solar powered water pump

[Polly Van Luven]

Hi
I have a 180 watt solar panel and a shore well. I have a 12 volt pump and a pressure tank. I am trying to get the water from the well about 8 feet deep to my cabin which is about 60 feet from the well. Major frustration the pump keeps losing its prime. Even when it works it does so with tap turned on half way. I had the well drilled so that I could water my very large garden. So far no luck. Checked and replaced foot valve and line going to well. Pump does not seem able to do this job very well. Please somebody do you have a better option re an electric pump fired by solar

[Naptown]

Look into a submersible pump where the pump actually sits at the bottom of the well.
12V may be a problem however if the well is very deep. You may want to look into a higher voltage pump.

[confused]

Hi
I have a 180 watt solar panel and a shore well. I have a 12 volt pump and a pressure tank. I am trying to get the water from the well about 8 feet deep to my cabin which is about 60 feet from the well. Major frustration the pump keeps losing its prime. Even when it works it does so with tap turned on half way. I had the well drilled so that I could water my very large garden. So far no luck. Checked and replaced foot valve and line going to well. Pump does not seem able to do this job very well. Please somebody do you have a better option re an electric pump fired by solar

Hi Polly
first things first, have you tried pumping without the pressure tank connected?

regards
Confused

[inetdog]

Hi Polly
first things first, have you tried pumping without the pressure tank connected?

regards
Confused

Also, with a well which is only 8 feet deep, have you checked the refill rate of the well as the pump is emptying it? Sucking air will certainly cause the pump to lose prime no matter how good the foot valve is.

[Wy_White_Wolf]

Also, with a well which is only 8 feet deep, have you checked the refill rate of the well as the pump is emptying it? Sucking air will certainly cause the pump to lose prime no matter how good the foot valve is.

That would be my guess too.

Does the pump lose prime while running or while sitting idle? If it's while running then it's sucking air and the well needs to be deeper.

WWW

[ananthapriya]

Do you have any information on solar panels for homes? I have a south facing roof just not he $30K to install-- but haven't given up.

[Ezrio315]

solar powered water pump

Hi
I have a 180 watt solar panel and a shore well. I have a 12 volt pump and a pressure tank. I am trying to get the water from the well about 8 feet deep to my cabin which is about 60 feet from the well. Major frustration the pump keeps losing its prime. Even when it works it does so with tap turned on half way. I had the well drilled so that I could water my very large garden. So far no luck. Checked and replaced foot valve and line going to well. Pump does not seem able to do this job very well. Please somebody do you have a better option re an electric pump fired by solar

You should choose photovoltaic solar powered pump system which includes some parts like pump, controller and solar panels which are cost effective.
The solar panels make up most of the systems cost. The size of the PV-system is directly dependent on the size of the pump, the amount of water that is required A solar-powered pump is a pump running on electricity generated by photovoltaic panels available from collected sunlight as opposed to grid electricity. The operation of solar powered pumps is more economical mainly due to the lower operation and maintenance costs.

[russ]

The operation of solar powered pumps is more economical mainly due to the lower operation and maintenance costs.

The operation cost I can buy as you are using olar PV power but the maintenance won't be different.