Solar borehole pump installation in Kenya

When to book solar borehole pump installation

Choose this service for a new solar installation. Tell us how many litres you need each day, the existing tank capacity and where the panels can be mounted. If you already have a working electric pump, ask about converting it to solar before buying a second pump.

What solar borehole pump installation includes

Your quotation brings the solar and pumping equipment together, including the panels, mounting, controller, protection, pipes and cable. We confirm what is included, how the system will operate and how water will be available after sunset through the agreed storage plan.

Use your borehole report to choose the right pump

Keep the drilling completion report and pumping-test report together. They tell the pump supplier more than the drilled depth on its own. The water level while pumping, tested discharge and recommended operating conditions help establish what the source can support. For an older borehole in use, share recent tank-filling times and any change in output as well. If the driller holds the report, request a copy before ordering equipment.

We use the records to frame the questions that need answering, rather than promise a result from a depth figure alone. Tell us the date of the latest pumping test, whether demand has changed and whether recent operation differs from the original report. A borehole supplying one household may later serve rental units, livestock or irrigation. That change deserves a fresh demand and duty discussion, even if the old pump still starts. Keep the accepted design basis with the equipment quotation so future maintenance starts from the same facts.

Work out how much water you need each day

Start with litres per day and who will use the water. A family home, a block of rental units and a dairy farm have different demand patterns. For irrigation, include the crop, area, watering method and schedule. For apartments, include the number of occupied units and shared uses. Tell us how much storage is available and when the tanks need to be full; that makes a more useful buying brief than simply asking for the biggest pump.

Give us the current tank capacity, expected future users and the hours during which pumping is practical. For a school, explain term-time demand; for a farm, describe the crop and watering schedule; for rental property, identify shared and private storage. We can then discuss a scope that connects abstraction, pumping and storage. Buying the largest available motor is not a substitute for this brief. The practical target is an agreed water-delivery duty that the source and selected equipment can support, with operating duties the owner can understand.

Will the pump deliver water to your tank?

The pump must lift water from the pumping water level and deliver it through the pipework to the agreed outlet. A raised tank, uphill plot or long delivery line adds to the duty. That is why two boreholes drilled to the same depth can need different pumps. Share the tank inlet height and route from the borehole. The selection should show the required flow at the total pumping head, rather than unrelated maximum-flow and maximum-head figures.

Send a simple site sketch showing the source, tank, approximate route, changes in elevation and any existing pipe sizes. The agreed assessment can refine these measurements. Ask the supplier to mark the proposed operating point on the curve for the exact pump model. A maximum-head figure and a maximum-flow figure are not a promise that both occur together. Clear duty information also helps compare quotations: two differently priced pumps may be designed for different jobs, while two equal-kilowatt pumps may have very different hydraulic performance.

Pump during the day and store water for later

For many homes and farms, solar pumping makes the most sense when water is pumped into a tank during daylight and used as needed. Start with the litres required each day, source capacity and tank storage. The pump, controller and panels must be selected together for the actual head. More solar panels cannot create water the borehole does not yield, and a high panel-wattage figure alone does not establish your daily water output.

Describe seasonal demand, available array space, shading, security and whether water is needed outside solar operating hours. Storage can make a major difference to how the water supply is managed. Any proposed alternative power integration needs a documented compatible arrangement; it should not be improvised through unsupported connections. We help compare the complete equipment and work, including mounting, cable, isolation and hydraulic requirements. The objective is an understandable daily-water plan, with the selected hardware and the owner’s operating expectations recorded together.

Include the panels, mounting and cable in the price

A useful solar quotation identifies the module wattage and model, number of panels, electrical arrangement, mounting structure and cable route. Tell us where the panels can be mounted and whether trees or buildings cast shade. Consider security and access for cleaning as well. The mounting needs a site-appropriate design; a panel-only price does not cover the full cost of a secure, connected and working solar pumping installation.

On the physical side, identify the intended mounting area, shading, access for inspection, security and the party responsible for any supporting civil work. The quotation should specify the array, mounting arrangement and associated work clearly enough to distinguish equipment supply from a complete installation. Request module and controller records at handover and keep the final array configuration accessible. That information helps later troubleshooting, prevents undocumented changes and allows future expansion to be assessed against the installed system rather than a recollection of how many panels were originally fitted.

Choose a pumping inverter that matches the motor

A solar pumping inverter controls the motor using the available solar input. Select it against the motor and array requirements, not merely the headline kW rating. Confirm input limits, output phase, motor compatibility and whether an alternative power source is supported. Our shop includes Veikong pumping inverter options. Send the actual motor label so the selected option and any mains or generator integration can be checked before purchase.

For a conversion, give us the existing motor label, controller information and evidence of its present hydraulic performance. We can then identify whether retaining the motor is a realistic option and which additional checks are needed. Where backup power or automatic changeover is requested, have the interface documented in the proposal and confirmed against manufacturer instructions. Ask for the controller settings and normal operating indications to be explained during handover. A useful solar retrofit improves the operating arrangement while preserving a clear record of what the equipment is designed to do.

Know whether the price includes the motor

A pump end is the section that moves the water; the motor drives it. Some listings are for the pump end only, while others are complete assemblies. Check the package before comparing prices. The selected motor must match the hydraulic end, power supply and controls, including phase and voltage. For a replacement, send both labels so the supplier can check the retained parts alongside the new component.

If you are replacing only one part of an existing assembly, send clear photographs of both the pump and motor labels. Include the reason for the replacement and any diagnostic findings. Retaining a sound component can be sensible when the match is verified, but installing a new motor against an unresolved hydraulic fault can repeat the original problem. The written quotation should distinguish the motor, pump end, complete assembly and starter so you can see what the price actually buys and which existing parts will remain in service.

Confirm mains electricity, generator or solar power

Tell us whether the property has single-phase or three-phase electricity, a generator, solar or a combination. Include the motor label and the distance from the supply point to the control panel. If the pump trips after a power interruption, mention that history. A suitable motor and correctly planned connection are essential; the quotation should show who supplies and tests the incoming electrical connection as well as the borehole equipment.

Provide photographs of the existing distribution board, motor label and controller where it is safe to obtain them without opening live equipment. Electrical measurements and alterations belong to appropriately qualified personnel. Agree who is responsible for the supply-to-panel connection, isolation, earthing, cable route and testing. A pump quotation that stops at the motor leaves important connections unresolved unless it names who will complete that work. We bring these questions into your quotation so the system proposal accounts for the route from available power to controlled water delivery.

Buy the right cable size and measured length

Submersible cable runs between the motor and the control arrangement and must suit the wet environment and electrical duty. The conductor size depends on the motor, supply and full route length. Saving on an undersized cable can cause problems that cost much more to correct after lowering. Our cable prices are per metre; ask for the cable size, quantity, routing allowance and jointing materials on the same quotation.

Cable prices in this catalogue are per metre. Agree the measured length, allowance for routing and terminations, joint positions and the exact conductor and insulation specification before ordering. Before retaining an existing cable, have its condition and suitability assessed. Looking at the accessible end alone cannot establish its condition. A quotation should identify terminations and approved jointing materials alongside the main cable quantity. Include these details in the materials schedule so you can budget for necessary electrical materials alongside the equipment price.

Budget for electrical protection and earthing

The electrical design should include suitable isolation, protective devices and earthing for the motor, controller and power source. With solar, the PV disconnect must suit the actual DC voltage and current. A lightning-arrestor product on its own is not a complete protection system. Ask for the proposed devices and electrical work to be listed, particularly where the installation is exposed or the property has a history of power-related faults.

Have appropriately qualified personnel define isolation, protective devices, earthing and the verification work. The quotation should identify what is included and what belongs to an existing upstream supply installation. For exposed or remote sites, discuss access for inspection and the practical route for reporting a fault. Retain the protection schedule with the motor and controller records. This is valuable when equipment is changed later: a replacement can alter the electrical requirements, so the old protection arrangement should be reviewed instead of simply reused because the previous pump used the same nominal kilowatt rating.

Make sure the pump starts and stops correctly

The control panel should suit the motor and the way you want the water supply to operate. Explain whether the pump fills a tank, follows a level signal or works to a different arrangement. Ask which protective functions the controller provides and which need separate sensors. A full tank should have the agreed stop response, and a fault should be recognisable to the operator. These behaviours need testing during commissioning, not just a demonstration that the motor starts.

Ask the proposal to distinguish the panel, sensors, cable and installation work. Confirm how a normal stop differs from a fault indication, who may change settings and what the operator should do when the system trips. During commissioning, the installer should check and record the relevant control behaviour against the agreed scope. A system that only works when an operator repeatedly overrides a warning needs diagnosis. Clear controls and a practical handover give the owner useful information without encouraging unqualified adjustments to electrical equipment or undocumented changes to protection settings.

Stop tank overflow and check low-water control

A float switch can signal tank level, while compatible borehole probes can help the controller respond to source-water conditions. They are different devices with different jobs. Tell us whether the problem is overflow, early stopping or failure to restart. The installer must check the controller and sensing system together. Our shop includes float switches, probe sensors and electrode accessories; the selected type and cable length follow the control design.

The quotation should state the device, cable length, mounting and any additional interface components. It should also explain the intended operating response and how the installer will check it. For an existing fault, tell us whether the pump stops too early, runs after the tank is full or fails to restart when water is required. Those patterns help frame the investigation, but they do not prove that the sensor itself has failed. Keeping sensor and controller records together makes future service more direct and reduces the temptation to bypass a useful control because its behaviour has not been understood.

Size the tank around actual water use

Storage helps separate the rate at which a borehole supplies water from the rate at which people use it. An apartment block may draw heavily in the morning; a solar system produces water during useful daylight hours. Share the existing tank capacity and inlet height, and explain when shortages occur. The answer may be storage, controls or distribution improvements rather than a larger source pump.

Send the tank capacity, inlet elevation, current level-control arrangement and any planned expansion. Supporting structures, foundations and building alterations need their own appropriate assessment. Check whether the pump connection price includes any of this work. Agree the boundary between borehole pumping, storage and downstream distribution. For multiple tanks or user groups, define who operates valves, monitors levels and reports faults. The resulting scope should make the whole water route understandable, including any components or works that are being provided by another contractor.

Test borehole water before choosing treatment

Clear water is not proof that borehole water is suitable for drinking. Share the laboratory report and explain whether the supply is for domestic use, livestock, irrigation or a process. Water quality can also affect equipment materials and treatment selection. Do not assume all boreholes in a county have the same chemistry. Treatment equipment needs to match the actual analysis and required flow; a small household reverse-osmosis unit is not a universal whole-property solution.

For a new project, include available laboratory results with the borehole records. For an existing system, tell us about changes in colour, sediment, odour or operating behaviour, while recognising that these observations do not replace analysis. If you need treatment, choose its specification using the feed-water condition and required output. A seven-stage reverse-osmosis listing is not a universal treatment design for every borehole. Agree any pretreatment, maintenance consumables, reject-water handling and quality verification separately. Document these decisions clearly. A pump installation alone does not establish a drinking-water guarantee.

Compare solar borehole pump installation quotations on the same scope

Ask for an itemised quotation showing the exact pump, motor, control panel, pipe and cable quantities, fittings, labour and commissioning. With solar, include panels, inverter, mounting and protection. Then check transport, VAT, trenching and electrical connections. A lower total can simply mean that important items are missing. Comparing the same requirements makes it easier to choose value for money and agree the full bill before work starts.

Confirm tax treatment, delivery or collection, payment stages, availability and the written warranty route before accepting the order. Compare proposals using the same duty and included work. One quotation may cover a pump end only while another includes a motor, controls, cable and commissioning. Another may exclude civil work or the supply-to-panel connection. Request those differences in plain language. Your approved scope should name the supplied equipment, the installer’s work and your own responsibilities. It should also explain how you approve changes if the assessment reveals additional work.

What changes the cost of solar borehole pump installation?

The main price drivers are the selected pump and motor, installed depth, pipe and cable quantities, power arrangement and access for the work. A longer cable run or a higher tank can change both the materials and equipment selection. For solar, panel capacity, mounting and the pumping inverter also affect the total. Tell us whether the price you need is supply only, installation labour or a complete working system.

Use the approximate range near the start of this page as an initial budget. The written quotation confirms your actual quantities and work. Compare cable prices per metre, drop pipe prices per supplied length, and accessory prices per piece or set, using the units stated in the shop. Confirm the physical pipe length before calculating the number required. Ask whether the price includes VAT, transport, lifting equipment, trenching and commissioning. Keep a separate allowance for tanks, towers, treatment or a new power connection unless the quotation lists them. Larger or difficult installations may cost more than the indicative range; the equipment and measured work should explain why.

Plan solar borehole pump installation for your county and site

A location pin, contact person and access details help us prepare a realistic delivery or installation quotation. Tell us about rough access roads, narrow gates, restricted working hours and space to unload pipes or lifting equipment. For an occupied apartment block or school, agree the water-interruption window. These practical details affect travel, equipment and time on site, so share them before booking the visit.

Our contact base is Kamulu, Nairobi, and enquiries are welcome from all forty-seven Kenyan counties. County planning pages help collect the right information; they do not represent a separate branch or a guaranteed attendance time. Confirm travel, delivery and scheduling for your actual project before booking. The aim is to arrive with an agreed scope and the correct equipment information, while acknowledging any assessment still needed on site. Clear access details also help distinguish a price for collection from a delivered price and from a complete installation commitment.

Solar borehole pump installation: check delivery before sign-off

Commissioning checks the installed system against the agreed job. Ask for measured delivery at the stated point, relevant electrical checks and a demonstration of the controls. Water at the borehole outlet is different from water reaching a distant tank. Record the model, pump setting, cable and pipe details and test results. These readings become the reference for future service if tank-filling time or output changes.

Ask the installer to explain the test results and any limitations at handover. If measurements differ from the expected performance, ask the installer to investigate the findings and explain the next step. A running pump alone does not confirm the agreed delivery. The acceptance location also matters: delivery at the headworks is different from delivery at a distant tank inlet. Keep the commissioning record with the source documents and quotation. It becomes a useful baseline for later maintenance, helps identify changes in source or delivery conditions and makes future equipment decisions easier to check.

Solar borehole pump installation records and operating instructions

Before the team leaves, make sure the person who will run the system understands the normal start, stop and fault indications. Keep the invoice, installed models, serial numbers, test results and written warranty terms together. For shared property, give the caretaker access to the service contact and agreed operating instructions. A clear handover saves time during maintenance and helps you distinguish existing equipment from parts supplied during the new work.

Keep the invoice and written warranty terms with the model and serial numbers. Ask the supplier to confirm the warranty scope, provider, duration and exclusions for the actual equipment. A website brand mention does not establish warranty cover. If the project retains old equipment, mark it clearly in the handover schedule. If the installer recommends further assessment or follow-up, record the reason and who will handle it. This approach gives the owner an installation file that remains useful after the technicians leave and supports a more direct conversation when another service visit becomes necessary.

Keep the borehole and water-use records in order

Keep the borehole completion report, pumping-test information and applicable water-use authorisation with the project documents. Kenya’s Water Resources Authority provides the official guidance on abstraction requirements. Buying a larger pump does not itself allow a higher abstraction rate. For electrical and solar work, confirm the applicable professional requirements using EPRA resources and appoint appropriately qualified people for the actual installation.

For solar and electrical work, use appropriately qualified personnel and verify the applicable professional requirements through the official Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority resources. The quotation should assign responsibility for permits, electrical interfaces and specialist assessments where needed. Use the official resources below to obtain current guidance directly. Manufacturer instructions and site-specific assessment remain necessary alongside those public requirements; neither a catalogue price nor a service page is a substitute for an approved project design.

Questions about solar borehole pump installation

Manufacturer and official resources

Use these resources for current requirements and equipment guidance. The documentation for the exact supplied model and a site-specific assessment remain the basis for the work.

• Franklin Electric — application, installation and maintenance resources
• Grundfos — pump selection and sizing principles
• Water Resources Authority — water-use allocation and permitting
• EPRA — renewable-energy licensing guidance

Our sister companies

For related work outside the agreed pumping scope, contact Borehole Drillers Kenya or Hamiki Engineering. Confirm their scope and quotation separately.

Get a quotation for your borehole

Send your location pin, water requirement and available equipment or borehole records. Tell us whether you need supply only, installation, repair or conversion, and we will help identify the next step for your quotation. Call +254 743 731151 or email support@boreholepumpinstallation.com.

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