The feed pipe can stretch by about 1cm per metre. If, by way of example, the length of the feed pipe is 60m, the safety rope should therefore be 60.6m long, and the below ground part of the electric cable therefore between 61,75 and 62 m. long. Remember, before cutting the cable, to allow for the distance to the panel support system and for the height of the panel support system! Some operators prefer to have a free loop of cable at the bottom of the borehole as shown in the attached drawing.
The 1.5m length of cable supplied is normally 3 x 2.5mm2 diameter neoprene cable. The wires are mulitple strand with strands sealed together inside an inner sheath. At the point of entry into the pump the three inner sheaths are sealed within the outer sheath and the outer sheath is sealed to the motor cover so that, on sale, water cannot enter or escape from the pump through the electric cable. Should this 1.5m length of cable for any reason ever require replacement, please contact your Solar Spriing supplier BEFORE doing so, as replacement should be carried out by an expert.
NEVER leave coils of surplus cable on-line at the well-head. Such coils can create a secondary inductive current which has been known on rare occasions to confuse controller components.
Neoprene tends to discolour. The colours of the wires from the pump are :
1) Brown (positive) (or negative, as the pump can turn in either direction)
2) Black (negative) (or positive, as the pump can turn in either direction)
3) Blue: EARTH, to be connected (ONLY IF ABSOLUTELY UNAVOIDABLE!) to earth, or preferably and wherever possible well isolated and not used.
The type of electric cable to be used for joining to the 1.5m length supplied with your Solar Spring pump can be any standard good quality borehole submersible or trailing cable which is fully and 100% guaranteed against water absorption over its entire life cycle. Overall electrical resistance of the cable ( ingoing and outgoing together) MUST NOT EXCEED 1.5 Ohm. Indicatively 3 x 2.5mm2 core cable is sufficient for depths up to 80m, and 3 x 4mm2 be used for greater depths. Higher resistances could cause excessive voltage losses, with reduction in global system efficiency, and also readings errors on the part of the Sunprimer unit. If the metal used for the wires is not absolutely pure and/or the wire splicing is not well carried out, larger cables than those here foreseen may be required. Cables with higher resistances may cause loss of system efficiency, starting difficulties, and also interpretation and operating errors on the part of the Sunprimer controller.
GOLDEN RULE ONE: Try to keep the cable between the controller and the pump as short as is reasonably possible, and to submerge the pump as little as is practically necessary. Where the panels have to be placed a long way away from the water source, then, contrary to what one would instinctively do placing the controller with the panels, separate the controller from the panels and place the controller close to the water source. Use only high quality cable with guaranteed copper content and resistance. Use of wire which is too small may result in faulty operation and possible motor damage for which neither manufacturer nor distributor will accept liability.
GOLDEN RULE TWO: In marginal cases or where the pump does or may have difficulty getting started a) use a larger cable b) if necessary use a smaller cam.
GOLDEN RULE THREE: Be conservative with choice of cable size! Cables with resistances which are too high for the application concerned ARE THE MAIN CAUSE OF PROBLEMS DURING INSTALLATION!
Every possible precaution technically available has been taken to avoid possibility of water infiltration into the motor chamber either along the electric cable or through other pump parts. The manufacturer's warranty does not however cover loss or damage howsoever attributable to poorly executed cable splices.
Please refer to the accompanying drawing for an example of cable splicing. Follow the cable splice manufacturer's instructions carefully.
The safety rope has an emergency use only. Should the feed pipe get detached, the rope will enable the pump and motor group, eventually together with the feed pipe itself, to be recovered from the bottom of the borehole. It is the feed pipe which normally carries the weight of the pump. The safety rope should not therefore be under tension in the bore-hole. FAILURE TO USE A SAFETY ROPE COULD IN SOME CIRCUMSTANCES LEAD TO LOSS OF USE OF YOUR BORE-HOLE.
The safety rope should be about one centimeter longer than the feed pipe for each metre of feed pipe which is below ground level, plus any further length eventually needed to attach it to an appropriate point above ground. It should, however, be shorter than the below ground part of the electric cable, in such manner that should the feed pipe come loose, the weight of the installation is on the safety rope and not on the electric cable.
Use polypropylene rope with a diameter of 8mm, in any case rope rated at 400-500 kg. Remember that the rope may be in place for several years without being inspected, and a part of it may be alternately out of the water and under the water either on a seasonal basis or even on a daily basis where changes in the level of water in the bore-hole take place. Do not use nylon rope as it tends with time to stretch when in contact with water.
After having cut the rope to the required length, connect one end to the two eyes in the upper flange (part 314) and the other end to an appropriate point underneath the well seal or the well cap. If the well cap does not have a place for a rope, install an eye bolt. IMPORTANT ! Make sure there is no possibility of animals or people tripping over or pulling the rope, or danger of cutting the rope by friction or by machinery. Try not to leave rope exposed to sunlight.
Tie the safety rope to the well cap or well seal BEFORE you proceed with the installation of the pump!
(Refer to accompanying drawing)
Your bore-hole should be carefully sealed off in order to stop water, dirt, insects, and the like from entering the bore-hole and fouling and polluting the water in the bore-hole. If the water in your bore-hole becomes polluted, the reason for your having invested in the bore-hole and in your Solar Spring pumping system is vanified!
Your Solar Spring pump has already been connected to :
a) The feed pipe
b) The electric cable
c) The safety rope and
d) the safety rope has already been firmly fastened to an appropriate anchor above ground.
e) Now check that there is water in the bore-hole and the water level!
The electric cable and the safety rope have been attached by way of polypropylene cable ties at intervals of about 3-4 meters, making sure that at each cable tie there is enough slack in the electric cable to allow for feed pipe stretch, but LESS slack in the safety rope so that it will be the safety rope that takes the weight of the installation in case of loss or excessive stretching of the feed pipe.
It is best to suspend your Solar Spring pump from the middle point of your bore-hole.
The pump and motor group may now be lowered down the bore-hole as illustrated :
DO NOT BEND THE FEED PIPE MORE THAN NECESSARY
DO NOT TWIST THE SAFETY CORD AROUND THE FEED PIPE
DO NOT TWIST THE ELECTRIC CABLE AROUND THE FEED PIPE
How much weight are you working with? Calculate the total required.
You need one normal person for each 22kg of weight, PLUS one additional person to drag the pipe and cable away as it is withdrawn.
Example of calculation:
Pump : 14-16 kg (depending on model)
10 bar feed pipe : 11kg per 35m full of water
16 bar feed pipe : (for general use) 7kg per 35m full of water
Electric cable : 13kg per 35m
Where algae are present in or on the water in shallow installations from lakes, rivers, tanks etc, these may enter the pump and "grow" in such a manner as to impede pump operation and/or reduce pump capacity. The algae will not harm the pump, but in such situations the pump may have to be visited regularly for cleaning. The following steps may be taken to try to reduce need for cleaning requirements:
-Fit a filter/strainer with a finer mesh
-Fit filter cloth over/around the filter
-Set the pump as deep into the water as possible where there are fewer algae.
-In case of special recurrent difficulty consult your supplier.
