Pond Boss
Posted By: ymurf Solar water pump question - 06/04/09 11:11 PM
How does a solar water pump work.Would love some way to get more water to my pond cause it doesn't get much run off and I am close to the house.About 80 yards from my well.Can this be added somehow to your existing house well or does it have to have its own water source?
Posted By: esshup Re: Solar water pump question - 06/05/09 12:42 AM
Do you mean a solar powered well pump? How big is the pond, and how much water are you looking to put into it?

What gpm does your house well output? Is the water O.K. for the pond? I've run about 60 Yds of 3" plastic pipe from the well to the pond. I started out at 1 1/4" before the bladder tank and necked it up to 3". It pumps without building up any pressure in the system, so if I want to have water in the house I have to reduce the flow.
Posted By: ymurf Re: Solar water pump question - 06/05/09 02:49 AM
I am afraid to run my pump that much to put water in my pond.Its an older well and not sure if the pump will hold up for that so thats why I was reading about the solar powered pumps but wasnt sure if they had to have there own well or if they piggy backed or something like that off of your regular house well.
Posted By: esshup Re: Solar water pump question - 06/05/09 04:39 AM
When I looked into them they needed their own well, and while the operating costs would have been less than a regular well, the initial outlay way pretty expensive. IIRC, pump $1200.00, then you have to figure in batteries, solar panels and drilling a well. I already had the panels (8 panels 2' x 4'). Right after I did all the research and pricing, the house well started going bad. It was less expensive for me to have the house well drilled, double up on the screen and put in a slightly larger pump. Now the well pumps 28 gpm, and by switching the pump I can up that to 100 gpm if needed. (66' to the depth of the screens, but the water level in the well pipe is 13' below grade and it's a submersibe pump)

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