run electric well pump with a battery?

mulechick · #1 01/02/08, 08:55 PM

i'd like to figure out a back-up system for our well pump for electric outage, etc. unfortunately, i don't know the pump size, but it is a new 650' well and is powered by a 20A circuit with 10-2 wire. if you tell me where to look, maybe i can find pump size or other pertinent info if necessary to answer.
is there a simple and inexpensive way to install a battery backup for a well like this? we need daily access for our horses and a brief outage yesterday gave me a scare.

thanks!

mulechick

agmantoo · #2 01/02/08, 09:29 PM

Buy a 6000 watt generator.

Jim-mi · #3 01/02/08, 09:41 PM

Contact the well installer for whats in there,

Then buy a VERY BIG battery

mulechick · #4 01/02/08, 10:07 PM

we have a gas generator to power one subpanel, but the well is run from the main panel in an entirely different location. i was hoping for a solution to be used at the wellhouse.

thanks!

greeneyedgirl70 · #5 01/02/08, 10:24 PM

you would have to have an inverter and some good batteries, i think it would be cheaper to buy a generator.

hotzcatz · #6 01/03/08, 12:17 AM

You still have to charge the batteries somehow since you couldn't run a pump of that size (650' is pretty deep) on batteries for very long so you'd have to have either solar panels, a wind generator or a gas powered generator to charge the batteries anyway. If the generator will run the pump directly, that will save having to acquire extra equipment.

canfossi · #7 01/03/08, 05:49 AM

My well is 237' deep and my 3000 watt generator wouldn't run the well pump. The pump is probably 240 volts, yes get a big generator 6000 watts. Chris

wy_white_wolf · #8 01/03/08, 08:00 AM

You didn't say That it was 220 or 110. That deep I'm assuming 220. I don't know of any 220 volt inverter that is affordable. You may have to run 2 110 inverters in series. Then you would need a really big battery bank for it to pump for any length of time. If you want to go with a battery backup you would be better off to install a pump designed for solar applications and start from there.

Best suggestion is get a generator big enough to run the pump.

VALENT · #9 01/03/08, 01:13 PM

If water for your horses is your primary worry, I would just buy a relatively large poly tank. -or a long extension cord from your existing generator.

mulechick · #10 01/03/08, 02:58 PM

valent -
yeah, we definitely need some water storage solutions. probably one @ each paddock and coop. everything is such a formula! hose price per foot + poly storage vs. wire/ext cord per foot vs. carrying buckets from the creek . . .

wy_white_wolf · #11 01/03/08, 04:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mulechick

we have a gas generator to power one subpanel, but the well is run from the main panel in an entirely different location. i was hoping for a solution to be used at the wellhouse.

thanks!

There should be a small control panel in the well hose. Have it rigged there to disconnect from the main panel an plug into the generator when you need it.

tamsam · #12 01/03/08, 05:58 PM

We are installing a 8,000 watt gen so we can run the pump. Ours runs on 220 and the gen in our motor home which we have used to power the house in the past only does 110 so we decided to get the 8,000. Sam

pixelphotograph · #13 01/04/08, 06:36 PM

real goods sells solar well pumps in a kit
buy that instead.

Texas_Plainsman · #14 01/04/08, 08:40 PM

As others have mentioned, I battery/inverter backup isn't realistic. That leaves you, with the afore mentioned, generator and another possibility, a DC pump. However, at that depth, you're looking at a 48V setup. This would be pretty expensive.

FordJunkie · #15 01/04/08, 09:19 PM

I think you said carry buckets from creek in there. if you can get apickup or small trailer near the creek then just get a small 12 volt pump to run off vehicle power and 2 55 gal plastic drums. fill drums go fill water needs. not pretty but much cheaper than pumping it from 650 ft. deep. wehave 2 springs and i figure to hand pump our livestock needs if i have too.

Just my .02. HTH
Tony

texican · #16 01/04/08, 10:35 PM

One of the better inverters ten years ago started around 1K... and a minimal battery bank to even think about getting started would be at least ~400...

Unless you have an off grid system now, or plan on having one, battery powered systems aren't economical.

I'd go with a small genny. Have a means of storing lots of water, and adjust to a non pressurized water system, during emergencies... Turn on the genny, pump the water, then turn her off.....

tamsam · #17 01/04/08, 11:55 PM

You don't show where you are located and the weather may be a factor in storing water. How far away is the creek and how much water would you need for the live stock. I would look into a 12v pump such as used in rvs if it were me. A good battery will run one for days and the pumps have built in pressure switches. Last one I bought was 60 some bucks back in 1998. You can hook a garden hose to both inlet and outlet. Just my thoughts and a heck of a lot cheaper. Good luck. Sam

Natalie11 · #18 01/05/08, 12:51 AM

Create a horse powered pump wheel. Then all your worries are handled with a carrot and a stick.

wogglebug · #19 01/05/08, 12:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by texican

I'd go with a small genny. Have a means of storing lots of water, and adjust to a non pressurized water system, during emergencies... Turn on the genny, pump the water, then turn her off.....

Wot'e'sed.

Put in a 625 gallon plastic water tank on a tank stand. Height gives you water pressure, water weight anchors the tank. Volume chosen carefully - it's generally the most useful volume, and therefore the cheapest $/gal. Have a sensor that cuts out when the tank is full, and in when it's about a quarter empty (okay, even a ball valve will work, but I don't like machinery cycling on and off all the time). Run everything off this all the time.

If the power's off, check the tank and attach the generator either once a day, or any time it's less than half-full, whichever is less frequent.

tanksoldier · #20 01/05/08, 03:51 AM

I agree with the above suggestions to pump from the creek if at all possible. Even if it's over a mile it's still easier than pumping up from 650 feet as long as it's reasonably flat.

Hauling water in a truck, or wagon, in drums is another lower-cost low-energy solution.

The above solution of using a permanent water tower is also useful. You can use a lower powered pump than you would need to run things directly, it would be filling in between uses .