220 Well pump...how many panels, batts?

[BB.]

You can also get smaller AC boost pumps intended to run sprinkler systems from a low pressure water source. (you may need a solid input pipe if there is not enough inlet pressure to keep a hose from collapsing).

1/2 HP 40 PSI 580 GPH pump (Don't know anything else about this pump)

I would also suggest for your home appliances the Kill-a-Watt meter. Very good for conservation.

By the way, for A/C--The Sanyo and Fujutsu mini-split A/C (and Heat Pump version too) are very efficient small systems if you can cool just a couple rooms/small home.

Sanyo mini split AC (inverter/variable speed)
More panels & window AC or efficient mini split AC?

Add one of those and some good insulation (lots of ceiling insulation) + double pane windows may be very nice for your home.

-Bill

[Texas Wellman]

You should check out Grundfos SQ Flex system. It will allow you to run your well with solar, wind, or grid power, or all three. You will have to change our your current pump set-up.

Not exactly sure what the cost would be for what you need but it is an option.

[Texas Wellman]

***exhales, hopes my quick calculations are right. I don't do this stuff everyday so there are some guestimates here***

BTW: A quick check of Frankin's website says that a 1.5 HP motor uses about 1.1KW. A 1.5 HP pumping from ~75 feet should easily do about 20 gpm, depending upon pressure. Assuming that yours is pumping 20gpm at 1.1KW and you run your motor at 8 hours a day you should be pumping 9600 gallons per day and using ~8.8KW-hours per day. This does not include starting/stopping, which draw a significant, if not short, amount of power.

@8.8KWH * $.30/kwH gives about $2.64 per day, assuming that you are paying $.30 per KWH. 2.64 * 30 days is about $80 bucks per month extra.

How much water are you really using? And are you sure there is not something else going on here?

[BB.]

Depending on what rate plan she is one with the utility (and what her "baseline" quantity is)--she could be paying $0.40 per kWH above XXXX kWHr per month (for me, that is around 1,000 kWHr per month--her baseline maybe higher).

If she was using Time of Use, then summer off peak may be $0.35 per kWH or peak $0.57 per kWH in the top tiers.

Perhaps looking at an Agricultural rate plan can help (although some plans include "reservation charges" which make simple A:B comparisons of monthly bills more difficult.

But, I do agree that there seems to be a lot of electrical power use and getting a T.E.D whole house power meter (and other versions) or equivalent to monitor various loads would be highly instructive.

-Bill

[icarus]

For what is is worth,,,at the very least, water at night when evaporative loses are at a minimum, and secondly, why so much water on the grass. My theory is let the grass go brown, maybe water once a week. You can't kill grass,, once you get to the wetter/cooler season it will pop right back to green. Maybe water less sq/ft of grass, use drip or soaker for the berries.

It is, in all honesty, astounding how much water is wasted in N. America. Obviously, I don't water anything, except a small kitchen garden plot once in a while.

Tony

[solar_dave]

Originally Posted by icarus

It is, in all honesty, astounding how much water is wasted in N. America. Obviously, I don't water anything, except a small kitchen garden plot once in a while.

Tony

I have to agree with Tony, I am just amazed at my neighbors wanting to have a blue grass lawn in PHX.

We were naive as well first moving down here, but we did no grass and placed everything on drip. Now we are gradually moving to desert tolerant plants and removing the drip to them after they are established. They are actually healthier without the drip as it forces the root to run deeper for moisture. I suspect we will only end up with the garden plot being irrigated. Upside, this reduces our water bill by about $25 a month even on a minimal drip configuration.

[Cariboocoot]

I thought this was for extensive food-producing garden?

No sense watering lawns. No sense moving to the desert and expecting it to be a rain forest.

Funny, but I actually manage to live in both now: right by the lake in a dense evergreen canopy (discounting a few million hectares of beetle-kill) and just minutes away it's desert! BC is a funny ol' place, in more ways than one.

[dwh]

I have a buddy who lives in North Las Vegas. In his development (one of the newer ones) lawns aren't even allowed.

[EllieThomas]

Remember the lawn is not for pretty; it is for a fire break around my house. We have fires here in northern california just about every summer. Having green around me has saved me once already! I cut down the watering of grass by half.

I surely do run other things in the summer besides water and have a kill o watt meter. The only thing different is the evaporative cooler and it is on a thermostat and timer and the pool pump which I have changed out for 1/2 the hp it was using.

It is the well pump that is causing the increase. I use a LOT of water and thought having it solar would help. It still may, and I am researching what y'all have given me. Thanks so much for that.

My vegetable garden is huge at 50'X80' and I have large large patches of blackberries, strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, asparagus and a fairly decent sized orchard as well. This is what is taking up the water. I've pretty much decided to get 10,000 gallons of rain tanks to add to my 9,000. This should give me a total of two months to water the gardens. It does not rain here in the summer, only the winter so they don't get refilled.

These things are fairly new, but once established don't take nearly as much water and that should help also.

I'm so glad I found this forum.

Ellie

[BB.]

Ellie,

Sorry if it seems that we hit you with lots of questions--Obviously, it is the only way we can learn about what is going on at your place.

-Bill