Solar borehole pumps in Limpopo
Deep holes and long pipes are hard work for a pump. Here is a farm in Thabazimbi, Limpopo, where water comes up from 80 metres down and goes 2 kilometres to the main homestead.
The Thabazimbi farm
On this farm in Thabazimbi, the pump lifts water from an 80 metre borehole.
The water then travels 2 kilometres to the main homestead. It arrives at about 5,500 litres an hour.
That is 5.5 cubes an hour. One cube is 1,000 litres.
Adam Palmer from TIA Energy shared these numbers from the farm.
What that means in a day
If the pump runs for about 6 hours, that is around 33,000 litres in a day.
That is our rough estimate: 5,500 litres x 6 hours. Real output changes with the weather and the season.
That is enough to fill a lot of tanks, troughs and taps, from far away.
Why a deep borehole needs the right pump
The deeper the water and the longer the pipe, the harder your pump must work.
A hard working pump can cost a lot in diesel or electricity. Solar uses the sun, which is out in the day when pumps do most of their work.
Is your borehole far from the house? Check 3 things
- How deep is the water?
- How far must it go?
- How much water do you need each day?
Get those right, and you pay less to move every litre. Want help with your numbers? We can work them out with you.
Photos from the site
Solar pump questions
Can a pump send borehole water 2 km?
Yes. On a farm in Thabazimbi, water comes up from an 80 metre borehole and travels 2 kilometres to the main homestead. It arrives at about 5,500 litres an hour.
Does a deep borehole need a bigger pump?
Often, yes. The deeper the water and the longer the pipe, the harder the pump must work. We check the depth, the distance and how much water you need before we pick a pump.
How much water is 5,500 litres an hour in a day?
If the pump runs for about 6 hours, it is around 33,000 litres a day. That is our rough estimate. Real output changes with the weather and the season.
Does a solar pump work at night?
Not on its own. A solar pump runs in the day. Most farms fill a tank in the day and use it at night. If you need to pump at night, ask us about batteries.
Do you work in Limpopo?
Yes. The Thabazimbi farm on this page is in Limpopo. Contact us to talk about your farm.
What should I send you first?
Send us the depth of your borehole, how far the water must go, and how much water you need each day. Photos of the borehole help too.
