How Much Power Does a 3 HP Water Pump Use?

Watts are equal to horsepower times 746. A 3 hp motor would thus provide approximately 2.24 kW to the shaft (3 x 746 W). Not all motors are 100 percent efficient and therefore a larger electrical input is required:

• Efficient DC or premium-grade AC motor – 85 – 90 % efficient

  Input power: 2.5 – 2.6 kW

• Standard AC motor – 75 – 80 % efficien

  Input power: 2.8 – 3.0 kW

If the pump runs six hours a day its daily energy draw is roughly 15–18 kWh (input kW × hours). For a solar system, size the array at 1.3 × the motor wattage to cover inverter and controller losses, so a 3 hp pump needs a 3.5 kW PV field in sunny regions.

SAMKING Pump’s 3 hp models come in DC-only or AC/DC hybrid versions, with screw or centrifugal hydraulics and heads up to 450 m. Matching the motor efficiency, controller type and array size to the duty cycle keeps operating costs predictable while delivering steady water.