Winter in western Canada can see temperatures as low as -40 Celsius. However, this region also has one of the highest amounts of sunny days at an average of 312 days a year.
If you are thinking about switching to solar, then there are many weather factors to consider. Water pumps, in particular, should be of concern in the winter.
Find out if your solar water pump will work when the cold sets in by reading this guide below.
Do Solar Water Pumps Work in Winter?
To get straight to a complex answer, yes, solar-powered units will work in the winter. However, there are a few conditions that will affect its functionality.
Weather Conditions
Living in cities like Saskatchewan, Leduc, Lloydminster, Spruce Grove, St. Albert, or Edmonton means that you receive a lot of sunshine but also freezing conditions. However, in the winter, sunlight hours decrease, meaning your solar panels have less time to gather power.
Regardless, the sun will keep your solar unit generating energy even in smaller amounts. But, the cold may affect certain tasks like heating water. Cold temperatures may also cause solar pumps to stop working or your pipes to freeze if not properly maintained and prepared for winter.
Water Pump Usage
Solar technology allows you to create your own power supply; however, you might use this energy throughout your home. Therefore, the amount of power you need to use your water pump may vary depending on how much power you consume elsewhere in your home.
How you use your water pump will also determine if it will work in the winter. If you are only using your solar energy for a Lorentz solar water pump to transport drinking water, then it should be able to run all day. However, in freezing conditions, you should consult a professional from Western Pump to ensure that you get a pump that won't freeze.
Using your pump for water features in the winter, on the other hand, is a non-essential activity that should be avoided in the winter.
Battery Backup
Depending on the size of your solar panel unit and how much energy you use daily, you may want to consider solar backup batteries. These batteries allow you to store excess energy when the sun is shining on a cloudy day or at night.
Backup batteries are a reliable source to keep your solar water pump running in the winter when you might not generate as much power as you do in the summer. As solar batteries evolve, their capacity increases as one battery type is expected to store up to 10GWh by 2024.
Get Your Solar Water Pump Installed
At Western Pump, we carry high-quality water pumps for any type of need, including water treatment, ranging from residential to commercial size. We also have a warranty repair center to ensure your pump stays in prime condition for years to come.
Contact Western Pump to get a quote for all your water pump requirements.