Battery Backup for a Well Pump: What to Know
No power means no water for a lot of mountain homes. A battery can fix that, if it is sized for the pump.
For many homes outside town limits in western North Carolina, an outage means more than dark rooms. It means no water. The well pump stops, and so do the toilets, the sink and the shower.
Pumps need a big start
A typical submersible well pump runs on 240 volts and pulls a surge of power for a moment every time it starts. Some batteries handle that surge fine. Others trip. Tell the contractor the pump horsepower if you know it, and ask how the battery or inverter handles the start.
Soft starters help
A soft starter eases the pump up to speed and cuts that surge. It is a small part that can let a smaller battery run the pump without tripping. Many contractors recommend one with any battery backup on a well.
Back up what matters
Most backup designs put a short list of circuits on a backup panel: well pump, fridge, freezer, furnace fan, internet and some lights. That keeps the battery from draining on things you can live without for a few days.
When a generator still makes sense
Solar recharges a battery during the day, but a week of clouds in January is a real possibility. If you want to ride out a long outage, a generator that only starts when the battery runs low is a common pairing.
Getting it priced
When you post on HomeBackupPros, check that you have a well pump and pick what must stay on. Contractors will size for it, and a $349 evaluation lets one come look at the pump, the panel and the space for a battery.
batteries · backup power
