Efficient Variable Speed Well Pump Offers Solar Integration

Off-grid complex in Colorado uses Grundfos underground pumps to optimize delivery of deep water well.

Owner of VISION House Mariposa Meadows and president of Green Builder Media, Ron Jones, had a list of specific requirements for the site of his passion project. He spent years looking through the nooks and crannies of the Rocky Mountains until he rounded the bend of a curvy dirt road in southwest Colorado, where he encountered a pristine inholding surrounded by millions of acres of public land, 13 miles from the nearest electricity pole. 

The property had an abundance of water rights, including two freshwater springs, which were essential to Jones and his plans for construction and onsite food production.

Jones quickly worked with a local contractor to drill a well, and he was thrilled to find ample water to support his vision. However, he still needed to distribute that water throughout the property with efficient pumps. “We have the product of choice through Grundfos,” Jones says. “Their system pumps, the submersible pump for the well, all of the zone pumps–they're as good as you can get.”

First, water has to be hauled up the 300-foot well. Gundfos’ SQE groundwater pump variable frequency submersible pump will efficiently get the job done. It has a built-in variable speed motor which can speed up or slow down depending on the amount of water consumed. When running multiple appliances, faucets, toilets and showers at the same time, there will be no lack of water, and the pressure will stay consistent. 

Additionally, the SQE pump allows for integration with the solar array from JinkoSolar that powers the compound.

The CU301 User Interface is an easy to use command and control computer for operating the pump in constant pressure mode. The user simply chooses the desired water pressure by pressing the UP or DOWN arrows, and the CU301 does the rest.

To supply water to the Uponor radiant in-floor heating system, Grundfos’ UPS pumps were chosen to help keep the three buildings warm during the cold winter months. The primary pump is a UPS 26-99, with each zone controlled by a UPS 15-58.

The UPS pumps have a three-speed motor that gives the ability to adjust the pump speed to fit the specific application. And the ceramic bearings make for ultra quiet operation for years.

"At Grundfos, we have a responsibility to respect, protect and advance the flow of water. Sustainability is at the core of our ethos. So when the opportunity arose for us to participate in an off-grid, net-zero project by providing quality, efficient solutions, it was an easy decision,” explains Skye Nguyen, Senior Area Marketing Manager at Grundfos.

Visit the VISION House Mariposa Meadows microsite for more information on the innovative products that make this project unique.