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Solar Pump Installation Topic of July 24-25 Workshop by Staff Capital Press - June 28, 2002

JOHN DAY, Ore. -- A July 24 and 25 workshop sponsored by the Eastern Oregon Renewable Energies nonprofit will install a solar water pumping system at Butch and Linda Sagaser's house near John Day, Ore.

Students from around the West will be taught the basics of solar water pumping theory and practice by Windy Dankoff of Dankoff Solar Products in Santa Fe, N.M. Dankoff has been a pioneer of wind and solar power since the 1970s, and has been developing and making solar water pumps since 1983. He has written many how-to articles for Home Power Magazine and other publications, and teaches workshops at Solwest and other renewable-energy fairs.

A solar submersible Etapump will be installed to pump water from a well 90 feet downhill from the house, to a storage tank 50 feet uphill that will supply gravity flow to Sagaser's house. the system uses no batteries. It's powered directly by the solar-electric array.

Students will participate "hands-on" in the installation and wiring of the pump and its solar power system. They'll learn the principles of high-efficiency solar water pumping, storage and distribution, and will survey available systems.

The following day, Friday, July 26, Sagaser's house will be the subject of a workshop on site survey, system planning and design. This half-day workshop will focus on planning a system for energy independence.

Instructor Larry Elliot has been working in the renewable-energy field for 25 years, designing and installing wind, hydro and solar power systems from the simple to the complex.

He's a member of the Oregon Solar Energy Industries Association has written for several publications and teaches renewable-energy technology at Klamath Community College.

From Friday, July 26 until Sunday, July 28, John Day will host the SolWest Renewable Energy Fair. Experts from around the West will offer more than 40 1-hour workshops on renewable energy and sustainable living (free with fair admission).

"Advance signup is necessary for the water pumping and system design workshops. For more details about the workshops or the SolWest Fair schedule, visit SolWest/EORnew at www.solwest.org, call (541)575-3633.