TESTING AND

DEVELOPMENT OF A
SOLAR-WATERED PUMP
Presented by: Pantaleon, Jacklord M.

Presented to: Engr. Jhun A. Cabebe

November 25, 2019

Chapter I: Introduction
Overview
The availability of water is critical when
planning for a greenhouse facility. Some
growers have had to abandon plans or move to
a different site because adequate water is not
available. Water usage is affected by many
variables. Most important of these is the level
of solar radiation within the greenhouse. This
varies from a low level during the cold season
to two to three times as much during the
summer. The design for the water supply has to
be made for the peak use time of the year.
 There have not been a lot studies conducted
on the water usage of plants. A rule of thumb
is to have available 0.3 to 0.4 gallons/square
foot of growing area per day as a peak use
rate for the warmest day. For example a 30ft x
100ft greenhouse with 2400 square feet of
benches would require a peak use rate of 720
to 960 gallons per day. This corresponds with
the evapotranspiration rate for most areas of
the country. The following factors can
increase or decrease the amount of water
needed.
Seeking for more alternative source of power
for growing plants is still growing specially in
most crucial part which is when still days after
its been planted or in after transplanting.
Internal combustion engine is the most used for
watering plants or crops even in small or large
scale of farming which produces smoke that
affect is bad to environment. For greenhouse,
they commonly used electric motors for
watering plants which is its quite expensive and
Using solar powered electric motor for
greenhouses can reduce global warming. This
type of machine uses solar panels which can
support the electric motor by the help of a
battery and a power inverter. It is an alternative
source of power specially for dripping irrigation
for greenhouse. It uses power that can support
drip irrigation. Uses solar power and no pollution,
low maintenance and long life. Solar energy had
been a century old technology as time passes
Inventors developed solar panels that have
the capacity to hold more energy from the
sun. utilization of the suns unending power
had been developed and integrated. Using
this power machines that use petrol are
minimized the preservation of the ozone
layer is promoted by these technologies. Fuel
is very difficult to obtain on a daily basis.
Problem
Internal combustion engine being used by green
house for irrigation affect environment very
worse that causes global warming. This century
old technique consumes large amount of
money to buy petroleum that used in these
engines.in engines there is a big discrepancy in
the maintenance aspect. Solar panels are less
maintained than the internal combustion engines.
Water supply is a major requirements in green
house, water pumping using internal combustion
engines become a major threat to our environment
because of the smokes they are emitted, so with
the electric water pumps which consume much
power, remote areas specially in upland
municipalities uses diesel and gasoline engines to
irrigate crops, with these practices, greenhouse
effect causes global warming become worst.
The application of solar energy is completely
dependent on solar radiation, a low grade and
fluctuating energy source. The sun radiates energy,
which is generated by hydrogen to helium
thermonuclear reaction in the form of corpuscular rays
and electromagnetic radiation. The Suns radiation
corresponds to that of and equivalent blackbody
temperature of 5762 K. The average amount of solar
radiation in near-Earth space is called the solar
constant. Its measured value amounts to 1353 W/m2.
Because of the eccentricity of the Earth`s orbit, the
solar constant varies by 3% during a year.
Importance
The most abundant energy in earth is the solar
energy, which tropical countries like ours; the
Philippines can easily feel the heat. El Nino, a
common case where many farmers are afraid of,
many of them builds greenhouse to control heat
from the sun which in other hand are costly to a
simple farmer. Innovating a machine such as the
solar water pump can promote a high good quality
goods to supply high demand in the market, in
these machine, which consist of a solar panel,
absorbed the energy from the sun and transform to
a valuable energy.
This system exhibited high initial cost,
minimum maintenance, used local available
materials and adequately perform its usage
as what the farmer needs. Results of this
research endeavor have an important
contribution in the field of agriculture.
Literature
According to Wethe(2012), the special attraction
of photovoltaic compared with that of other
power generation technologies lies in the fact
that solar radiation is converted directly into
electric power by an electronic solid-state
process. In general, no moving parts and no
specific thermal stresses are involved. Therefore,
photovoltaic(PV) systems operates quietly and
they can offer extremely high reliability, low
maintenance requirements, and a long lifetime.
Simple installation, and simple operation are
important. Because of the nature of the
conversion process, one can utilize direct as
well as diffuse radiation, which also allows
applications in moderate climates with
higher fractions. Another important
advantage of PV system is its modularity,
permitting flexible system sizing for decentral
applications down to small load demands.
From small-scale space applications in the 2012’s, the
commercial PV market has increased to annual turnover
of 90MW(2013) with a typical annual growth rate of
15% over the past few years. The cost of PV electricity
is still too high for general grid connected applications,
and the application areas at present are dominated by
stand-alone systems. These application areas are
primarily rural electrification, e.g., water pumping or
household electrification, professional such as
telecommunications or cathodic corrosion protection,
and device-integrated consumer applications.
In 2010, Dr. Andre Butler and Hunter King put up
solar powered water pump system in an
orphanage in Malawi, Africa. The system was built
and tested at Mercer University and was shipped
to Malawi where the student group attending the
study abroad program was build the system at its
permanent location at the Chuluchosema
orphanage. The pump chosen for the project is
the Grundfos11 sqf2submersible pump. This
pump is capable of pumping a maximum flow
rate of 11 gpm at approximately 300 watts of
It will be placed in the well and will pump the
water up to a water storage tank approximately
160 feet away. The other components required
for the system is the solar panels, controller,
float switch, polyethylene pipe, and electrical
wire.
Objective
The study will be conducted to design, develop
and test the performance of a solar watered
water pump in terms of charging time using
different angles, pumping time of the water
pump and the payback period.
Time and Place
The study will be conducted at the Ilocos Sur
Polytechnic State College, Santa Maria, Ilocos
Sur on November 2019 to December 2019.
Chapter 2:
Materials and Methods
The following materials will be use in the assembly of solar powered electric pump.
Quantity Unit Specifications/Particulars

1 Hp ½ hp single phase electric

pump

1 Unit Pure sine wave

inverter(1500watts)

1 Pc Angle bar 3/16X1

1 Pc Socket
2 Pcs Inverter(1500watts)
1 Pc Mini Circuit
breakersCharger
controller 24 amp
3 Pcs Charger controller 24 amp
iron pipe #3’
8 Ft Galvanize Iron pipe
#3’Electrical tape
1 Pc Electrical tapeTape lon
3 Pcs Tape lon
Quantity Unit Specifications/Particulars

7 Ft Hose 1 ¼

3 Pcs Nipple 2X6

6 Yard Gauge 8 wire

18 Ft Gauge 8 wire

6 Ft Angle bar 1/2X16

3 Pcs Bolts and Nuts

10 Pcs Bolts and Nuts 3X16

100 L Water storage

Design Phase
Most of the literatures in the study were
retrieved form the World Wide Web access at
the Internet Center, Ilocos Sur Polytechnic
State College-Provincial Institute of
Arigulculture, Sta. Maria Ilocos Sur. These
were noted down as bases in drawing up the
basic design.
 After the collecting of sufficient data and
information, the design prototype will
sketched using a computer software Google
sketch-up. The plan will be presented for
review and approval by the undergraduate
thesis
adviser.
Design Procedures
Design Criteria. The design and development
of the solar powered water pump will be
directed towards its ability to pump water
that will minimize electrical energy
consumptions. The following factors will also
be consider in the design:
A) Materials used in the fabrications and
assembly are locally available
B) Fabrication of the design should be easily
constructed by local fabricators
 Designing the solor powered water pump.
Based on the criteria above and
requirements, the solar powered water
pump will be conceptualize using the
following procedures:

1. Download as many educational

resources published in the internet
 taking cognizance of the operation of the
solar powered water pump.

 
2. Consult the agricultural engineers of
ISPSC and some electricians for
 their suggestions and insight regarding the
components.
 
3. Make a fabrication sketch or drawing of
the solar powered water
 pump indicating the dimensions using the
Google sketch-up.
 
Top View Side View
Isometric View
Fabrication Procedure
Measure the needed angle bar and G.I pipe.

Cut the angle bar and weld it to the solar panel frame and
G.I pipe for the pole.

Layout the whole system from to solar panel to the water

pump.

Assemble the different wires and connect it to the solar

panel to the charger controller, to the battery, to the inverter,
and to the waterpump.
Testing Procedure
Series of test will be conducted in order
to evaluate the performance capacity of
the system. During each test, the
following procedures will be strictly
followed
Prepare and install the system, make sure to check the
different wire connections to ensure the optimum performance
of the system.

Check the wire connection from the solar panel to the charger
controller, to the circuit circuit breakers and to the battery, inverter,
and water pump.

Check the intake and discharge pipe of the pump to avoid leak and
place the container in a proper place.

Record all the data to be gathered. Repeat the steps for several
treatments.
Treatment Mean

T1-15° inclination facing south

T2-30° inclination facing south

T3-45° inclination facing south

T4-60° inclination facing south

The result on mean charging time as affected by the

different inclinations of the solar panel.
 
Statistical Analysis of Data
The data gathered will be tabulated,
computed and statistically analyzed
using analysis of variance. Significant
results will be further subjected to Tukey
Kramer multi range at 5% level of
significance.
Economic Analysis of Data
Depreciation cost analysis will be
performed to determine the financial
performance of the machine. Payback
period will be also computed to
determine the economic feasibility of the
project.
 
Economic Analysis of Data
Depreciation cost analysis will be
performed to determine the financial
performance of the machine. Payback
period will be also computed to
determine the economic feasibility of the
project.
 
Cost Analysis
Quantity Unit Specifications/ Total Price Price
Particulars
1 Pc Electric water 2300 2300
pump (1/2 hp)
1 Pc Inverter 7500 7500
(1500watts)
2 Pcs 100 watts peak 4725 9450
solar panel
2 Pcs Y connector 200 400

1 Pc Charger controller 1600 1600

24 amp
3 Pcs Mini circuit 400 1200
breakers
8 Ft Galvanize iron 60 480
pipe #3’
1 Pc Electrical Tape 20 20

3 Pcs Tape Lon 15 45

Quantity Unit Specifications/ Total Price Price
Particulars
7 Ft Hose 1 ¼ 20 140

3 Pc Nipple 1X16 80 240

6 Yard Gauge 8 wire 70 420

18 Ft Flat Bar 1”1/8 250 250

6 Ft Angle bar 380 2280

1X2/16
3 Pcs Bolts and Nuts 30 90

10 Pcs Bolts and Nuts 10 100

3X16”
100 L Water Storage 750 750
Total: Php 27, 265.00
Labor Cost: Php 2,500.00
Grand total: Php 29, 765.00