Solar System for Tube Well and Water Pump in Pakistan
A solar tube well uses solar panels and a solar pump drive (VFD) to run a submersible or surface motor directly in daytime, without diesel or grid power. A common installer rule is to fit roughly 1.3 to 1.5 kW of panels per kW of motor. Small homes can also run a 1 HP water motor from a normal hybrid solar system. This guide explains both options, how to size them and what to check.
Updated 12 November 2026
Two ways to run a pump on solar
1. Dedicated solar pumping system: panels feed a solar pump drive (also called a solar VFD or solar pump inverter), which runs the motor at a speed that follows the sunlight. No battery is used; you pump while the sun is out and store water in a tank or the field. This is the usual choice for agriculture and tube wells. 2. Home hybrid solar system: a normal solar inverter runs the house and also starts a small water motor (for example 1 HP) for the overhead tank. This is how most city homes run their motor on solar.
Sizing a solar tube well
Pump makers and installers often size the array at about 1.3 to 1.5 times the motor power, so the motor still runs well in the morning, evening and in hazy weather. As examples:
- 5 HP motor (about 3.7 kW): about 5 to 6 kW of panels
- 10 HP motor (about 7.5 kW): about 10 to 11 kW of panels
- 20 HP motor (about 15 kW): about 20 to 22 kW of panels
The real size also depends on well depth, water level, pipe size and the hours you need to pump. Get a site survey and the pump curve from the pump supplier before buying.
Submersible vs surface pumps
Submersible pumps sit down in the bore and push water up; they suit deep tube wells. Surface (centrifugal) pumps sit at ground level and pull water from shallow sources such as ponds and canals. Both can run on a solar drive if the drive matches the motor's voltage, phase and power. Three-phase AC motors are common for larger tube wells; small DC pumps are used for gardens and livestock.
Small DC water pumps
12V and 24V DC pumps run straight from one or two small panels through their own controller. They suit drip irrigation of a small plot, a livestock trough or a small tank. They are cheap and simple but move far less water than a tube well. See the 150 watt solar plate guide (150 Watt Solar Plate Price in Pakistan and Other Small Panels) for small panel setups.
Running a home water motor on solar
In homes, the water motor is usually 0.5 to 1 HP and runs for short periods. Our Lithium 5.75kW Solar System and Tubular 5.75kW Solar System can run a 1 HP pump started on its own, together with fans, lights and the fridge. Motors draw a high starting current, so start them when other heavy loads such as ACs are off. Running a motor on battery at night drains it quickly, so fill the tank in daytime.
Farmhouses and three-phase motors
For farmhouses with a three-phase connection, the Lithium 10.35kW Solar System uses a Deye SUN-10K-SG04LP3 three-phase hybrid inverter, which can run the home and smaller three-phase loads in daytime and keep supply on during outages. A large tube well motor is better on its own dedicated solar pump drive, because its starting current and long running hours would take up most of a home inverter's capacity. See the three phase solar system page (Three Phase Systems).
Checklist before you buy
- Motor power (HP or kW), phase and voltage.
- Well depth and water level in summer.
- Daily water need and pumping hours.
- A solar pump drive rated above the motor power, with dry-run protection.
- A strong structure that faces south and is high enough to avoid theft and animals.
- Earthing and lightning protection in open fields.
- Who will service the drive and pump locally.
