The Jesaton range of solar water pumps in Kenya provides farmers with technology designed specifically for agricultural applications as well as home/institutional application. However, the ability of solar water pumping is not a concern, it is the installation of the system that is paramount. Not installing your solar water pump correctly can result in an ineffectual process of pumping water from boreholes, rivers, tanks, and wells.
Let’s find out the five mistakes people make when installing solar water pumps for livestock purposes.
1. Solar Array Angle and Orientation
Installing solar panels in the incorrect orientation decreases the available solar power for use with your solar pumping system. Before undertaking the install it is crucial to make sure that the location and orientation of the panels is correct for the geographical location.
JESATON technicians are well trained on correct solar panels placement to ensure your solar power system will operate at peak efficiency.
2. Controller Configuration
Solar water pumping capabilities can be decreased due to the ineffective implementation of the controller settings. By properly employing these settings, not only can the solar pump become more efficient, but it can prolong the life of your installation. Configuring settings like start and stop delay timers and speed limitations (for low yielding bores) can dramatically improve the life of your system, while getting the most out of your pump.
With a JESATON solar pump system in Kenya, not only are you protected from dry-running, over-voltage, over-heating and over-pressurising; but you can rest-assured that the latest generation of high efficiency solar pumping controllers are reliably delivering water.
3. Electrical and Plumbing Issues
One of the larger issues surrounding solar pump installations in Kenya is the incorrect configuration of panels when connecting the controller. Over-voltage of the controller can result in the instant destruction of core components, resulting in the need for a new controller. On the other side of the coin, the controllers all have a minimum required operational voltage to run their pumps. Making sure that there is enough power to run the pump, but not enough to over-voltage the controller, is vital.
When installing the solar array, pay close attention to the maximum and minimum required operating voltages of the controller. This information and more is available in the owner’s manual, the side of the controller and inside the cover.
When everything electrical is sorted, the next concern moves to the plumbing of the system. Unnecessary bends, changes in pipe size and unused components create head pressure which may be affecting your pumping performance. Usually the simplest solution is the best, where a handful of carefully selected components contribute to controlling the system without introducing too much complexity.
Using appropriately sized pipe is a must for solar pumps, and incorrect selection of plumbing can dramatically affect your delivery. When sizing JESATON solar pumps in Kenya, the sizing software will calculate the minimum and recommended pipe sizes to help deliver what you need, without running the risk of poor performance.
4. Insufficient Water Storage
Water storage is equally important as water delivery. Without the proper facilities to house the water, the water delivery system is instantly strained, and the life of the pump is already at risk. Having a few days’ worth of stored water is advantageous, with benefits to your pump life and assurance that your stock or irrigation system have water available; even through cloudy days or overnight.
It is better to have a pump running for long periods of time rather than running in short bursts to top up any nearby watering point. This can be done by setting start/stop delays in the solar pump controller to prevent the pump from experiencing premature wear, as well as having a suitably sized tank or storage facility.
5. Selecting the Right Solar Water Pump System in Kenya
When planning to purchase a solar water pump in Kenya the most important step is selecting the right system. A big problem with solar pumping selection is unnecessarily oversizing the system, and inversely not considering the solar power available and potentially under sizing.
