Solar Powering my Pool Pump

[Neville Bailey]

I have a Speck pool pump with the specs below.

I also have two 100W solar panels charging two 12V 105ah high cycle batteries connected in parallel and a 3000W pure sine wave inverter, which I use in my camper.

As an experiment, I connected the power supply of the pool pump to the inverter. The pool pump runs perfectly but the inverter started beeping very soon afterwards and I disconnected everything.

Is this a doable setup and why does the inverter seem to complain?

 

[TheChamp]

I have a Speck pool pump with the specs below.

I also have two 100W solar panels charging two 12V 105ah high cycle batteries connected in parallel and a 3000W pure sine wave inverter, which I use in my camper.

As an experiment, I connected the power supply of the pool pump to the inverter. The pool pump runs perfectly but the inverter started beeping very soon afterwards and I disconnected everything.

Is this a doable setup and why does the inverter seem to complain?

Your batteries are just not up to the task, other than that there's nothing wrong with your setup. That 750W is going to go up at startup and your batteries just cannot handle the amount of current.

There are special inverters for pumps maybe you need to consider that as well as a bigger battery bank.

 

[Lupus]

Probably because you're draining the batteries? The panels won't give you enough to run the pump by itself so the inverter is switching to the other source of power.

 

[one poster]

I have a Speck pool pump with the specs below.

I also have two 100W solar panels charging two 12V 105ah high cycle batteries connected in parallel and a 3000W pure sine wave inverter, which I use in my camper.

As an experiment, I connected the power supply of the pool pump to the inverter. The pool pump runs perfectly but the inverter started beeping very soon afterwards and I disconnected everything.

Is this a doable setup and why does the inverter seem to complain?

The size of the load is probably causing the battery voltage to drop fairly quickly and the inverter is most likely giving you an indication that the battery voltage is low (but if in doubt - read the manual?).

As pointed out by @TheChamp I would be a bit hesitant to have the pump start up on that setup on a regular basis.

If the main aim is to off-set electricity costs of the pool pump, a smallish grid-tied inverter could also be an option.

 

[upup]

Bigger solar panels as well.

 

[Sinbad]

Or a DC pool pump

 

[Pineapple Smurf]

750 Watts / 12 volts = 62.5 amps you are drawing for your batteries. You are exceeding the maximum constant output on you batteries. Not gonna work

Save yourself the hassle of killing batteries and just install a grid tied solar setup. No batteries needed, ever. You generate 1500 Watts during the day and use that energy to run your washing machine, pool pump, etc. Anything above 1500 Watts the system will dip into ESKOM as it needs to

Sustainable.co.za 1.5kWp Grid-Tied System Solar Power Kit

<p style="text-align: left;"><em><strong>Please note that the lead time on these kits can be up to 5 - 6 weeks. Roof mounting systems need to be custom designed. If you would like a detailed quotation, please contact us <a href="https://www.sustainable.co

www.sustainable.co.za

 

[joker08]

Isn't a pure sine wave inverter a requirement for motors?

 

[Pineapple Smurf]

Isn't a pure sine wave inverter a requirement for motors?

Yes, and he does have one, but he is demanding more amps out of the battery than what it was designed for, hence the beeping sound the inverter is making. I think

 

[Priapus]

Your setup gives you 200w from the sun. Motor needs 750w. So inverter draws from batteries - which is above their limit. Setup is not equipped for this.

 

[itareanlnotani]

750 Watts / 12 volts = 62.5 amps you are drawing for your batteries. You are exceeding the maximum constant output on you batteries. Not gonna work

Save yourself the hassle of killing batteries and just install a grid tied solar setup. No batteries needed, ever. You generate 1500 Watts during the day and use that energy to run your washing machine, pool pump, etc. Anything above 1500 Watts the system will dip into ESKOM as it needs to

Sustainable.co.za 1.5kWp Grid-Tied System Solar Power Kit

<p style="text-align: left;"><em><strong>Please note that the lead time on these kits can be up to 5 - 6 weeks. Roof mounting systems need to be custom designed. If you would like a detailed quotation, please contact us <a href="https://www.sustainable.co

www.sustainable.co.za

Good advice, but then links to sustainable - aka the most expensive shop online... tsk.

 

[Pineapple Smurf]

Good advice, but then links to sustainable - aka the most expensive shop online... tsk.

Do your own research by all means.
Im just posting advice
Don't work for them or anything, I just buy there because everything they sell is awesome quality

 

[itareanlnotani]

Do your own research by all means.
Im just posting advice
Don't work for them or anything, I just buy there because everything they sell is awesome quality

No need for me to do research, check my post history. I'm usually giving out the advice

Just saying, they're far too expensive, look at powerforum.co.za or other vendors.

 

[mrb13676]

If I can resurrect this to ask a pool pump related question..... I have a 1.1kw pump. We have three phases - one runs almost everything - lights, fridges, freezers plugs etc - this phase is linked to a grid tied 5kw 60A solar inverter (Victron) which is connected to 3200W solar panels. The next phase runs the geyser (solar geyser) and half of the oven while the remaining phase runs the dishwasher and pool pump. The inverter system has 8 batteries (48V) which we use as backup for power cuts.

My question is this.... often we don't draw enough power on the solar enabled phase to utilise all of the available power - i.e a waste. Is there any system which will allow circuits to be switched from phase to phase - i.e 2 phases in, one circuit out - thus we can use the solar to power the pool pump and dishwasher during the day but in the event of no power at night we don't use the batteries for these? Not sure if this makes sense - happy to try and re-explain if need be....