On Thu, 01 Nov 2012 04:21:31 -0600, wrote:

On Wed, 31 Oct 2012 21:28:28 -0400, wrote:

On Wed, 31 Oct 2012 18:05:16 -0400, "Stormin Mormon"
wrote:

Used to be able to buy solar powered well pumps. Sunelco had them, but that
was decades ago.

Lehmans used to have shallow well mechanical pumps.

Inverter, from the car battery.

Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
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"John F. F." wrote in message
...
Hi all,
For those of us who are on private wells dependent upon electric I'm
wondering what, if any, alternate methods and techniques anyone has
without using a generator to operate their well pump.

If yopu have a 1/2 HP well pump it will quite likely be 110 volts -
and draw about 400 watts running and 800+ to start. An inverter would
be feasible for that.

A 3/4 or 1HP pump is almost definitely going to be a 240 volt unit so
you would need a 2500 VA surge capable 240 volt inverter - which will
draw just over 200 amps from the battery to start the pump and close
to 100 amps to run the pump. At 5 GPM the battery is good for
something like 100 gallons of water on a real good day. The engine
would need to be run at about 1500 RPM on most vehicles to hold that
level of output for extended periods - and if it is a GM, you will be
replacing the alternator next week if you run that kind of load for
over about 20 minutes.

My submercible pump is down 370ft. It's a 1.5HP 220V. I did run it
once from a generator when there was a long term power outage. I
borrowed it from a neighbor, and it was a huge power plant on wheels
that connected to the PTO shaft on my farm tractor. It worked fine.
But I cant imagine trying to run it with an inverter. And even less on
a solar panel, unless the panel is huge, with a bank of batteries and
electronics.

The old farms used to have a windmill for these deep wells, and if the
wind was not blowing, there were ways to spin the shaft in the well with
a tractor, engine, or even a team of horses.

Never seen a real windmill pimp, eh?? The windmill operated what is
known as a "pump jack" which operated a plunger pump - just like the
old hand operated pumps - so when the wind wasn't blowing you just
connected the handle and pumped manually

Those days are long gone.
If the power from the grid goes out, you're screwed, unless you have a
large generator, and good supply of gas to run it. Because if the power
goes out in the area, th gas stations have no way to sell gas.

The old ways were crude, but today's technology is really worse if there
is a power outage. I dont like being dependent on a company and being
helpless if they fail.

There's a saying "Only the strong survive".
However, I think this one makes more sense.
"Only the Smart survive".

I'm still considering designing or buying a wood powered steam engine.
There's plenty of dead trees nearby. Even if the whole economy
collapsed and there was no electric or gasoline, I could still get water
out of my well and provide other electrical needs. The problem is that
all this stuff is costly to buy or make, and the electric and other
energy companies make sure they take enough of our money so that we can
never afford to buy or build equipment to replace them. So day after
day, year after year, we rely on them and few of us are prepared for the
day the economy collapses or a major disaster wipes out our "sources for
outside power".

The problem with steam is you need a boiler engineers papers to run
it, and the boiler needs to be inspected at least annually - at
considerable cost. Insurance is hellish expensive too. - and you NEED
it.

With that in mind, I guess the real truth is this.
"Only the Smart (and wealthy) survive". Sad but true!