FAQ
よくある質問
How much water will it pump?
The advantage of a solar pump is that when it's sunny and your stock are drinking more your pump will be pumping more. This chart shows averages across the year as well as peak pumping rates on a midsummer's day.
Will it pump in cloudy weather?
What is the warranty?
Do I need an electrician?
No - provided you feel capable of doing the job after reading the user manual. The system is considered ELV (Extra Low Voltage) in New Zealand and hence is not prescribed electrical work.
What is the pump designed to do?
Pump water for livestock to high summer grazing locations from Spring to Autumn.
Do I need a resource consent?
Almost all councils in NZ make the taking water for domestic and stock supplies a permitted activity. As such pumps like the React pump can be installed without any permit required. There may be a few exceptions for waterways of endangered species, so always check first.
In general taking water from a river, stream, lake or aquifer for use in production, processing, irrigation requires consent. This can be a costly and time consuming undertaking often with significant ongoing annual compliance fees.
What solar panels can I use?
You can use any make of monocrystalline or polycrystalline panel so long as the open circuit voltage (Voc) per panel is <40VDC and the voltage for peak power (Vmpp) is >30 VDC. They must be wired in pairs.
You can fit 2, 4, or 6 panels, depending on your head and pumping volume required. PV panel's are now all the same physical size, nominally 1m wide x 1.65m long, but their Nominal Power - (PMPP in Watts) can range from 240Wp to 300Wp per panel.
What pipe should I use?
This will depend on the number of pumps fitted, pipe length and lift. We have a detailed section in our user manual about pipe sizing. As the React Pump’s efficiency increases with head you can often save on your installation cost by using a smaller diameter pipe (higher friction loss) with only a minor effect on the amount of water pumped.
What is the maximum suction lift?
This should be kept as low as possible for reliable operation, ideally less than 3m but up to 5m is possible provided you fit a suction line priming pipe.
What maintenance is required?
Routine checks such as the oil level and cleaning the intake strainer. Yearly service check and replacement of consumable seals. You can watch our service videos here.
Do you make different size pumps?
No - we like to keep things simple. If you need more water putting in multiple React Pumps is still the cheapest $ per litre pumped. With multiple pumps you also can also take one out for servicing and not stop your flow of water. If you need higher lift you can install a second pump half way up your hill.
Does it use a battery?
No - a water tank on a hill full of water is better storage system than a chemical battery.
Can I run it off a battery?
Yes in some cases, but we do not advise it, a water tank on a hill full of water is better storage system than a chemical battery.
Can I run it off mains electricity?
Yes provided you use a suitable power supply, refer to user manual section 3.3.
Can I mount it on a pontoon?
Yes - this is good option. The React Pump is light enough to mount on a small pontoon. You can even mount the pump and 4 solar panels all together on a pontoon supported by 4 x 200L plastic barrels. Please watch our video about pontton mounting here.
What happens when my tank is full?
The pressure sensor in the pump will detect the rise in pressure caused by the ballcock closing and will turn the pump off for 30 minutes.
How do I prevent it from running dry?
The same way you would any pump: check and clean your intake and foot valve often, fit a float switch on the intake level & avoid high suction lifts where possible.
How many solar panels do I need?
Normally 4 panels (between 260 - 300W each) per pump. For low demand sites you may only need 2 panels. On sites which need longer pumping days, more pumping in cloudy weather or in winter you may benefit from using 6 panels.
Will my pump freeze in winter?
If you intend to operate the pump at times when freezing temperature are likely then you must install the pump in a suitable enclosure so that the pump is not exposed to freezing.
What is the difference between a piston pump and a plunger pump?
A plunger pump is a positive displacement pump where the high-pressure seal is stationary and a smooth cylindrical ceramic plunger slides through the seal.
This difference allows plunger pumps to be used at higher pressures. This is why the React Pump can pump up to 300m of head.
The plunger pump used in the React pump is a simple oil lubricated pump which are in the highest efficiency class with mechanical efficiency in the 80-90% range.
Compared to other solar pumps (centrifugal and helical screw) that run at 1000-6000rpm, the React pump runs at up to 1/5 of this speed, around 200-1200 rpm, greatly prolonging the life of parts.
Was the pump previously called PowerSpout SHP-Triplex?
Yes - Our company EcoInnovation* makes PowerSpout micro hydro turbines . We initially developed and promoted our solar water pump as the SHP-Triplex (SHP-TX). We have rebranded the SHP-TX as the React pump as the customers for hydro turbines and water pumping are often different and we felt the product deserved it's own identity.
How much water do I need for my stock?
The following table is sourced from "Economic Evaluation of Stock Water
Reticulation on Hill Country" by NZ Ministry for Primary Industries 2016.
Can it pump dirty water?
Yes the React Pump can pump dirty water (within reason) as plunger pumps are less prone to damage than piston pumps. The plunger does not run in a bore where abrasive grit can become trapped. No farmer wants to pump dirty water, as this dirt will foul pipes, tanks and troughs resulting in more work at some future date to clean it all out. The cleaner your water the less maintenance you will need to do. We supply a stainless mesh filter cage and 2 filter bags to prevent debris being pumped.
Where can I find your contact details?
We are flat out making pumps so if you have questions about the React pump or wish to buy a pump please contact one of our dealers.
How can I become a dealer or installer?
We operate a mentor system where prospective dealers initially purchase from an exisiting dealer until they have the knowledge and experience to become a dealer themselves. If you are interested please contact us here.
Is it noisy?
The React Pump is much quieter than most fuel engine pumps or water rams. You are unlikely to be able to hear a React pump at 30m away. So noise is not a big issue. For what little noise there is, vegetation or a pump shed around the pump will dramatically reduce the distance that the noise carries.
Where can I buy spare parts?
Most React pumps go out with a full spare parts kit. You can also purchase spare parts from your dealer or online here.
Can I pump to a daisy chain of water tanks?
Yes - one of our initial test sites in Northland has two tanks. The first at about 50m of head and the second about 1km away at 100m of head. Both tanks are filled by one React pump.
My water source is in a valley surrounded by trees, can I still use solar?
Yes - solar panels are affected by shading but your solar panels can be up to 250m away from your pump. Ideally keep them within 50m to reduce cable costs.