How much does a solar water pump cost?

The pricing for solar pumps varies. Advances in technology have made low cost systems possible and readily available. One of the major advances making this possible are solar cells and panels. A basic, but complete solar water pump kit, will cost around $2,000. This baseline system will pump water from a few hundred feet deep at a few gallons power minute flow rate. Often solar pumps systems will replace the high costs of electric pumps and generators, high maintenance costs of windmills, and the inconveniences of hauling water. With Solar Pumps there are no ongoing operating costs as you are relying on the sun to power your pump.

The cost of a solar pump depends on the size of the pump and the number of solar panels you require. The following costs are inclusive of the pump, solar panels, controller, solar wiring, splice kit and hose barb connectors BUT NOT the mounting for the solar panels, which will run you as little as $200 to $2,000 or more depending on the number of solar panels. RPS provides direct to consumer pricing, meaning you don’t pay multiple distributor or re-seller markups. We manufacture the pump and components, and then pass that savings onto you as a DIY install kit.

Pumping out of a well?
If your well is on the shallow side, measuring up to 150 feet in depth, then a solar pump will cost around $1,600 to $2,000. For a well up to 300 feet, expect a price closer to $2,500 to $3,000.

If your well is officially a “”deep well””, 300-1100 in depth, then you’re looking at a cost between $3,500 all the way up to $10,500. If you just drilled a deep well and *gulp* already had to pay $15,000 (we’ve heard higher!), then consider a few additional steps. We understand this is a big investment so you’ll want to protect it! Any well pump being placed past 400 feet typically requires the customer to hire a team with a boom truck to lower the pump down safely. This is because when a pump, with heavy copper wiring and larger diameter pipe is all lowered hundreds of feet into the Earth, gravity starts adding additional weight onto an already VERY heavy line.

Similar pricing as above for high volume pumps that can provide 50, 100, 200 or even 400 gallons per minute!

These pumps seem expensive, I saw one on Amazon for $100?
We love this question. Solar pumps on amazon are referred to as “”trash pumps””, for more than one reason. Typically made of cheap plastic that breaks or melts under stress, these Amazon and Ebay pumps work for 6 months to 1 year and then summarily die on the customer. We’ve heard stories through the years of ranchers and farmers buying pumps every 3 months, for years on end and they’re fed up with replacing the thing. Trash pumps use brushed motors, imagine a pencil nib that wears down with each use, that’s the brush (and once the nib is gone, you can’t replace it, your only option is to chuck the entire pump in the garbage).

RPS provides systems for NRCS farmer and rancher projects, which means our products are bought and paid for by the federal government and deployed on American farms all over the country. We have to provide documentation on the pumping mechanisms, lab approval on our solar panels efficiency, permanent magnet motors, rust proof stainless steel housing(we’ve got people using these pumps in salt water- which isn’t recommended, but they haven’t come back for a replacement yet) and wind ratings for solar panel mounts.
Cheap brushed motors, flimsy plastic diaphragm pumps, and fake warranties are making a bad name for solar. RPS has stayed strong and maintained our high quality knowing that integrity, quality and reliability win in the end. Our reputation for our commitment to our quality products, warranty and honest, friendly and respectful support is why more customers continue to trust RPS. We started development of our first solar pumps in 2012 and after much testing and refinement, we launched our first pump for purchase in 2014. With all our pumps still in the field, and four major winter upgrades from our engineering team, we are confident we have the highest quality pump that you can install yourself on the market, and the only comprehensive kit designed to make it easy. We believe our customers’s actions speak more loudly, with the majority of sales this past year coming from happy returning customers and their referrals.