Solar pump for inground swiming pool

**inetdog** · 10-04-2015, 03:58 AM

Originally posted by solar_newbie

I am looking the way to design a solar system to run my inground swimming pool pump. Anyone has some info on what pump and how to connect them?
This can be a good pet project for me this Chrismas break.

I hope that the project is only to design it and not to build it!

A pool pump takes a lot of power, and if you want to perform all of the functions of a normal pool pump on a daily basis you could be looking at a $10K system.

First step: Find out how much energy your pool pump uses. A KillAWatt meter will help in this.
Second step: Knowing that amount of energy per day, go to the system design sticky threads in the Off-Grid topic area.

Come back when you are done and we can talk about it some more.

PS: If you are only looking for a system that can run your pump for a few hours around noon each day, there might be some point in going deeper.

**solar_newbie** · 10-04-2015, 05:26 AM

Originally posted by inetdog

I hope that the project is only to design it and not to build it!

A pool pump takes a lot of power, and if you want to perform all of the functions of a normal pool pump on a daily basis you could be looking at a $10K system.

First step: Find out how much energy your pool pump uses. A KillAWatt meter will help in this.
Second step: Knowing that amount of energy per day, go to the system design sticky threads in the Off-Grid topic area.

Come back when you are done and we can talk about it some more.

PS: If you are only looking for a system that can run your pump for a few hours around noon each day, there might be some point in going deeper.

I bought a intelliflo vs+svrs last year to replace my current pump. I plan to replace the pump this summer but lazy. Now it seem Christmas is a good time.

image.jpeg

Per manuafacture, if I run with level 1 speed (1100 rpm) it will use around 220-240watt.

Plus I built a 6foot fence around my pump and filter. I could see it could use a roof with solar panels.

I hope to build a system to run 4-5 hours during noon time , from 12-5 everyday to heat up the pool along with my rack mount solar heater which I put in last year.

**SunEagle** · 10-04-2015, 10:00 AM

Originally posted by solar_newbie

I bought a intelliflo vs+svrs last year to replace my current pump. I plan to replace the pump this summer but lazy. Now it seem Christmas is a good time.

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Per manuafacture, if I run with level 1 speed (1100 rpm) it will use around 220-240watt.

Plus I built a 6foot fence around my pump and filter. I could see it could use a roof with solar panels.

I hope to build a system to run 4-5 hours during noon time , from 12-5 everyday to heat up the pool along with my rack mount solar heater which I put in last year.

Unfortunately it will end up costing your much more to run that pool pump using solar panels, batteries and inverter then just running it from the grid.

At least having a vari-speed pump will reduce the electricity usage as long as you don't slow the pump down too much so you don't get the proper water turn over cycles.

**solar_newbie** · 10-04-2015, 08:28 PM

Originally posted by SunEagle

Unfortunately it will end up costing your much more to run that pool pump using solar panels, batteries and inverter then just running it from the grid.

At least having a vari-speed pump will reduce the electricity usage as long as you don't slow the pump down too much so you don't get the proper water turn over cycles.

I search YouTube and see a guy to put few panel as the roof for the pool pump area and grid inverter. He just make sure to schedule his pump to run when inverter product power.

If that is true, I could put 2 cheap panels and 2 M250/M215 inverter to connect to the junction box I got for the pumps/light ... It is 50amp box. So, I could archive the same right ? The pump will eat all production power of the panels, so everything is in house.

Cost is around $800. The pump cost is 1K, so this adding cost should be reasonable.

The key is how I could automatically turn on/off the pump based on production power rather than timer. It will help not running pump during cloudy or rainy day.

**SunEagle** · 10-04-2015, 10:18 PM

Originally posted by solar_newbie

I search YouTube and see a guy to put few panel as the roof for the pool pump area and grid inverter. He just make sure to schedule his pump to run when inverter product power.

If that is true, I could put 2 cheap panels and 2 M250/M215 inverter to connect to the junction box I got for the pumps/light ... It is 50amp box. So, I could archive the same right ? The pump will eat all production power of the panels, so everything is in house.

Cost is around $800. The pump cost is 1K, so this adding cost should be reasonable.

The key is how I could automatically turn on/off the pump based on production power rather than timer. It will help not running pump during cloudy or rainy day.

Please do not believe everything you see in a YouTube video. Most times the person is not telling everything that they are doing to make their electrical loads work. More than likely that guy put something together that is not safe or legal.

To run any AC electrical load safely and every day requires an inverter fed by a battery system. You will not be to just use solar panels to run an AC load because they can't provide the power you need for the length of time needed to run a pool pump. You might get short periods but will never get it every day.

**inetdog** · 10-05-2015, 04:21 AM

Originally posted by solar_newbie

I search YouTube and see a guy to put few panel as the roof for the pool pump area and grid inverter. He just make sure to schedule his pump to run when inverter product power.

If that is true, I could put 2 cheap panels and 2 M250/M215 inverter to connect to the junction box I got for the pumps/light ... It is 50amp box. So, I could archive the same right ? The pump will eat all production power of the panels, so everything is in house.

Cost is around $800. The pump cost is 1K, so this adding cost should be reasonable.

The key is how I could automatically turn on/off the pump based on production power rather than timer. It will help not running pump during cloudy or rainy day.

If the guy on YouTube is using a listed grid tie inverter, then it does not matter when the pump runs if he is getting Net Metering.
It would make sense in that case to run the pump when the power costs are lowest rather than when the panels are producing most.

If he is using an illegal GTI without an agreement with POCO, then he would need to make sure the pump is running so that he does not try to sell power back to POCO.

**solar_newbie** · 10-05-2015, 12:27 PM

Originally posted by inetdog

If the guy on YouTube is using a listed grid tie inverter, then it does not matter when the pump runs if he is getting Net Metering.
It would make sense in that case to run the pump when the power costs are lowest rather than when the panels are producing most.

If he is using an illegal GTI without an agreement with POCO, then he would need to make sure the pump is running so that he does not try to sell power back to POCO.

Here is the link.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=REJSPQDJibc

It made sense since he run whatever he generated... Why he need any agreement since he does not intent to sell back. Many link talks about using solar on manything...

**SunEagle** · 10-05-2015, 01:51 PM

Originally posted by solar_newbie

Here is the link.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=REJSPQDJibc

It made sense since he run whatever he generated... Why he need any agreement since he does not intent to sell back. Many link talks about using solar on manything...

Look I can't make you do anything that you want to do but that guy in the video has a half dozen electrical code violations that I can see. I am not sure you want to violate any code or open the potential of someone getting hurt. So think about what you want before you do it.

**inetdog** · 10-05-2015, 03:15 PM

Originally posted by solar_newbie

Here is the link.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=REJSPQDJibc

It made sense since he run whatever he generated... Why he need any agreement since he does not intent to sell back. Many link talks about using solar on manything...

If the "appliance" is connected to the power grid in the US through the house wiring it does not matter whether or not the owner intends to ever sell back power to POCO. It is interconnected and therefore subject to the NEC and to POCO rules. Period. There are very good safety reasons for this.

In response to some comments elsewhere about CE certification ("testing"), there is no requirement under CE for any testing to be done by an independent third party. The manufacturer is self-certifying that the equipment would pass the CE tests if anybody tested it. There is not even any requirement for sampling or ongoing testing once the manufacturer has come to the conclusion that the design and their current construction methods would allow the equipment to pass the test.

UL (or other Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory, NRTL) listing is based on a national standard and tests to that standard by an independent third party. No self-certification allowed. And when the construction conditions change the tests must be repeated.

**rrwsandiego** · 10-06-2015, 10:00 AM

question for the speed on pump..how slow is too slow..mine is set for 1900 but seems slow to me..

**SunEagle** · 10-06-2015, 10:08 AM

Originally posted by rrwsandiego

question for the speed on pump..how slow is too slow..mine is set for 1900 but seems slow to me..

A pool pump is required to circulate a specific amount (gpm) of water to insure the proper cleaning based on a number of cycles of the entire pool volume in gallons. That is usually dependent on the size and configuration of the pool.

There should be some type of chart where the speed of the motor reflects the gpm rating of the pump. So going too slow will limit the number water cycles.

You also need to know at what speed the pump needs to run to get the correct pressure to overcome any restrictions caused by piping and filters.

**rrwsandiego** · 10-06-2015, 10:32 AM

Thanks I will look into that

**SunEagle** · 10-06-2015, 10:36 AM

Originally posted by rrwsandiego

Thanks I will look into that

Most pool owners are given the "cycle" requirements when they first get the system installed based on the pool gallons, filter size, pump rating & motor hp. Making changes in the future is ok as long as you do not try to skimp on the water circulation.

End result of not enough water turn over is a pool without the proper rating for chlorine content and ph level.

**rrwsandiego** · 10-06-2015, 11:23 AM

The installer told me not to run the pump too high because he said it would wear down the shoes on my pool cleaner? I have a 25k gallon size pool. I will consider solar for pool once PV system is complete but one thing at a time

Solar pump for inground swiming pool

Solar pump for inground swiming pool

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