Solar Well Install-photo journal

Solar Controller & Converter (not hooked up yet)

AFTER 12 YEARS of using Rain water....I installed a solar well!
After waiting in line for months for my well to be drilled, it was time to add the pump and pipes. Once the well was drilled I found out it was only a low flow well....only around 100 gallons a day. In this case a solar pump is good for both low flow and a gravity fed tank. I did my research and found RPS.
The RPS SOLAR PUMP KITS: are the best! I ordered the RPS400 solar panel kit without the solar panels and they sat in my shed for months until I had time to put it in.

FIRST THE DITCHES: This week I finished about 50 feet of ditches. A 20" deep ditch for the water line to connect the well into the house supply line (goes up to tank). Another to connect the electrical  conduit from well to rps controller, and a small line from a pre installed wire from generator to the converter next to the controller. The converter is a dc to ac box with an auto switch so in the winter I can turn on the generator and the converter senses it and switches on the pump bypassing the solar.

SOLAR ARBOR FOR WELL: I built another solar arbor just for the solar well. It four renology 100w 12v panels for the RPS400 Pump. After using the RPS calculator, it seemed I could have used the smaller 200 pump. But I opted for the bigger pump and four panels. In the end it wasnt necissary but I am glad to have too much rather than too little power.

WELL HEAD AND PIPING: After deciding on 1" pipe not 3/4, I used brass fittings for the well seal.  I used conduit leftover from my solar system for the #12 submersable electrical well wire. After some research I decided to add a faucet onto the brass T on well head to do testing and maybe water the garden directly when pumping the well. BUT have to remember to NEVER leave pump on when faucet is turned off! Well until I finish the poly line to tank.

PUTTING IT ALTOGETHER: It took me and an electrician friend about 8 hours to assemble the 80 feet of poly pipe, the pump, well sensor, safety rope and well seal assembly (there was also a check valve on pump). We installed the controller and the converter onto the solar arbor for convenience.

TESTING: The next day I emptied the well of 150 gallons of water. It took about one hour. I noticed when the sun wasn't full on the panels it ran weaker, but it did rise to about 100psi at full sun.

It's not finished but its close.....I have to add a sediment filter and a shurflo booster pump under the house in order to add the well water line to the tank. Then tap into the water line from the gravity tank (120 ft above house) and add another shut off valve for house.