Should You Use a Solar Well Pump? Pros, Cons, and Alternatives
Many people ask us about installing a solar well pump to support their household water needs, use as a backup in a secondary well, or feed livestock in a remote location on their properties. While the concept may look good on paper, these pumps aren’t always the best option. Here’s what you need to know before making a decision.
The pros and cons of solar well pumps
A solar well pump runs on electricity generated from solar panels. Most kits include a pump using DC (direct current) power, a small array of solar panels (often 2–4 panels), a solar charge controller (SCC), and sometimes a (small) battery for storing energy.
The pros of solar well pumps
Solar well pumps make sense under some conditions. Here are the advantages:
They provide a solution to get water in remote areas without reliable grid access.
They can meet demands for livestock watering or irrigation, which mainly occur during the day when the sun provides sufficient power.
Some pre-packaged solar pump kits may have a lower upfront cost than a complete solar system with a separate well pump.
Many are marketed as turnkey solutions, helping DIY users save on system design and installation costs.
Solar well pumps can be a practical option for non-critical uses, like watering cattle from a secondary well in a pasture.
The cons of solar well pumps
However, solar well pumps also present significant drawbacks you should consider before relying on them for your household needs.
Limited solar production
Most solar pumps only support a small number of panels. Power production may fall short on cloudy days, and you may not be able to pump water when you need it (e.g., at night). Moreover, the panels are unlikely to be radiation-hardened and could deteriorate more quickly in our harsh environment.
Weak battery systems
Many solar pump kits’ batteries aren’t built for long-term reliability and longevity. If they’re installed outdoors, heat, cold, and weather exposure can further accelerate deterioration. You may be left without stored power to run the pump at nighttime or on cloudy days.
Vendor/brand lock-in
Most solar pump manufacturers use proprietary designs, locking users into their ecosystems. You lose the flexibility to upgrade the panels, swap out the controller, or replace failing parts with more reliable components. You may even be left with an unserviceable system if the manufacturer goes out of business.
Unproven longevity
Many solar well pump brands don’t have decades-long track records. Yet, pulling a pump out of a deep well is not a simple or cheap job — not something you want to do after a few years. Whether you have issues with the pump or the solar equipment first, you may be stuck with a “repair or replace” dilemma that costs far more than the system is worth.
Given the constraints above, the total cost of ownership (TCO) of a solar well pump often exceeds that of a solution for powering your house and well pump from the same solar system or installing a dedicated solar solution for a traditional pump (more on that soon).
So, should you install a solar well pump?
It depends. A solar well pump might be suitable for scenarios where the consequences of a pump failure are manageable, such as livestock watering in a remote pasture, secondary or backup wells for non-critical applications, and short-term use in remote areas where running a power line is impossible or prohibitively expensive.
However, we don’t recommend solar well pumps for household use, where water reliability is critical. Here’s why:
You need water 24/7, not only when the sun shines.
You can’t afford to run out of water during cloudy weather.
Repairs and replacements are costly and take time, especially for deep wells.
Long-term flexibility and upgradeability matter.
Do this instead of using a solar well pump
Solar well pumps can be useful in specific, low-demand scenarios, such as livestock watering or secondary wells in remote areas. However, they don’t offer the reliability, flexibility, and long-term value for household water needs.
A more robust approach is to invest in a proven pump from a reputable brand (we recommend ~0.5 HP to lower the system's cost while still meeting typical household needs) and power it with a solar solution designed for longevity and adaptability.
If your well pump is near your house and its electrical panel, the most cost-effective approach is to install a whole-house solar solution (e.g., our Resiliency Package). You may pay a few thousand more upfront, but the system will cover the power demand for the entire household 24/7/365 — slashing your electricity bills while protecting against outages.
If your well pump is located much further away, making it cost-prohibitive to pull a cable, we recommend pairing a pump from a trusted brand (~0.5 HP) with a small, reliable solar system built with standard, upgradeable components (radiation-hardened panels, maintenance-free batteries, etc.) — giving you control, longevity, and dependability over the long run.
Bottom line: Solar well pumps may be fine for the pasture, but for your home, it’s worth building a system you can count on.
