# Solar pool pump installer



## nakika (Jun 12, 2016)

Hi Folks
Can anyone recommend a company that installs solar pool pumps that work well


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## MrBife (Jul 26, 2009)

Have been exploring this idea myself and come to the conclusion that there is no one here in the Algarve, in Portugal or even in Iberia who has the right equipment at the right price to make it worth considering.

Better I think to go to a Solar Power provider and ask them to design a two or three panel system with an inverter + control box. Stick with your existing pump and provide solar generated power to it.

Running the system during sunshine hours and leave it off when there is no generation should be enough for correct filtering (and if its not then you can add an hour or two of mains powered circulation).

Like you I believe this is a no brainer for Portugal and no doubt someone will come out with a package. My only doubt is that for a system to have a reasonable payback time it needs to cost €1000'ish euros. It can be done with a DIY approach but that price expectation means poor profit for a commercial installed offering.

To try and save the cost of an inverter I have already experimented with 12v pumps and not found them reliable/cheap/efficient there are a few on Alibaba and the Lorentz one isn't bad but my thoughts have now fully returned to retaining the existing pump and providing it with PV generated power.

At the moment I am back on mains power again for my own pool pump but hope to swap to PV soon


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## nakika (Jun 12, 2016)

*Solar pool pump*

Thanks for the reply, the house did have a solar pump fitted but it did not work and I lost the use of the pool. The pool repair man refused to discuss a solar option, it is now fitted with a quality electric pump. I like your suggestion on a solar panel install for the house and use that to power to pump.


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## alf1956 (Feb 22, 2015)

I too am baffled as to why there are no solar pool pumps on the market especially with the amount of sunshine that Portugal gets & that with the high cost of electricity & the amount of time you have to run the pool pump for adequate filtration?


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## nakika (Jun 12, 2016)

I had a solar pump but it was no good


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## MrBife (Jul 26, 2009)

alf1956 said:


> I too am baffled as to why there are no solar pool pumps on the market especially with the amount of sunshine that Portugal gets & that with the high cost of electricity & the amount of time you have to run the pool pump for adequate filtration?



The rule of thumb and calculation is that in Summer you need to circulate all of the water in the pool between 1x and 1.25 times per 24 hour period. (Can be half that in winter when water temp and potential for algae growth are lower). 

So if you work out the volume of your pool in m3 and divide it by flow rate of your pump in litres per hour you get the number of hours the pump has to run. Usually its around 8hrs if the pump was sized correctly by the original installer.

There are a few other factors that can affect the calculations, things like 'bather load' and age/condition of the filter material so the figures above area for normal use and a well maintained installation.


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## nakika (Jun 12, 2016)

Many tanks


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