How To Size Pipe for Solar Water Pumping

Use this chart to size the correct diameter pipe for your solar water pumping system. Areas shaded in red should be selected with caution.

Water Pip Sizing Chart

Friction Loss in Plastic Pipe with Standard Inside Diameter (SIDR)

This chart applies only to: PVC pipe, Schedule 40 (160PSI) and to PE (polyethylene) pipe with SIDR designation (most common 100PSI black pipe)

Head loss in vertical feet per hundred feet of pipe or vertical meters per hundred meters of pipe
Nominal Pipe Diameter (in) / Actual Inside Diameter (in)
FLOW RATE
1/2*
3/4
1
1 1/4
1 1/2
2
2 1/2
3
4
5
6
GPM
LPM
0.662
0.82
1.05
1.38
1.61
2.07
2.47
3.07
4.03
5.05
6.06
1
3.8
1.13 0.14 0.05 0.02              
2
7.6
4.16 0.35 0.14 0.05 0.02            
3
11
8.55 2.19 0.32 0.09 0.05            
4
15
14.8 3.70 0.76 0.19 0.07            
5
19
22.2 5.78 0.81 0.25 0.12 0.04          
6
23
31.0 7.85 1.00 0.35 0.18 0.07 0.02        
7
27
  10.6 1.52 0.46 0.23 0.08 0.03        
8
30
  13.4 1.94 0.58 0.30 0.09 0.05        
9
34
  16.9 2.43 0.72 0.37 0.12 0.06        
10
36
  20.3 2.93 0.88 0.46 0.16 0.07 0.02      
11
42
  24.3 3.51 1.04 0.53 0.18 0.08 0.03      
12
46
  28.6 4.11 1.22 0.65 0.21 0.09 0.04      
14
53
    5.47 1.64 0.85 0.28 0.12 0.05      
16
61
    7.02 2.10 1.09 0.37 0.14 0.06      
18
68
    8.73 2.61 1.34 0.46 0.16 0.07      
20
76
    10.6 3.16 1.64 0.55 0.21 0.08 0.02    
22
83
    13.3 3.79 1.96 0.67 0.25 0.09 0.03    
24
91
    14.9 4.44 2.31 0.79 0.30 0.11 0.04    
26
99
      5.15 2.66 0.90 0.35 0.14 0.05    
28
106
      5.91 3.05 1.04 0.42 0.16 0.05    
30
114
      6.72 3.46 1.18 0.46 0.18 0.06    
35
133
      8.94 4.62 1.57 0.62 0.23 0.07    
40
152
      11.0 5.91 1.99 0.79 0.30 0.09 0.02  
45
171
      14.2 7.37 2.49 0.97 0.37 0.12

0.04

  
50
190
      17.3 8.96 3.03 1.20 0.46 0.14 0.05  
55
208
        10.7 3.60 1.43 0.55 0.16 0.06  
60
227
        12.5 4.23 1.66 0.65 0.18 0.07 0.02
65
246
        14.5 4.90 1.94 0.74 0.22 0.08 0.03
70
265
        16.7 5.64 2.22 0.85 0.25 0.09 0.04
75
284
        19.0 6.40 2.52 0.97 0.28 0.10 0.05
80
303
          7.31 2.84 1.09 0.32 0.12 0.06
85
322
          8.06 3.19 1.22 0.37 0.13 0.07
90
341
          8.96 3.62 1.36 0.39 0.14 0.08
95
360
          9.91 3.90 1.50 0.44 0.016 0.09
100
379
          10.9 4.30 1.66 0.49 0.18 0.12
150
569
         

23.1

 9.10 3.51 1.04 0.37 0.16
200
758
            15.5 5.98 1.76 0.62 0.28
                         
NOTE: Values shaded in
 
are at velocies over 5ft per second and should be selected with caution.
  
* The 1/2" data applies only to PE. PVC has a smaller internal diameter of 0.612
  

 

Related Articles...

Related Products

Call us for solar panel system design help.
877-878-4060

Se habla Español

altE University

Have a suggestion? Found a bug?