What components are used for a solar water pump system?

For folks trying to figure out if a solar pump setup is right for them, one of the initial fears is often whether or not installation is more complicated than a standard pump install. In this overview we’ll look over the main components that make up a solar pump install, both those unique to the solar aspect, and those that are basically the same as any other pump install. By having a handy overview of the parts that come in our standard pump and turnkey kits, you’ll be well on your way to understanding the basics of solar pumping systems!

Key Components Unique to Solar Pumps:

1. Solar Panels

Of course, no solar pump installation is complete without our handy dandy power source, the solar panels! Our 100 Watt panels come included in all our standard pump kits, with 375 Watt panels for larger PRO Series pumps. These panels convert solar energy into DC power, sending that energy to our DC Controller where it is then sent to run our pump. Depending on which pump you buy, panels will be connected together in both series and parallel, increasing voltage and/or amperage to aptly run whichever system you purchase from us. 

2. Solar Wire

All standard kits come with 20’ of MC4 Solar Wire, which connects the solar panels to our controller. These are plug-and-play, there’s no need to splice wire or anything like that. And of course, all solar wire is rated for outdoor use and direct burial without the need for conduit. Some customers still use conduit since it can make installation easier, but it’s not a necessity. 

3. DC Controller

Our controller is designed for solar kits less than 100VDC. There are inputs for solar panels, batteries, pump wire, and low and high water sensors. There is also a power dial, which ends up being incredibly useful in situations where the pump is just a little too powerful for your well and you want to match the well’s recharge rate. 

4. DC Pump

The showstopper of the whole kit, our DC pumps are second to none. Made out of high quality stainless steel with magnetic brushless motors, DC pumps are designed to run directly from the sun with no power inversion to AC. Because our pumps are slow-stop slow-start, they end up lasting for years and years. And because we stand by our products, we offer a standard 2 year warranty, with additional, affordable options for extended warranties. 

5. Solar Panel Mounting

Our mounting kits can be either purchased as part of our turnkey kit, or individually. We have top-of-pole mounting kits, designed to be placed on a customer purchased 2 ⅜” or 4 ½” OD steel pole (model dependent), or scalable ground mounts, which are modular designs built off of customer provided 2 ⅜” OD piping. These are incredibly useful kits, as without them you’d need to DIY some sort of mounting for your solar panels, to maximize the amount of sunlight the panels are able to absorb. Our top-of-pole kits in particular are great in that they can be adjusted by angle depending on the season, as the optimal tilt angle changes by altitude and season.  

Key Turnkey Kit Components:

1. Piping

Turnkey kits provide most of the additional components needed to complete your well install (components not included are the pole for the mount kit, and a grounding rod, as well as some simple tools like wire strippers and screwdrivers), and our half turnkey kits are for folks who want everything except the solar mounting hardware. Both full and half turnkey kits come with 160PSI rated black polypipe, in lengths up to 300’. We love polypipe, it’s easy to ship and extremely easy to install compared to steel or PVC pipe. You just need to make sure before installation that you unwind the polypipe, letting the sun warm up any kinks. 

2. Wiring

All of our Pump wire is rated for submersible use, and is either 2+G wire for our smaller pumps, or 3+G for our PRO kits. In our turnkey kits piping and wiring will come in the same 100’, 200’ or 300’ length. With a purchase of any pump kit you will also receive a splice kit (also available in our goofproof kit) that makes the connection from pump to pump wire incredibly simple. 

3. Safety Rope

Especially important for lowering the well pump, this poly-braid no-rot safety rope is essential for ensuring there is no tension on the pump wire during installation. 

4. Well Seal / Plumbing Connectors

While a stainless steel well seal assembly comes in the turnkey / half turnkey kit, it can also be purchased separately. Sizes are adjustable based on plumbing and well diameter, and extended sizes can also be purchased. Stainless steel fittings include a tee and hex plug, nipple, coupler and hose barb to connect to the polypipe.  

5. Electrical And Teflon Tape

These two parts are necessary for making tight plumbing connections, as well as wrapping up polypipe, well wire and safety rope together, to ensure a hassle free installation. 

6. Copper Wire / Ground Clamp

Again, a grounding rod is not included, but this copper wire is used to ground your system and make sure that in the event of lightning storms your controller is well-protected.

Optional Components:

1. Pitless Adaptor / Well Cap

For customers who need to trench piping directly into the well due to freezing issues, we sell a pitless adaptor with a well cap. In this type of install, wiring comes out the top of the well cap, but piping remains underground so that there is no freezing risk. This can be an absolutely crucial part of your install, especially in the northern U.S. 

2. Reverse Action Pressure Switch Assembly

This is another component that is slightly different from a standard AC pump, as the contacts in a reverse action pressure switch are normally closed during pump operation, and open to turn off the pump (acting in reverse to a standard pressure switch). This is an important distinction in a DC system. Pressure switches are important when you are operating in a water system that requires pressure (e.g. in irrigation and household setups). The pressure switch shuts off the pump when a sufficient pressure in the system has been reached, taking the place of a tank full sensor wire. These switches are paired with check valves that prevent water from flowing backwards into the pump. Without check valves, the pressure switch would not build pressure and the pump would be damaged. 

3. Converter / AC Autoswitcher

One of the components many of our customers end up buying from us is an optional AC to DC converter or Autoswitcher, used to connect our controller to a generator or AC power supply, respectively. This can be useful during cloudy days, or if you want the pump to run at nighttime and don’t want to rely on another common source of backup power, batteries. 

4. Batteries

We love selling batteries with our system, since they take solar power that accumulates throughout the day when the pump is not running, and puts it to good use. The GEL batteries we sell are resistant to the cold (unlike many types of Lithium batteries), and offer hours of extra runtime during cloudy days or in the evening on a full charge. Like many of the products we sell, batteries are modular, meaning if you ever need to buy more in the future to increase operating hours, there won’t be any issue. 

These are the primary components found in a solar water pumping system. There are other small parts, like sensor wire and hose clamps that were just briefly glanced over, but for a full overview of a solar pump installation be sure to check out both our standard and PRO kit installation videos!

If you have more questions about specific aspects of your installation or project, please feel free to call us at 888-637-4493, or through email at [email protected]. We don’t make commissions, so there’s never any pressure to buy right away. The goal is to make the installation process clear and simple, providing valuable resources for our DIY centered customers. We hope to hear from you soon, but until then have a great day!