Solar Jack Knife Switch Question

[MJCM]

We have on solar in the garden both a submersible pump and a normal Pump

The guys that installed it, put in a jack knife switch to turn on each pump individually. I think a smart solution.

Now these jack knife switches tend to break easily and it also gets more and more difficult for my wife, because of hand problems, to operate this switch.

Is there another solution for this? An easier switch for example which she can turn without a lot of force?

Ps: Upper position of the switch turns on the Pump, down position turns on the Submersible Pump and middle position turns everything off


 

[Crossy]

What voltage and current are your pumps?

 

I assume they are DC pumps.

 

Could you DIY an extension to the handle to make operation easier??

[MJCM]

Solar Pumps both DC Pumps, both the Submers as the normal Pump

The Jack Switch we use now is 32A 600V and works great, but you need to push it all the way up or all the way down and that becomes more and more difficult for my wife to operate

No idea what Voltage and current for the pumps. No manuals were left behind

[Crossy]

Can you look at the normal pump, should be a rating plate, or the solar panel(s)?

 

 

[MJCM]

Oooh you have to wait for that, as it's completely boxed in *sheltering it from the elements as it's in the open*

Will scour my PC if I can find a picture of it, I remember taking it many moons ago

Will report back if I do

TiA

[MJCM]

Found it 72V 750W

THis is the normal pump, but I think that is obvious

Amazing program Everything 🙂 
 

[MJCM]

but this is what i used to find that

https://www.voidtools.com/

[MJCM]

Any ideas? @Crossy

 

TiA

I am just looking for an easier switch for me wife to use

 

[Crossy]

Switching DC can be problematic, I suspect that the simple knife switch is going to be the "best" solution. 

 

Generally, you can switch DC with an AC rated switch if you stay below 10% of the AC rated voltage, so your 600V knife switch is just about there.

 

There are rotary switches that should do the trick, if you can find 600V (or DC rated) ones, but they tend to be pretty tight to turn 😞 

 

How about using a couple of DC solid-state relays wired to a small toggle switch, easy to operate, easy enough for a competent DIYer to implement? 

 

Are there any solar controllers in the mix or are the pumps wired direct to the panels?

 

Of course, more panels would mean you don't need to switch anything 🙂

 

 

[MJCM]

Thanks @Crossy Merry X-Mas to you and your loved ones

Solar controllers in place the works.

The install was done by a company here that apparently knows what they are doing, but they are not for whole house installs, but just pumps etc etc. I liked their Jack Knife solution, IMHO out of the box thinking.

But the Jack Knife solution is becoming problematic for my wife to handle because she uses the Solar Pump to water a part of her garden.

[Crossy]

Merry Thingy and a Happy New Wotsit to you and yours @MJCM

 

The controllers "might" have on-off terminals, have you got the manuals or at least piccies??

 

Do you need to change-over when the pumps are operating??

[Crossy]

How about this

https://www.lazada.co.th/products/3-positions-on-off-on-changeover-control-rotary-cam-switch-20a-i5426917678-s23049633097.html

 

You may need to DIY a handle so Madam can operate it.

 

 

 

 

 

[TronxII]

The original switch looks solid for 12A DC at 72V.

Maybe you could also say what type of switch you would prefer for your wife. Maybe you like a push button, then you can have it, but need a kind of solid state relay in a little box.

[MJCM]

Thx @TronxII

 

Something that is easy to switch.  Push Button?

"Solid state relay in a little box"

No idea what you are talking about 🤔

My sparky even had great problems wiring the new switch after the old one died *Handle broke*

[TronxII]

If these knife switches are not to your liking, you could use any type of switch, however not directly to switch the motor, because these little ones would just burn away at the first switch off when an arc is created because of the DC.

If you want tiny switches like this, you would need some electronics like big 200V mosfet transistors to do the switching. These electronics, would go into a little box and the tiny switch outside is basically giving only a signal to the electronics.

With inductive loads like pump motors, the electronics quickly become complicated because they need to be protected against voltage spikes produced at turn off. I'm not sure if anything of this type is available commercially at a reasonable price.

 

[MJCM]

5 hours ago, TronxII said:

If these knife switches are not to your liking

Thanks.

The knife switches are to my liking, but my wife is having hand problems, so the knife switch gets more and more difficult to operate as they need to be pushed all the top to the top or all the way down, depending which pump she wants to use, and both angles have a resistance which is becoming more and more difficult to operate for my wife.

[Crossy]

How are your panels, controller, switch and pump arranged. Are you switching the pumps to a single controller or switching the panels to separate controllers?

 

[MJCM]

They installed it as separate controllers

So 1 controller per pump, 1 for the Submers and 1 for the Garden Pump

 

[lom]

On 12/28/2024 at 11:10 AM, MJCM said:

They installed it as separate controllers

So 1 controller per pump, 1 for the Submers and 1 for the Garden Pump

 

So it is the solar panels you are switching between the controllers?

[MJCM]

6 hours ago, lom said:

So it is the solar panels you are switching between the controllers?

 

yes through the Knife Switch. Top position activates the garden pump, bottom position activates the Submers and the middle position is none working.

[MJCM]

I found a picture of one of the controllers

This is the one for the garden pump, which I posted a picture of earlier