There are two main categories of water pumps, submersible and surface mounted. Submersible pumps are installed under the water while surface pumps are mounted out of the water. Submersibles are usually installed below the water level in a well but can be installed in a lake, cistern or river. Surface pumps are usually mounted above the water level which requires a suction lift,the distance between the water level and the inlet of the pump. However if a water storage tank is used the water level could be above the pump creating a positive suction head. In most off grid solar water pumping applications both submersible and surface pumps can be used. the Solar submersible water pump is used to lift water from the well to a holding tank or cistern and then the surface pump can be used to pressurize the water to a house or for irrigation. The cistern provides a storage for days when the sun is not shining or for use during the night. We would recommend that a pressure tank be used in conjunction with the surface pump to avoid excessive cycling on and off of the pump.
What is the difference between a submersible pump and a surface
