Build a Solar-Powered Pool Pump: What You Need to Know

[booter10ca]

hey
i have a 5W pv panel and was wondering if i could build some sort of circuit to run my pool pump? was wondering what i would need ... any thoughts would be appreciated

 

[skeptic2]

Probably more than 5W.

 

[mdjensen22]

Like skeptic said, I think you'd be hard-pressed to run your pump off 5W.

However, you could always use that 5W solar cell as a circuit to power a circuit that enables your pump.

 

[booter10ca]

thats what I am looking to do, i know 5w isn't enough but if there is some sort of circuit i can construct to harness the power in battery cells or some other form is what I am looking to try and do

 

[Bob S]

Start by determining the HP required by your pump. IF it is say 0.5 HP, you will probably need 1 kVA peak for starting volt-amps in a 0.5 HP induction motor. Store the energy from the panel in a lead-acid battery, and use a 1 kVA inverter. The average power will depend on the duty cycle of the pump. You can probably get 10 watts per square foot for charging a battery system, or ≈0.1 kilowatt-hours per day per square foot. Use an inverter to get 60 Hz power from a battery. You might be better off with a dc brush motor or a BLDC (brushless dc) motor, because the starting VA requirement is less.

Bob S

 

[booter10ca]

Start by determining the HP required by your pump. IF it is say 0.5 HP, you will probably need 1 kVA peak for starting volt-amps in a 0.5 HP induction motor. Store the energy from the panel in a lead-acid battery, and use a 1 kVA inverter. The average power will depend on the duty cycle of the pump. You can probably get 10 watts per square foot for charging a battery system, or ≈0.1 kilowatt-hours per day per square foot. Use an inverter to get 60 Hz power from a battery. You might be better off with a dc brush motor or a BLDC (brushless dc) motor, because the starting VA requirement is less.

Bob S

Thanks a lot