Off Grid Living / Camping > Utilities

Solar Water Transfer Pump

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OTG:
Finally wrapping this up... so all the conduit's in, it's wired up, and it's been running great guns for a couple of months now.

The pics are pretty self explanatory, but a few quick points:

- I wanted it all to be fairly modular, so I could take take bits out/off, while leaving other bits in place. So that's why you'll find "air-gaps" between conduit runs and components.
- In this regard, I used two IP56 enclosures (mounted on the bore casing using hose clamps run through short cut lengths of some spare solar rail which the enclosures are screwed onto) to terminate the tank pump power cable (coming out the gland) and the solar panel cable (terminated with MC4 surface mount connectors). I also wrapped some spare hessian cloth around the bottom of exposed conduit/pipe to keep the early/late morning sun off it (just to help it all last that bit longer).
- I also ended up using 3 x Wago 222 Terminal Blocks for connecting the pump in the tank (they're stored in the pictured IP56 enclosure screwed onto the tank itself). This way I can simply lift the lever clamps to disconnect the pump power cable, without damaging the conductors, unlike a screwed terminal block, or worse still - picking apart heat-shrink/crimp terminals).
- Finally I found tilt mount legs to be the cheapest way to mount the panel - so no more anderson plug (this paddock was previously cultivated and fence posts move about in the ground, so I reckon a pole mount would have had a slant to it in no time anyways). I offset it to the NW from the little power/shed as the valley behind it can bring nasty gusts up from the SE during storm season - so it's a bit of extra protection.

For a remote bore/tank pumping set-up, I don't think I could have done much better/simpler for the money. Thanks again to Oz/Ross for the advice.

oztules:
Looking good. It is truly amazing how the Chinese have changed the pumping of water.

It was wildly expensive only a few years ago, now you can get for less than $200 a bore screw pump of some 285 watts, free shipping.. from Sydney.... with built in controller... just add panels :)

The same sort of thing used to be over $20000 for a mono system 14 years ago when I was interested.... for a few seconds at least.... and not as good either.

I make my own solar BLDC pump controllers now, and you can buy the rotor stator for most sizes for only 20-30 dollars from Aliexpress.... and so you can then make your own pump........ similar to the mono AGP series.....for peanuts....... the world has certainly changed.

For the BLDC motor, a F&P works just fine with a rewire of the phases for low voltage.....

But your setup looks the part.... well done.


.........oztules

OTG:
Thanks Oz - and yes I'm chuffed with the solar screw pumps thus far (in all regards - price/performance)... I'd say they're damn near the best thing since sliced bread!

How good are those $200ish units though? The ones I've seen look a bit cheap (the AliExpress seller even told me not to bother with them - reckons they use cheaper/thinner SS bits and wont last as long) and don't have much head either (+-20m). I'd be interested to hear your experiences with them and/or if you could provide links to any "good ones".

Also here's a snap of the tank termination, I forgot to include above. I've used a bit of old colorbond ridge capping as a roof/vertical shroud (removed for the picture), again to keep the sun off and help everything last that bit longer -

oztules:
There are some cheap ones and some cheap ones.

If you can see a huge circlip on the bottom, then this means that there is a true motor in there with bearings. The ones without this circlip use plastic bearings in water not oil.... hence they don't need the circlip for the oil bath arrangement.

The circlip one uses a " normal " screw from china. about 24 dollars replacement for all sizes from Aliexpress ( AUD).

So it will depend on your use. If just filling a header tank of 10-20 meters, the circlip one is ok. The motor will last like any three phase BLDC in an oilbath. The screw is the same ( in the one I got to play with for a day).... I think it was rated for 40m, 285 watts.24v.

It is out in the ocean at the moment, so I cant look at it..... probably for months.

But like I say, there are plenty of them out there and they are of two different types.
Note: the plastic bearings are pretty good unless you run them dry for a few moments.... then it is a disaster. There are some name brands that use the plastic journals too. The right material will probably last like a real bearing if kept lubricated with cool CLEAN water.

The one that you have is good, and has control, the cheapies are full speed only. The controller is internal, but at least they are BLDC.
The SS thickness is pretty immaterial, but they are really throw away, as not as easy to service as the "real" ones from the looks.

In a few months we should be able to get some better information from the one I got for testing out in the sea.



..........oztules

OTG:
Thanks Oz - that summed it up nicely, most helpful!

The ready availability of cheap rotors/stators is indeed a boon...

I'd be interested to hear how your test unit holds up, be sure to post an update when you do pull it out of the drink.

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