PV array sizing for solar pumps
Real-world physics, not a rectangle. Models the sun as a bell curve across daylight hours, the VFD cut-in dead-band at sunrise/sunset, and the pump's flow-vs-power curve. Stages panel-count → litres/day so you can see the actual return on each extra panel.
Catalogue / nameplate flow is given at the pump's best-efficiency point — at one specific head. Once you add static head and pipe friction, the pump operates further left on its Q-H curve and delivers less. Fill the first two fields below to apply a parabolic Q-H curve correction. For the friction portion either expand the single-pipe Hazen-Williams estimator beneath the row, or compute it externally with Network friction loss for multi-tier networks. Once a friction value is in place the simulation scales it with flow at each timestep — more accurate for long-run installations where friction is a large fraction of TDH.
Advanced · controller, efficiency & daylight
| Panels | Array | Winter kWh | Winter L/day | Winter hrs | Annual kWh | Annual L/day | Annual hrs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6Recommended | 3.3 kWp | 9.74 | 26,149 | 6.89 h | 12.8 | 32,521 | 8.13 h |
| 8 | 4.4 kWp | 12.4 | 30,437 | 7.33 h | 15.3 | 36,593 | 8.63 h |
| 10 | 5.5 kWp | 13.9 | 33,140 | 7.77 h | 16.7 | 39,433 | 9.13 h |
| 12 | 6.6 kWp | 14.8 | 34,771 | 7.98 h | 17.7 | 41,164 | 9.38 h |
| 14 | 7.7 kWp | 15.5 | 36,111 | 8.2 h | 18.3 | 42,000 | 9.38 h |
| 16 | 8.8 kWp | 16 | 36,739 | 8.2 h | 18.9 | 43,269 | 9.63 h |
| 18 | 9.9 kWp | 16.5 | 37,788 | 8.42 h | 19.4 | 44,401 | 9.88 h |
| 20 | 11 kWp | 16.9 | 38,732 | 8.64 h | 19.8 | 44,849 | 9.88 h |
Each row is a separate physics simulation: array kWp × half-sine irradiance × pump-curve flow, with the VFD cut-in dead-band at sunrise / sunset taken into account. Notice the diminishing returns — beyond a certain count the controller clips midday excess and extra panels stop paying for themselves.
Reference only — the team of HidroVerse specialists will design the controller, MPPT settings, string layout, combiner box and DC / surge protection that turn this sizing into a working installation.