Solar Drives (for Water Pumps)
What is a Solar Drive for Water Pumps?
A Solar Drive is a specialised Variable Speed Drive designed for solar water pumping systems. It takes DC power directly from photovoltaic (PV) solar panels and converts it into controlled AC power for the pump motor. Most models also accept a conventional AC supply as backup.
Key features:
- Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) for optimal solar performance
- Automatic start/stop based on sunlight intensity
- Dry-run protection and water level control
- Built-in motor protection (over/under voltage, phase loss, overload, etc.)
- Option to switch to AC grid power when available
Unlike standard grid-tie, hybrid or off-grid solar inverters, Solar Drives are purpose-built for water pumping applications and do not require batteries.
More details: What is a Solar Drive?
EMHEATER Solar Drive Range
Single-Phase In/Out
Solar DC 360-400V Input
Optional Single-Phase (220V ±15%) AC Input
Single-Phase (~220V) AC Output
Single-Phase to 3-Phase Converter
Solar DC 360-400V Input
Optional Single-Phase (220V ±15%) AC Input
3-Phase (~220V) AC Output
3-Phase In/Out
Solar DC 650-750V Input
Optional 3-Phase (380V ±15%) AC Input
3-Phase (~380V) AC Output
Benefits of Using a Solar Drive
- Free energy from the sun — very low operating costs
- Ideal for remote and off-grid locations
- Fully automatic operation (starts and stops with sunlight)
- Includes core VSD features for motor protection and control
- No batteries required
- Easy to relocate
- Low maintenance
- Optional AC backup supply
- Eliminates long AC cable runs (and associated voltage drop/theft risk)
Common Applications
Solar Drives are widely used for:
- Agricultural irrigation
- Livestock watering
- Borehole and surface pumps
- Community and village water supply
- Fish farming
- Industrial water supply
- Residential and farm water systems
They can also be used in some remote applications to power other types of motors where solar energy is the main power source.
How Solar Drives Work
- Solar panels generate DC power.
- The Solar Drive’s MPPT function maximises the power extracted from the panels.
- The drive converts the DC power into variable-frequency AC to control the pump motor.
- As sunlight increases, the drive starts the pump and adjusts speed according to available power.
- When sunlight is insufficient or water levels are reached, the drive automatically stops the pump.
- If an AC supply is connected, the drive can switch to grid power when needed.
Solar Drive vs Standard Variable Speed Drive (VSD)
Solar Drives are essentially VSDs with specialised solar functionality (MPPT, dry-run protection, automatic start/stop based on irradiance, etc.).
Use a Solar Drive when the primary power source is solar panels.
Use a standard VSD when the power source is the AC grid.
Peripherals for Solar Drives
Many solar pumping installations benefit from additional peripherals for improved performance and protection. We supply a full range of peripherals suitable for Solar Drives, including:
- AC Input & Output Chokes
- EMC / EMI Filters
- Sine Wave Filters
Spare Parts & Accessories
Genuine EMHEATER spare parts available, including:
Keypads • Control Cards • Power Cards • IGBT Modules • Cooling Fans • Capacitors • Rectifiers • Fan Boards • Keypad Extender Cables
Complementary accessories such as pressure transmitters, level transmitters, PV diodes and ferrite rings are also available.
Need a quotation or technical advice?
Contact us today – we supply end users and resellers nationwide with flexible partnership options.
