How Many Watts Does A Well Pump Use

How many watts a well pump uses depends on the type of pump, the depth of the well, and the amount of water being pumped. In general, a well pump uses between The average power rating of a well pump is about 700 to 800 watts. However, some pumps can use as much as 5,000 watts.

How many watts a well pump use depends on many factors; which horsepower is the most important player? It also depends on how old is your system, the time a well pump works a day, and how much water you are pumping.

Key Takeaways About Well Pump Wattage

1. How many watts does a well pump use? An average well pump uses about 700 to 800 watts of electricity; however, the larger pumps can go up to 2000 to 5000 watts.
2. Using a well pump for 8 hours a day will consume 6.4 kilowatt-hours a day and 44.8 kilowatt-hours a week.
3. Solar power generators are a great choice for running well pumps as they are cost-effective because they are zero fuel cost and can work in off-grid setups.

How Many Watts Does A Well Pump Use?

How many watts a well pump use is an important question because well pumps consume a considerable amount of power and thus can increase your electricity bill drastically. It is also possible that some areas may have cheaper electricity tariffs during certain hours. So running your well pump at off-peak hours can save you money.  

Let us analyze the well pump power consumption in detail. Also, note that you will mostly find the well pump rating in horsepower instead of watts. One horsepower is equal to approximately 746 watts. You find the well pump motor size on the pump level.

Water Pump Motor Size	Running Watts	Starting Watts
1/3 HP	750 Watts	1500-3000 Watts
1/2 HP	900 Watts	2000-4000 Watts
3/4 HP	1500 Watts	3000-4500 Watts
1 HP	2000 Watts	4000-6000 Watts
1.5 HP	2500 Watts	5000-7500 Watts

Definition of Volts, Watts, Amps, and kWh

We need some background knowledge to understand how many watts a well pump uses. We need to know a few terms, i.e., volts, amperes, watts, horsepower, etc. So, here are the basic definitions.

Volts (V): Voltage is the speed of electric current passing through an electric circuit. It is measured in volts.

Amps (A): amps measure the electric current flowing through the circuit. It is short for Amperes.

Watts (W): Wattage or watts is a device's energy consumption unit.

Horsepower(HP): a horsepower is also a power unit, defined as 746 watts.

Kilowatt-hours (kWh): kilowatt-hours is the energy consumption over a period of time.

How Many Watts Does A Well Pump Use?

Well, pumps are available in a range of sizes and power consumption. The smaller well pumps can consume 400 to 500 watts. The larger ones can go from 2000 to 5000 watts. However, the average well pump size is 700 to 800 watts. An average well pump will use 5.6 to 6.4 kilowatts for 8 hours.

What Size Generator Do I Need for Well Pump When Off-Grid?

It is evident that well pump use medium to high amounts of energy. So running them can be expensive. Also, when you decide to go off-grid, you need an alternative power supply for your well pump.

Solar generators are the best solution as they are very cost-effective because of no fuel cost. However, it is important to know that the starting watts of a well pump can be higher than the running watts. The running watts are your well pump's power requirement when operating. In comparison, the starting watts are the peak power that the device needs for a while when it starts. It is required for a few minutes only.

The Jackery solar generators are available in various sizes and power ratings. 

Best Solar Generator for Well Pump When Off-Grid

The Jackery solar generators stand out among their peers because they have many benefits.

1. These generators are compact, lightweight, and portable. Hence they are easier to transport and set up while going off-grid.
2. The Jackery solar generators are weather resistant. They work in harsh weather like very high temperatures and rain.
3. The Jackery generators have smart BMS that maintains a fluctuation-free power supply to the devices.
4. Multiple ports in the generator facilitate powering up multiple pieces of equipment simultaneously.

Best for Off-Grid - Jackery Solar Generator 2000 Plus

The Jackery solar generator 2000 Plus has a large wattage capacity of 2042.8-watt hours and includes a battery management system for protection against overvoltage and short circuits. It can be charged in just 2 hours using an AC outlet or 2.5 hours using solar panels. Additionally, it has multiple output ports, allowing for the simultaneous connection of multiple devices.

Best for Power Outages - Jackery Solar Generator 3000 Pro

The Jackery solar generator 3000, with its 3024 watt-hours capacity, is a jumbo powerhouse when power off. Even with its large capacity, it charges in only 6 to 7 hours with solar charging and takes only 2.4 hours to charge fully with a wall outlet.   The sleek and compact design, smart battery management, and multiple input and output ports make the Jackery solar generator 3000 Pro the best choice for off-grid.

Series	Capacity	Output Ports	Pump Watts	Hours
Jackery Solar Generator 3000 Pro	3024Wh	AC Output: 120V~ 60Hz 25A Max 3 x AC Output: 120V~ 60Hz 20A Max 2 x USB-C Output: 100W Max, 5V⎓3A, 9V⎓3A, 12V⎓3A, 15V⎓3A, 20V⎓5A	750 watts	3.42 H
			900 watts	2.856 H
			1500 watts	1.71 H
			2000 Watts	1.28 H
Jackery Solar Generator 2000 Plus	2042.8Wh	4 x AC Output：120V~ 60Hz, 20A Max, AC Output(×1)：120V~ 60Hz, 25A Max, AC Total Output，3000W Max, 6000W surge peak 2 x USB-A Output: Quick Charge 3.0, 18W Max 2 x USB-C Output: 100W Max, (5V, 9V, 12V, 15V, 20V up to 5A)	750	2.3 H
			900	1.9 H
			1500	1.1 H
Jackery Solar Generator 2000 v2	2042Wh	AC Output (x3): 120V ~ 60Hz, 18.3A USB-A Output (x1): 18W Max, 5-6V⎓3A, 6-9V⎓2A, 9-12V⎓1.5A USB-C Output (x2): 30W Max, 5V⎓3A, 9V⎓3A, 12V⎓2.5A, 15V⎓2A, 20V⎓1.5A； 100W Max, 5V⎓3A, 9V⎓3A, 12V⎓3A, 15V⎓3A, 20V⎓5A Car Port(x1): 12V⎓10A Max	750	2.3 H
			900	1.9 H
			1500	1.1 H
Jackery Solar Generator 1000 Plus	1264Wh	AC Output (x3): 120V~60Hz, 2000W (4000W Peak) USB-A Output (x2): 18W Max, 5-5V⎓3A USB-C Output (x2): 100W Max, (5V, 9V, 12V, 15V, 20V up to 5A) Car Port (x1): 12V⎓10A	750 watts	1.4 H
			900 watts	1.1 H

** All the estimates above are based on 85% performance. We incorporate a 15% performance loss during operation and transmission. Here is how you can calculate the working hours of your well pump depending on how many watts a good pump use.

Working time = Capacity Wh * 0.85 / operating wattage of your well pump

Note: The above mentioned Jackery Solar Generators can charge only 120V well pumps. If your well pump requires 240V, you would need to consider Jackery Explorer 2000 Plus Double Kit or Jackery Solar Generator 5000 Plus that can charge well pumps requiring 240V.

FAQ about Well Pump Wattage

How Much Electricity Does A Well Pump Use In 24 Hours?

An average well pump uses 700 to 800 watts so if you run it 6 to 8 hours, it will consume 4.2 to 6.4 kilowatt hours a day.

Can A Solar Generator Run A Well Pump

Yes, the high-capacity solar generators can run average well pumps. Depending on how many watts a well pump uses, even smaller solar generators can support the smaller one. Jackery offers various sizes of solar generators and solar panels so that you can make your bundle based on your requirements.

Does Running a Well Pump on Solar Generators Saves Money?

Solar generators are inexpensive to run because they have zero fuel cost when you charge them with solar panels. Also, they are very low maintenance and weather resistant, so practically, there is no operational cost.

Conclusion

How many watts does a well pump use? An average well pump operates at 700 to 800 watts of power. However, the exact calculation of the watt requirement depends on the size of the well pump, the water suction capacity, and the hours of usage. The Jackery solar power generators can help you lower your electricity cost and work in off-grid setups.