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Sunday, October 29, 2023

Solar Well Pump Backup

Have any of you had a solar panel backup installed for a well pump and pressurization pump.  It would seem a pretty straightforward install.  Even without a battery to carry through the night, having water available for drinking and flushing during a prolonged power failure would be good.  

The old house had the well pump and pressurization pump on the backup generator.  In addition we had a 1000 gallon gravity-fed cistern.  

While gravity did not supply enough pressure for appliances without the pressurization pump, it would supply enough to get water from faucets and refill toilet tanks (slowly).

I am not confident that the idiots in charge will not manage to get us into a nuclear war.  Even if they do their job well, Xi seems like he is in trouble domestically and might try to distract with invasion of Taiwan.

I have a month or two of canned chili and likely two months of instant rice.  Water storage is not a problem for weeks but if you want operating toilets and cooking rice, this is harder.

The well pump draws 1.8KW.  That is a peak draw.  I suspect it does not run all the time.  The old house I specified a variable speed well pump because they last longer. Starting is what kills well pumps.  I am going to find out what it would cost to get just the water system solar powered with battery for those rare occasions when it gets dark.  Also what whole house would cost.  I am skeptical that it makes economic sense but all this development around here is going to start causing power outages.

2 comments:

  1. The gravity-fed cistern is a good start, but if you could raise it somehow, or put a tank house higher uphill, you could get a water tower effect.

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