; electricity or a diesel powered generator? Thanks in advance for your help.

-- Hank (hsnrs@att.net), April 18, 2002

Answers

I saw a pump in Real Goods Catalog a few years ago and was gonna recommend that you go to their site. Never mind. They've gone wimpy like Mother Earth did after John Shuttleworth got fed up and sold.

I'll check around for you.

-- Dennis Enyart (cowboy405@yahoo.com), April 18, 2002.


Pumping water 300-400 feet up is going to require a sizable pump. The size will be determined by the amount of water you need to pump and thus the diameter of the pipe going into the well. A 16" casing will allow a quite large submersible pump to be installed.

-- Joe (CactusJoe001@AOL.com), April 18, 2002.

Here's the very best solar pump for up to 600':

http://www.dankoffsolar.com/waterpumps/specsheets/5000_sunrisesub/5000 _sunrise.html

Good luck!

-- ED (email@noemail.com), April 18, 2002.


Hank, pumping water with solar power is a proven technology - it's been done for many, many years. You don't say what part of the world you are in, but there should be a solar business somewhere near you. Why not contact them and find out what you can? Maybe a couple of them? We have some friends who are pumping their water with solar power and they are very pleased. In fact, their entire weekend home/future retirement home is solar powered.

While the initial cost of anything solar powered seems to be high, it's a one shot expense and should give many years of service with just regular maintenance. Remember too, that gas and oil prices seem to be headed straight up and that goes for electricity also. So what seems costly now may well end up being very, very reasonable in the next few years.

-- Carol - in Virginia (carollm@rockbridge.net), April 18, 2002.


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