Hybrid Borehole Pumps
A hybrid borehole pump is a submersible pump with a smart AC/DC controller that runs from solar panels, Eskom, or a generator — always prioritising free solar power first. It delivers 24-hour borehole water without batteries: solar by day, mains or generator backup at night or in heavy overcast, making it ideal where pure solar borehole pumps cannot meet overnight demand.
Our Hybrid Borehole Pump Range
How Do Hybrid Borehole Pumps Work?
A hybrid borehole pump sits submerged in the borehole like a standard submersible. At surface level, the AC/DC controller accepts solar DC from photovoltaic panels and AC from Eskom or a site generator. In AUTO mode it always draws from solar when available, then seamlessly switches to AC when sunlight drops or demand exceeds solar yield — no battery bank required. Output scales with input power, so the pump runs faster at midday and slower at dawn, maximising daily water delivery from your borehole.
Why Choose a Hybrid Over a Pure Solar Borehole Pump?
Pure solar borehole pumps excel at off-grid daytime lifting, but many properties need water after dark as well. A hybrid borehole pump bridges that gap without the cost and complexity of sizing batteries for a deep submersible load.
Solar First, Grid When Needed
The controller prioritises free solar energy whenever panels are producing. When the sun sets or cloud cover reduces yield, it switches to AC mains or a generator automatically — keeping tanks topped up overnight without manual changeover.
Borehole Water Through Load Shedding
During load shedding, solar still pumps while the sun shines; when stages overlap with night-time demand, AC backup from a generator or available grid window keeps the borehole supplying homes, livestock, and irrigation headers.
No Batteries Required
Deep submersible loads are expensive to run from battery storage overnight. Hybrid controllers eliminate that cost by using solar directly by day and AC by night — a simpler, more reliable borehole solution for 24-hour water supply.
Where Hybrid Borehole Pumps Are Used
Homes on Borehole Water
Residential properties that rely on a borehole for household supply use hybrid pumps to fill JoJo tanks and header tanks around the clock — solar during the day, mains or generator backup at night.
Farms & Game Reserves
Agricultural boreholes feeding troughs, dams, and irrigation need consistent daily output. Hybrid pumps lift from deep holes by day on solar and maintain minimum overnight flow on AC when livestock or crops cannot wait until sunrise.
Lodges & Commercial Sites
Hotels, lodges, and commercial operations with high daily water demand benefit from hybrid borehole systems that cut daytime electricity costs while guaranteeing supply when guests and processes need it after dark.
Sizing & Installation Notes
Max Head & Flow
Size on total dynamic head — borehole depth plus delivery height to the tank — and your required litres per hour. Our range covers deep boreholes from 72 m to over 250 m max head. Submersible depth rating is how far below the water surface the pump can operate, not the total borehole depth.
Panel Oversizing
Solar panels should be oversized by roughly 30% relative to pump nameplate power (for example, 650 W of panels for a 500 W pump). Daily output figures assume around 5.5 hours at maximum capacity; the pump runs longer at reduced speed in mornings and evenings.
Hybrid Borehole Pumps at Our Branches
Bundu Power stocks hybrid borehole pumps and controllers at branches across South Africa. Visit your nearest showroom for borehole sizing, controller matching, and installation support:
- Johannesburg — head office and Gauteng hybrid borehole pumps
- Cape Town — Western Cape borehole water supply
- Nelspruit — Lowveld farms and lodges
- Pietermaritzburg — KwaZulu-Natal borehole systems
- Bloemfontein — Free State and central SA
Comparing pure solar and hybrid options? Read our Solar Borehole Pumps FAQ or request a quote.