Pv-powered Solar Water Pump

[brahmburgers]

I've heard that one or two photovoltaic (PV) panels will power a submersible DC pump. A friend said it hardly mattered the head (how high from water level to holding tank), though the flow would be small. I need to pump very high - about 70 meters. No electric currently available (pun unintended)

I could possibly wait until my next trip to the USA (far in the future), but I'd rather see about options here in Thailand. PV panels were also hard to find, last time I checked. Years ago BP was the only outlet, and theirs were very expensive. Have things gotten better in recent years? Best for me, because I'm low income, would be 2nd hand, but anything 2nd hand in Thailand is a rarity.

[Lickey]

My neighbour in village has a farm about 30ks away, up near Laos border, he has a smallhouse on farm which he stays in 4 nights a week, about 2 years ago the goverment gave him and fitted 3 solar panels, i really dont know what these produce in the way of amps and watts ect but he runs a couple of lights, fridge and tv, perhaps your wife could find out more about getting these? you have to bear in mind that this was in Thaksins days though,,

[Jamie]

What kind of flow are you looking at? As far as the head, it can be an issue if you are just using the power of the PVCs and not running the pump off of batteries that are recharged by the cells.

[brahmburgers]

I can get by with a low flow. I don't mind buying deep cycle batteries if that's needed. The main question is: is there an outlet for DC submersible pumps in Thailand. My well has 4" casing.

If there's not already an alternative power/energy supply place in Thailand (I rather doubt there is), then it could be a opportune for someone to start one. Best, in my view, would be a 'Lonely Planet' or 'Mother Earth News' (down to earth) type place with an array of hardware and resource material. If it had quality 2nd hand items, that would be a real PLUS. One cool off-shoot could possibly be a venue for tinkerers/entrepreneurs to showcase their inventions.

Thais don't have to relegate themselves to always following trends. There must be at least some innovative thinkers out there who can devise newfangled alt-energy devices and/or applications. If Thai leaders really wanted to haul Thailand (kicking and screaming) in to the 21st Century, they would do all they could do encourage young innovators - instead of focusing their efforts on such things as; 'who's buying counterfeit amulets' and 'banning spaghetti strap blouses', and 'blocking web sites that show t&a"

ok, ok, just had to let off some steam.

[macan]

Have a look at Leonics website http://www.leonics.co.th/html/en/index.php. Not sure about the ratings for their pumps but they definitely have various 'alternative' technologies.

[C-sip-degree]

I can get by with a low flow. I don't mind buying deep cycle batteries if that's needed. The main question is: is there an outlet for DC submersible pumps in Thailand. My well has 4" casing.

If there's not already an alternative power/energy supply place in Thailand (I rather doubt there is), then it could be a opportune for someone to start one. Best, in my view, would be a 'Lonely Planet' or 'Mother Earth News' (down to earth) type place with an array of hardware and resource material. If it had quality 2nd hand items, that would be a real PLUS. One cool off-shoot could possibly be a venue for tinkerers/entrepreneurs to showcase their inventions.

Thais don't have to relegate themselves to always following trends. There must be at least some innovative thinkers out there who can devise newfangled alt-energy devices and/or applications. If Thai leaders really wanted to haul Thailand (kicking and screaming) in to the 21st Century, they would do all they could do encourage young innovators - instead of focusing their efforts on such things as; 'who's buying counterfeit amulets' and 'banning spaghetti strap blouses', and 'blocking web sites that show t&a"

ok, ok, just had to let off some steam.

Brahmburgers

I hate to sound bland and basic but value for money it’s hard to beat a AC generator to suit your needs.

Incorporate a 3” diameter 1meter long AC submersible pump that will pump too your height required.

Plenty available @ around 10 to 15 thou Bht.

Generators are easily come by as a package deal or build your own custom jobbies

Minimum of 8kva (output) would be my advice. Again available @ 10 to 15 thou Bht.

Battery aren’t cheap, if you get 3 years out of one your doing good.

Deep cycle battery.

100 AMP will cost 3000 Bht.

200 AMP available from BKK 6000 Bht

I’m not saying it can’t be done because $$ will solve all, ‘just be aware as I think you are of the usual bullshit that goes along with how cheap it was etc and how well it works’.

Can't be any help on DC water pumps for ya.

Never ever had much luck with it.

'Jumping out abit of the price range above'.

I have a 400AMP 24volt 1500watt inverter set up at the house for those stormy nights

Fix and attended down on the farm is an 11hp Kubota engine driving AC motor via belt. Dual belts on this flywheel attached also to a 12 volt car alternator so while your running during the day (@2hours max) your really charging your battery for the night.

200 AMP 12volt 800watt inverter

So in short all are water is pumped via AC motors or a belt driven water pump or PTO on the tractor.

Good luck

Cheers

C-sip

[elkangorito]

Does anybody really know what a 'deep cycle' battery is?

[Tywais]

Does anybody really know what a 'deep cycle' battery is?

Deep Cycle Batteries

[brahmburgers]

update: what I found online on DC submersible pumps:

generally, they pump up high (50 to 80 M!) though depending on number of solar panels (wattage).

Lorenz makes several good models, from about $1500

Grundfos SQFlex aren't cheap at $1780, but look to be v. good quality and versitile; the same pump can also be run on AC.

Shurflo is comparatively lower price at $700 to $800 and looks to be all-around dependable and popular.

to "C-Sip-Degree" ...I've tried generators in rural California, and would like to steer clear of them, for main reasons of noise and questionable reliability. Plus, they pose a tempting target for thieves - and, I'd need a particularly powerful one to power an AC pump to push water up to 60 meters. Of course, solar panels can also be tempting prize for thieves.

I believe DC is more efficient than AC. Plus, today's news says the Thai gov't is focusing mightily on developing more coal fired power and 4 new nuclear power plants - I want to distance myself from that craziness as much as possible.

and yes, expense is a problem for me. It's cheaper to travel to the USA and purchase things there, including 2nd hand PV panels - than to try and purchase new components over here - especially if I were to try to get stuff shipped over here - Thai customs would have me over a barrel with very high duty fees (sometimes 2 or 3 times estimated NEW value, even if it's a used item).

[xerostar]

Have you considered wind power?

Here in Oz, windmills have pumped water from deep wells for many years.

There have been some amazing advances in design that have made them

very efficient.

The main disadvantage is of course that you can't always depend on some wind

being available.

Solar + wind would complement each other very nicely.

I'm sure you could build one using only local materials and some innovation for a very reasonable sum.

http://www.windmillconstruction.com/

[brahmburgers]

I'd love to go with wind power - however, wind patterns are too erratic here in northernmost Thailand - much of the time there's nary a breeze. I've often thought that there must be some locations in Thailand that have reasonably steady and strong breezes - perhaps along the Andaman coast of the isthmus. Don't prevailing winds generally blow from the west in the northern hemisphere?

Instead of Thai gov't archaic fixation with coal and nuclear (yes, that's the best projections they can come up with) - they should be looking at the array of alternative power options. As with their styles of pop music, the Thais are stuck 40-years behind the times. What sort of encouragement and funding is there for young thai entrepreneurs to develop innovations? I'm referring to newfangled ideas/contraptions for energy and its conservation. Answer: No encouragement or funding that I've ever heard about.

Now if you want to talk about amulets - real vs fake - there are reams and reams of commentaries on that. It's a window on the Thai psyche. Hocus pocus and 'face' are of paramount importance. Conversely, practical innovations are puff in their view.

Have you considered wind power?

Here in Oz, windmills have pumped water from deep wells for many years.

There have been some amazing advances in design that have made them

very efficient.

The main disadvantage is of course that you can't always depend on some wind

being available.

Solar + wind would complement each other very nicely.

I'm sure you could build one using only local materials and some innovation for a very reasonable sum.

http://www.windmillconstruction.com/

[croftrobin]

On the main road ( Highway 219 )from Buriram to Prakhonchai (6 km south of Buriram, near the Khao Kadong enterance) there is a guy selling PV panels and pumps, lights etc.

He has a demo model running water pumps outside the shophouse there.

Well worth a look

[Tilapia]

On the main road ( Highway 219 )from Buriram to Prakhonchai (6 km south of Buriram, near the Khao Kadong enterance) there is a guy selling PV panels and pumps, lights etc.

He has a demo model running water pumps outside the shophouse there.

Well worth a look

Correct, I've been there, but mostly he do warning lights and small pumps, not anything heavy-duty, I was looking for some solar driven pumps for the farm, but the out-put was way to small, but he is a nice guy.

Tilapia.

[Maizefarmer]

I can get by with a low flow. I don't mind buying deep cycle batteries if that's needed. The main question is: is there an outlet for DC submersible pumps in Thailand. My well has 4" casing.

If there's not already an alternative power/energy supply place in Thailand (I rather doubt there is), then it could be a opportune for someone to start one. Best, in my view, would be a 'Lonely Planet' or 'Mother Earth News' (down to earth) type place with an array of hardware and resource material. If it had quality 2nd hand items, that would be a real PLUS. One cool off-shoot could possibly be a venue for tinkerers/entrepreneurs to showcase their inventions.

Thais don't have to relegate themselves to always following trends. There must be at least some innovative thinkers out there who can devise newfangled alt-energy devices and/or applications. If Thai leaders really wanted to haul Thailand (kicking and screaming) in to the 21st Century, they would do all they could do encourage young innovators - instead of focusing their efforts on such things as; 'who's buying counterfeit amulets' and 'banning spaghetti strap blouses', and 'blocking web sites that show t&a"

ok, ok, just had to let off some steam.

Brahmburgers

I hate to sound bland and basic but value for money it’s hard to beat a AC generator to suit your needs.

Incorporate a 3” diameter 1meter long AC submersible pump that will pump too your height required.

Plenty available @ around 10 to 15 thou Bht.

Generators are easily come by as a package deal or build your own custom jobbies

Minimum of 8kva (output) would be my advice. Again available @ 10 to 15 thou Bht.

Battery aren’t cheap, if you get 3 years out of one your doing good.

Deep cycle battery.

100 AMP will cost 3000 Bht.

200 AMP available from BKK 6000 Bht

I’m not saying it can’t be done because $$ will solve all, ‘just be aware as I think you are of the usual bullshit that goes along with how cheap it was etc and how well it works’.

Can't be any help on DC water pumps for ya.

Never ever had much luck with it.

'Jumping out abit of the price range above'.

I have a 400AMP 24volt 1500watt inverter set up at the house for those stormy nights

Fix and attended down on the farm is an 11hp Kubota engine driving AC motor via belt. Dual belts on this flywheel attached also to a 12 volt car alternator so while your running during the day (@2hours max) your really charging your battery for the night.

200 AMP 12volt 800watt inverter

So in short all are water is pumped via AC motors or a belt driven water pump or PTO on the tractor.

Good luck

Cheers

C-sip

400AMP @ 24V = 9.6Kw

200AMP @ 12V = 2.4Kw

Where am I going wrong in trying to understand your figures?

MF

[Vansana]

Hi,

there is a company in Vientiane, working a lot with solar water pumps.

Here some informations which might be helpful:

http://www.sunlabob.com/solar/pumpmini.pdf

All the best

Vansana

[Pond Life]

Hi,

there is a company in Vientiane, working a lot with solar water pumps.

Here some informations which might be helpful:

http://www.sunlabob.com/solar/pumpmini.pdf

All the best

Vansana

Is that the same company that the folks over on the Chiang Mai forum gave up on because they were so unresponsive ?

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=51581

Maybe they have got their act together now, do you have any perssonal experience with this company ?

[Maizefarmer]

Vansana

Thats really use info - any idea what their systems cost?

The other system which is marketed in thailand is a PV system made by Grundfos - but it is not cheap running into several hundred thousand Baht

Would like to know how this ocmpares pricewise - performance wise it's not quite up to Grudfos spec, but it sure looks impressive for what it is and I would think it's going to be far more cost effective then Grundfos

MF

Edited April 24, 2007 by Maizefarmer

[Vansana]

I am not sure that this is the same company that the folks over on the Chiang Mai. I did visit their office in Vientiane and at first glance it looked very professional and owned/managed by a german guy.

@Maizefarmer:

10m 1000 liter/day PS150 pump 80Wp/12V array including controller, cables, pipes is around US$1400

40m 1000 liter/day PS200 pump 160Wp/24V array around US$2500

40m 10.000l/day goes up to US$5000

The pumps are helical rotor fitted with brushless motors seem to be very relaiable to me.

I did not look into this too much yet, i even dont know how much water i would need per day, but i want to get a solar pump eventually.

All the best

Vansana

[palm]

Vansana

Thats really use info - any idea what their systems cost?

The other system which is marketed in thailand is a PV system made by Grundfos - but it is not cheap running into several hundred thousand Baht

Would like to know how this ocmpares pricewise - performance wise it's not quite up to Grudfos spec, but it sure looks impressive for what it is and I would think it's going to be far more cost effective then Grundfos

MF

I was at Leonics yesterday in Bangkok, and they have a borehole pump made by LORENTZ (a PS600 HR/C) that is designed to work with solar (48V DC). I need to pump about 140m deep, so the setup I am looking at is quite expensive, but Leonics seem to offer a lot of more general solutions too.

The guy I met there really knew his stuff and showed dozens of real solar-based projects in Thailand.

[Maizefarmer]

Those output figures are not much different from Grundfos figures - the price is a little cheaper.

Helicals are a good choice - although the figures given are only to 40m, you wil find the pump wil lactually work down to 140 no prob's - except that the output will drop quite a bit - but that applies to Grudnfoss units as much as Lorentz or anyone else.

I'm inclined to think there is little in it - but do yourself a favour, take a look at the Grundfoss figures before committing yourself one way or another. They have a shop and office in Bkk (check the net for the Thai grundfoss website - of ftheir main website).

I would not get involved in fancy seperate stage pumps at different levels - keep it as simple as possible.

MF

Edited April 25, 2007 by Maizefarmer

[Zeid]

solartron

is a thai company that manufactures these panels, and as mentioned above they have a farm option. anyway very very nice systems they got a whole solution with batts and everything and they are thai

www.solartron.co.th