A portable solar generator is ideal for anyone who wishes to live off-grid. It can provide power for electric tools and appliances for long periods of time. During a storm power from the grid might be cut off and you need an alternative. A sump pump helps you pump water from a flooded area and mostly during storms electricity might be out.
A sump pump requires 800 watts to run and 1500 watts to start. This puts its power consumption to that of high-wattage appliances like an air conditioner.
What Size Solar Generator for a Sump Pump
In order to match a sump pump to a solar generator you first need to match the wattage to the inverter. Solar generators are also rated by wattage just like inverters. However, when matching your sump pump to an inverter you need to be aware of the starting wattage. An 800-watt sump pump will have a starting wattage of around 1500 watts.
For this sump pump, you will need an inverter that is at least 2000 watts. So a 2000-watt solar generator should work for the sump pump.
How Long Will a 2000-Watt Solar Generator Run a Sump Pump?
Watt-hour capacity is a crucial specification for solar generators as it determines how long they can power various devices before requiring recharging. It serves as a measure of the generator’s energy storage capabilities and is often listed as the total watt-hours (Wh) or kilowatt-hours (kWh) capacity.
A 2000-watt solar generator with a balanced design will have a watt-hour capacity of 2000 Wh and can sustainably provide 2000 watts of power for one hour, 1000 watts for two hours, and so on.
This capacity allows users to estimate the runtime of their appliances by dividing the watt-hour capacity by the power consumption of the device in watts.
To calculate the running time of a sump pump (1/3 HP), you would use the following formula:
Running Time = Solar Generator Watt-hours/operating power of the device
For example to get the running time for an 800-watt sump pump
= (1600*0.85)/800
= 1.7 hrs
2000 Watt-hours is enough to run the sump pump for around 1 hour 42 mins
A 1/3-horsepower motor collects and moves up to 42 gallons per minute (GPM) of water away from your home.
How Long Will the Solar Generator Run the Sump Pump with a Solar Panel?
A 600-watt Solar panel or two 300-watt solar panels can provide enough to charge the battery in around four hours. This will depend on the availability of sunlight. 4 hours of sunlight in an ideal situation should provide 2400Wh enough to fully recharge the solar generator. However, this may take more time because of efficiency losses and overcast periods.
With a 600-watt solar panel hooked to the solar generator, you can run the sump pump for 3 hours. If you looking to run the sump pump for longer you can opt for a 3000-watt solar generator. This solar generator paired with a 1000-watt solar panel can run the sump pump for longer periods of time with good sunlight conditions.
Recommendation
An 800-watt sump pump will draw 33 amps from the battery through the inverter. If we are looking to support 33 amps you will need a 24v battery that is at least 150Ah. While this battery is the least requirement for an hour it can support the sump pump for at least 4 hours.
If we add four 200-watt solar panels during the day it can add 30 amps an hour to fully recharge the battery over 5 to 6 hours. So with two 200-watt panels and a 24v 150Ah battery, you can run a sump pump for 8 hours. You can use this setup with a battery or go for a 3000-watt solar generator with a 150Ah 24v battery.
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