Solar system for 1hp water pump with pressurized tank

[JamesC1V27]

I have a water well which has a Grundfos 1hp 220v water pump and an 85 gallon pressurized tank.I would like to convert it to solar but not use batteries. I'm ok with pumping only during the day (I could add one or two more tanks). What type of controller or inverter would I need to power this pump directly from the panels?

[Logan005]

you would need a huge array and quite an inverter to start that pump under load, you are going to have to have a battery buffer bank. or you are going to have to change the deep well pump out to a solar DC pump designed to start under head pressure. I can think of a few ways to do but most are over 5k, can you build a water tower?

[Mike90250]

Not going to be cheap. How deep is the well? You have to add the well depth, to the pressure tank pressure, to get the amount of "Lift" your pump needs. You may not need 1 hp. A smaller pump would be less expensive. But if you have grid power to it now, thats likely the best way to do this. Maybe look up what solar costs, and spec out a system for when the existing goes bad.

[JamesC1V27]

Well is 270'. Pump is less deep. The pump is already there. There is no grid power. Runs from generator. I want to run the existing pump via solar with no batteries if possible.

We are running a solar setup in Kenya with a 5.5hp 3 phase 415v pump at ~450' deep pumping an additional 250' linear uphill distance to two 10,000l storage tanks. We have 34 200w panels and a Grundfos pump controller and no batteries. It works great so I know it can be done..The problem is I can't seem to find a Grundfos 220v single phase pump controller in the USA-hence my questions.

[inetdog]

Running off panels without battery is relatively easy when you use the Grundfos SQLFlex line of pumps since they accept a variable AC or DC voltage and run at whatever speed they can given the available power. Their controller panel for that pump line contributes to making it work too by supplying the variable frequency DC pulses needed to control the speed of the pump.
You apparently do not have that system but rather a straight 220V AC pump that always runs at full speed and pumps the maximum volume unless you put in a restrictor valve. A restrictor would allow the pump to run at a lower supply power but the same voltage.

[bcroe]

Well is 270'. Pump is less deep. The pump is already there. There is no grid power. Runs from generator. I want to run the existing pump via solar with no batteries if possible.

We are running a solar setup in Kenya with a 5.5hp 3 phase 415v pump at ~450' deep pumping an additional 250' linear uphill distance to two 10,000l storage tanks. We have 34 200w panels and a Grundfos pump controller and no batteries. It works great so I know it can be done..The problem is I can't seem to find a Grundfos 220v single phase pump controller in the USA-hence my questions.

It can be done; my array generates 20hp at peak sun. But in many parts of the US the sun may not be unclouded for days
or weeks at a time; how is your location? Bruce Roe

[JamesC1V27]

Location is About 60 miles north of Houston, TX.

[Wy_White_Wolf]

Well is 270'. Pump is less deep. The pump is already there. There is no grid power. Runs from generator. I want to run the existing pump via solar with no batteries if possible.

We are running a solar setup in Kenya with a 5.5hp 3 phase 415v pump at ~450' deep pumping an additional 250' linear uphill distance to two 10,000l storage tanks. We have 34 200w panels and a Grundfos pump controller and no batteries. It works great so I know it can be done..The problem is I can't seem to find a Grundfos 220v single phase pump controller in the USA-hence my questions.

Because that system is using a pump that is designed to be ran solar direct. You present 220V pump is not. If you wish to run solar direct you will have to replace the pump.

WWW

[ButchDeal]

Well is 270'. Pump is less deep. The pump is already there. There is no grid power. Runs from generator. I want to run the existing pump via solar with no batteries if possible.

Why "with no batteries". If the purpose is to do the job, then keep the pump, and use an off grid battery system.

[JamesC1V27]

Not quite true. The pump in Kenya is not designed to run solar direct. The Grundfos solar pump controller is. In this case, I am looking for something in the USA which can act like a solar pump controller without changing the pump.

[inetdog]

Other than something directly from Grundfos (have you contacted them directly instead of just searching their catalog or dealers?), the device closest to what you need is called a Variable Frequency Drive or VFD. That can accept DC input (at a high enough voltage) and produce the right frequency and voltage pulses to run the motor. But you would have to add additional circuitry to sense the available output from the panel array and set the pump speed based on that.
Possibly something you could do with a small microprocessor system, but I know of nothing off the shelf.