DIY is always cheaper, but not recommended for non-technical hands.
Say; if you buy a solar pump controller suiting your motor capacity, you could buy the solar panels locally, have a mounting structure fabricated, wire the panels as per connection drawing with the help of local electrician,
there by saving on
Transport costs
Erection charges
Taxes etc
Trust me DIY would always be atleast 20% cheaper than the most commercial quotes you receive.
But question to ask here is, accountability? This is where a turnkey provider would play a major part in the event of downtime.
We are infact working on feasibility of a model of prepaid electricity to cutdown the capex burden on the investor.
Our concept is that, we would have a system supply power when recharged via mobile or a card locally purchased and power would be supplied to the user for the value purchased. This would mean spending would be for the actual need and user need not incurr high capex.But again this is possible when power for agriculture is not free any more or technically grid is not possible.
But as always funding is a major issue and with more or less zero resources available for R&D, we are not sure how long would it be before we succeed in this and if at all we would be able to succeed.
But necessity is the mother of invention isnt it?
So lets hope if not us, many others will offer innovative breakthrough cutting edge technologies in this field that would make solar a viable option.
Hello members,
I have just completed my Solar water pump project, the total cost of the project around RS 3,00,000 ( SPV from Surana @ 35 +5% VAT for 6,000 watt = Rs 220500 , VFD with MPPT Rs 40,000 Structure Rs 25,000 wire, misc, transport 10,000 ) This is a DIY project, every information is available on net, will post you some photos soon.
Saravana, I will post the pic soon, regarding Surana, yes they have bad reputation, for about 6 months i have been enquiring about the SPV panels and most of them the companies were saying that do not buy from surana. I decided to visit their office and factory at IDA cherllapally near secunderabad and talked to them and asked about the product and warranty, got some satisfying answers. when visited there factory I found they were also making the Panels for some other reputed brand companies with MNRE certifications. I bought these SPV panels without MNRE certification and were not eligible for subsidy, the panels contain only serial no. So they cost 35+5% VAT else about 42 with RFID tag and MNRE certification eligible for subsidy. I dont no when and how much the subsidy i will get so i decided to go for this non MNRE certified ones.
Before installation I have tested the system ie. connecting the panels and the VFD to my 5 HP water pump and run for about 5.30 hrs. now I have structure installed and panels fitted, Some tweeking (programing) of the VFD is required.
Still yet to get an answer as to why you didnt opt for monocrystalline panels?
Also, now that its confirmed that you are using a 5hp motor, why 6kw as against industry terms of 5kw?
And BTW how are you monitoring & evaluating the success of your setup?
Merely quoting cost would not satisfy our smart farmers, please equate investment = return in terms of delivery, what is your LPD when run on solar and also what are your bore parameters?
Regards,
Saravana Kumar
PS: Buying a MNRE approved panels dont guarantee you subsidy, but atleast ensures you get right quality.
Await the pic’s, preferably a video with a time stamp at 8 am
What is the brand of the VFD you are using?And when you say ‘you’ got to tweak it, why couldnt they do it ?
A)What is your bore depth?
B)What is your water table?
C)What is the depth you have erected your 5hp pump?
D)Total head in m incl static & dynamic head
E)Your motors rated discharge at the actual head
F)Current discharge pattern @ 1hr or even 2hr interval?
G)Is the application flood or drip?
I would like to comment on your question about selection of monocrystalline. modules by our DIY Engineer.
The Selection depends primarily on, 1. Climatic Conditions 2. Project Financials/ Budgetary constraints.
with my 7years of experience in solar and renewable energy, I have seen mostly people / even solar engineers opt for polycrystalline…
the reason being. they are significantly cheaper compared to the mono crystalline
technical reason 2. Poly Crystalline tend to generate more with Diffused radiation of Sun light
while MonoCrystallines tend to do more only with Direct Normal Radiations of sun light
also. Monocrystallline on the otherhand has one more benefit of "less voltage drop/power drop"with the rise of temperature above STC, the economical viability of polycrystalline, more than compensates for the losses seen with rise in temperature…
hence using polycrystalline modules is not only technically wise decision but also a good for pocket decision. and in country where almost everyone asks about the mileage ( Kitna Deti Hei ? )
its the general norm.
I hope this help the DIY Farmers cum Engineers in this forum.
Hello Saravana,
I am not marketing any of the product nor an agent for any one as i stated this is a DIY project, I am giving my project cost just for information for farmers, regarding polycrystalline and monocrystalline I dont no what is the real difference in output verses the cost difference, as my price target was less than 3L, about other technical
details bore depth 250 feet, water table at 95 feet, pump erected at 110 feet depth, pump is 5 HP 8 stage, regarding the water discharge I have not calculate that. when connected on grid the i get 2.5 inch good pressure water, On solar it is 90% of grid (that’s the reason for some tweaking) why 6k instated of 5k! on cloudy days you will not get water discharge as on good sunny day. Regarding VFD, as stated I am not an agent for any company. I stay at secunderabad and my farm is about 90 Km from my place I have not started Solar at 8 A.M so wait for the video and pics.
Neither I never meant to mean that you are marketing here.My ultimate point here is to justify “We get what we pay for in solar” & " there is a genuine price for a genuine product " at the end of the day.
I represent a company which is into solar water pumping systems, and have offered quotes to many of our FN members as well, based on monocrystalline panels or polycrystalline panels that are MNRE approved, mounting structure as per IS 875, VFD from reputed companies like ABB, Parker Hutchinson, Schneider etc, using DC solar cables & MC4 connectors, low voltage AC motors instead of conventional motors.
At the end of the day I dont want our potential customers feel that we are trying to lure and dupe them!
In solar water pumping, available options are many, you already know like
Panels - Mono or poly, and again MNRE approved or non-approved
VFD - any reputed make or a random one
Structure - Various design and with various BoM for required rigidity
Cables - DC solar cables or AC regular ones
Motor - Low voltage motor or regular motor
Harmonic filter - with or without
So based on the above as a company and as an individual we have multiple permutation & combinations available to choose from but all will be still solar water pumping units.
I honestly believe that we can have a system designed and implemented based on ONLY one of the below;
A)Target Cost
B)Desired Quality
Here, as a company we cant focus on A, as we are accountable & liable for quality, but a end user has the liberty to choose BoM if its a DIY project, as there is limited or no accountability.
But nevertheless I really admire your bold effort to DIY.
Thank you for addressing me in a “unique” way, guess you are used to salute people this way
You are true, currently choice of mono is purely based on cost.
But,
If I ought to have decided to go the solar way for water pumping, I would have definitely did a break even analysis?If yes, by opting mono all I am going to do is delay the break even point a little further, but would definitely still break even isnt it?
Also, since you are already in the market, you would know that cost difference between a MNRE approve poly panel and mono panel is very marginal.
IMHO,
Choice of mono should be based on technical viability rather than cost.Say for example, mono is not possible for 1hp,2hp etc, as these setups require lower wattage panels to be in series, which means we need to opt poly where lower wattage panels are commonly available.
Also, a typical end user i.e a non solar person, would definitely not know the technical difference between mono and poly, so he would not be able to understand if the premium shed for mono is worth it or not.
Dear peskay
Your views and practical actions are excellent.Kindly guide your farmnest brother/sisters, in the next message, technique to follow step by step for solar pump assembly methodology.I am also interested to know the technique as my requirement is akin to yours.Regarding drip irrigation water should be elevated to 15-20 feet so that drip irrigation takes place smoothly.The pressure of water works best to ensure this.
So cost of running a 3hp motor on solar at the end of 25 years - Rs.3,00,000 + 10% factoring = Rs.3,30,000 ~ Rs.4Lakhs considering any replacement of electronics)
B)Grid
Initial Investment - Apprx Rs.25,000
Annual Expenditure on power bills = Rs.5.2 (per unit tariff in Gujarat for units > 250, As per tariff order dated 29th April 2014) * 2.7 units/per day (assuming 3hp motor is 80% efficient) * 5 hrs a day * 31 days a month * 12 months a year = Rs.26,000
Assuming 10% cost escalation every five years,
Cost of running a 3hp motor on Grid at the end of 25 years - Rs.7,95,000 ~ Rs.8Lakhs without considering replacement of starters or any other electronics
So apprx savings is Rs.4Lakhs, how about deppositing this in bank and earning interest instead of spending the earned interest on power bills as you were suggested?
Note: Both the above calculations is not taking into consideration of the motor, motor pipes, motor cables & delivery piping as this is considered common for both the cases.Also, this is for a indicative purpose & actual figures would vary case to case and state to state.
No Sri, I did not mean about putting the investment of solar (4L) in FD, I meant putting the saving of 4L(8L - 4L) in FD and enjoying the interest.
But like you said one can put the solar investment of 4L in FD and with the monthly interest pay the power bills, provided the interest is always higher than the power bill…right?
)
