College - Author 1
College of Engineering
Department - Author 1
Electrical Engineering Department
Degree Name - Author 1
BS in Electrical Engineering
College - Author 2
College of Engineering
Department - Author 2
Electrical Engineering Department
Degree - Author 2
BS in Electrical Engineering
Date
7-2026
Primary Advisor
Jenna Kloosterman, College of Engineering, Electrical Engineering Department
Abstract/Summary
The Sunshine Pump is a trailer-mounted, off-grid solar powered water pumping system that delivers approximately 1,000 gallons of water per day from a well of approximately 250 feet total dynamic head to an above-ground storage tank on a rural ranch in Los Osos, California. The system captures solar energy with a 1,500 watt photovoltaic array consisting of four 375 watt panels wired in series, regulates that energy through a maximum power point tracking stage integrated into an all-in-one inverter/charger, stores it in a 4,800 watt-hour LiFePO4 battery, and converts it to 230 volt AC power to drive a 0.75 horsepower submersible well pump. The system targets a flow rate of 3 to 4 gallons per minute against the well's total dynamic head, delivering its daily volume over approximately two hours of pumping. All power electronics are mounted on a portable trailer, which allows the panel tilt to be adjusted for sun angle and recovers an estimated 5 to 10 percent additional energy compared with a fixed flat mount. As of this revision the electrical system is complete, including its protective devices, and the pump has been run successfully in a water tote on solar and battery power alone with no grid connection of any kind. The plumbing was not reached within the available schedule. The remaining work is installation of the pump in the well, the discharge line to the storage tank, the small number of control switches that will tie the plumbing to the electrical system, and measurement of flow, daily volume, and runtime at actual operating head.
URL: https://digitalcommons.calpoly.edu/eesp/745