Help with converting some energy used by pool motor to solar

1 Posts
Oct 2, 2008 11:27 am
Help with converting some energy used by pool motor to solar

Is there a non-grid tie inverter that I can uses to allow me to patch a solar panel on to the line so that the motor will use both solar and grid electricity?  The motor costs me around $100/month.  I would love to lower that.
 
351 Posts
Oct 2, 2008 02:46 pm
Re: Help with converting some energy used by pool motor to solar

Why are you specifying non grid tie ? Are you in a non-net metering area ?  If your local utility allows net metering, the easiest and least expensive option would be a grid tie inverter with enough panels to offset X dollars of your total bill.

Your pump is most likely 230V based upon your usage. It would require 2 inverters. So regardless of the grid tie/non-grid tie, it would be less expensive to offset the dollars elsewhere in your electric bill.

Does that pump really cost $100 bucks a month ?  Or is your bill higher than your neighbors and you are just attributing it to the pump ?   If your local utility does household energy audits, you might want to sign up for one.

Something isn’t “right” here.  That is a big pump, or it is being run too long, or something else. But it sounds like it is using more electricity than the average US household.
 
184 Posts
Oct 2, 2008 03:17 pm
Re: Help with converting some energy used by pool motor to solar

I agree with Ken, and would like to add this:

If you want to switch back and forth, using either the grid or an inverter, you need an "automatic transfer switch".  Some inverters have this functionality built-in.

Also, if you're wanting to offset $100 worth of electricity each month, you're probably going to need a big PV system, possibly making the project unfeasable.
 
Oct 2, 2008 04:01 pm
Re: Help with converting some energy used by pool motor to solar

Hi Jason.

I actually looked into doing this myself.  Living in Florida, we run our pools year round and in the winter a pool motor can be over half of one's electric bill.

I spec-ed out an off-grid system with a manual transfer switch.  I did not want to deal with an inter-connection agreement, and I was planning on installing the system myself.  Having worked on a grid-tie install crew once and having built transportable solar systems, the off-grid system is much easier to install.  And I am not certified in Florida.

I did not install the system because the return on investment was way out of line with what it was costing me to use grid power to run the pool motor.  I had a 2000 watt 240 VAC motor, running on average 8 hours a day at $0.0990 / kwh.

Hope this helps.

Tony
 
163 Posts
Oct 3, 2008 04:24 pm
Re: Help with converting some energy used by pool motor to solar

Tony,

I have 3200 watts of solar panels with an Outback 2548 Inverter and a X-240 transformer that has my 240V 1HP pool pump as its major load. In the hot summer months the output of my panels will drop as low as 2400 watts, and my pool pump generally consumes around 1400 watts while running.

A DC pump run directly from the panels (with some sort of current booster) would be far more efficient, but I have never been brave enough to risk the high expense of the DC pump and then not have it work for me.

The store here at one time sold a package deal with panels, pump, and controller, but it is no longer available even though one user gave it a good review.
http://store.altenergystore.com/Solar-Pool-Heaters-and-Pumps/Solar-Pool-Pumps/Solar-Pool-Pumping-Packaged-System/p5796/

The pump and controller is still available.
http://store.altenergystore.com/Solar-Pool-Heaters-and-Pumps/Solar-Pool-Pumps/Lorentz-Solar-Pool-Pump-with-PS600-Controller/p5827/

I'm still considering it as it would be fairly easy for me to divert the output of one string of panels directly to the pump/controller, but I will have to see a lot more positive reviews before I take the risk of purchasing the pump and controller.

John
 
Oct 23, 2008 01:36 pm
Re: Help with converting some energy used by pool motor to solar

Hey John.

I spec-ed out my system with Xantrex modified-sine wave inverter/charger - the DR3624 and Sharp 208 watt panels.  I happened to have both at the time, just not enough panels (had 2).  And I had 8 Concorde or 4 Trojan batteries on hand I could have used.

Glad to see this works for you, but you have a heck of an investment there!  How much did you spend?

I figured a good average cost per month of electricity for my pool pump was:

2 kw * 8 hrs/day * 30 days/mo * $0.099/kwh or about $48/month.

The cost of the main components was about $8,500 and balance of system perhaps another $1,200 minimum.  So round it all to $10,000.  Straight return on investment is over 17 years.  Figure in inflation on electricity costs and it might drop it a year or so.

Thoughts?

Tony


 
163 Posts
Oct 23, 2008 03:58 pm
Re: Help with converting some energy used by pool motor to solar

Tony,

Our local utility company uses diesel generators to produce electricity, and their license allows them to pass any increases in fuels costs on to their customers. Last month the cost per kilowatt hour was just shy of 50 cents.

If utility rates in the US ever reached that level I don't think any of the stores would be able to keep PV panels in stock.

John
 

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