Solar pump needing 20 m³ a day: what panel capacity?
Mr. Liu
Verified member · Service engineer
Irrigation needs 20 m³ a day at 45 m head; peak sun is 5.2 hours.
Assuming 0.6 system efficiency, we are unsure how to size the array.
Some suggest 4 kW, others 6 kW. Where is the difference?
Discussion (3)
Ahmed Ben SalahVerified member · Service engineer2026-09-18
Twenty cubic metres at 45 m is about 2.4 kW hydraulic; dividing by efficiency gives roughly 4 kW, and 5 kW is safer.
Fatou D.Verified member · Procurement lead2026-09-19
Six kilowatts usually assumes the worst month; it depends on whether you accept less water in the dry season.
Kwame A.Verified member · Mine equipment manager2026-09-20
Allow 10% for degradation and dust, and measure actual output before adding panels.
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