Best Solar Water Pumps in Australia (Bore, Dam, Pond and Pool)
A straight shortlist for Australians who want water moved by the sun and nothing on the power bill.
The best solar water pump for most Australian properties is the Tuhorse 4S1000 4 inch solar bore pump package with 1600W of panels at $4,993. It lifts water from 10 to 120 metres, pushes up to 45 litres a minute, and arrives as a complete kit with panels, controller, cable and tank sensors, so there is nothing else to buy.
That is the bore answer. A solar pump for a pond, a dam, a pool or a pressure line is a completely different machine, and buying the wrong type is the most common mistake we see. So below is the best pick for each job, with real specs and real prices.
Short on time? See the Tuhorse 4S1000 kit or browse every solar pump we sell.
The shortlist at a glance
Each pick below is a live Waternex product chosen for one job, and the table shows the job, the key spec and the price.
| Pick | Best for | Key spec | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuhorse 4S1000 + 1600W panels | Best overall, most bores | 10 to 120m bores, up to 45 L/min | $4,993 |
| Outback Scout 300W kit | Best budget bore kit | Up to 70m head, 18 L/min | $2,492 |
| REEFE RS3S2.0-150.SP | Deep bores | Up to 150m head, 33 L/min | $6,589.90 |
| Tuhorse 4H2200 AC/DC hybrid + 3800W panels | Big demand, cloudy regions | Up to 220m head, 5,400 L/hr | $6,648 |
| REEFE STP1500 transfer pump | Dam to tank, irrigation | Up to 833 L/min, 17.5m head | $1,568 (pump only) |
| Tuhorse surface jet 500W + 800W panels | Pressure from a tank or shallow bore | Up to 35m head, 3,200 L/hr | $3,348 |
| Tuhorse solar pool pump 600W + 800W panels | Pool filtration | Up to 15,000 L/hr, 14m head | $3,598 |
| REEFE RSFB1600 with battery | Ponds that run after dark | 1,560 L/hr, 3.2m head | $820 |
| REEFE RSF980 | Cheap pond or bird bath | 980 L/hr, 1.0m head | $363 |
Prices current as of October 2026, AUD including GST.
Best solar water pump overall: Tuhorse 4S1000 package
The Tuhorse 4S1000 with 1600W of panels is the best all-round solar bore pump because it covers the depth range most Australian bores actually sit in, from 10 to 120 metres, with flow to spare.
It is a 4 inch, 1000W helical rotor pump running at 110V DC, with eight 200W monocrystalline panels, an MPPT control box with tank and bore level sensing, 40 metres of fitted cable and a spare rotor in the box. Output on the spec sheet: 55 L/min at 10m, 45 L/min at 40m, 30 L/min at 80m and 12 L/min at 120m. Warranty is 24 months back to base on the pump and controller.
Why it wins: the helical rotor holds pressure at low speed, so it keeps pumping in weak morning and afternoon light instead of only around midday. And the doubled panel array is the part people skimp on. Do not. More panel means more hours of pumping per day, and panels are the cheapest part of the system.
Who it does not suit: a 4 inch pump needs a 4 inch or larger bore casing. If your casing is 3 inch, look at the next two picks.
View the Tuhorse 4S1000 + 1600W package →
Best budget solar bore pump: Outback Scout 300W kit
The Outback Scout is the cheapest complete solar bore kit worth buying, at $2,492 for a 3 inch pump, a 450W panel, a DC MPPT controller and 40 metres of cable.
It is rated to 70 metres of head and 18 L/min at best, with a brushless 300W motor, a helical rotor and dry run protection. That is plenty for a house tank or a mob of stock on a shallow to medium bore. It is not enough for irrigation, and it will not keep up on a deep bore with a big herd.
If you want a step up without leaving the budget bracket, the Tuhorse 3S500 package with 800W of panels ($3,448) suits 3 inch bores from 20 to 80 metres and delivers 30 L/min at 10 to 20m, dropping to 20 L/min at 50m.
Best solar pump for deep bores: REEFE RS3S2.0-150.SP
The REEFE RS3S2.0-150.SP is the pick for deep bores in a 3 inch casing, rated to 150 metres of head and up to 33 L/min.
It is a 750W, 72V helical rotor pump with an MPPT controller, under and over voltage protection, dead head protection, three 440W panels, a pole mounting kit and a 15 metre plug and play array cable. Warranty is 2 years. The pole mount matters more than people think: it keeps the panels off the ground and away from stock.
Going deeper again? The REEFE range runs to 180 metres in the RS3S2.2-180.SP kit.
View the REEFE RS3S2.0-150.SP →
Best solar pump for big demand and cloudy regions: Tuhorse 4H2200 hybrid
The Tuhorse 4H2200 AC/DC hybrid package is the right solar pump when you need serious volume or cannot afford a dry trough on a grey week, because it can run from a generator or mains as well as the sun.
The kit pairs a 4 inch 2200W helical rotor pump with 3800W of panels and an MPPT control box. Rated maximum head is 220 metres and maximum flow is 5,400 litres an hour. The hybrid controller is the point. Tasmania, Gippsland and the southern tablelands get long cloudy stretches in winter, and a pure DC pump simply slows down when the light goes.
View the Tuhorse 4H2200 package →
Best solar pump for dams and tank transfer: REEFE STP1500
The REEFE STP1500 is the best solar transfer pump for moving a lot of water a short distance, rated to 833 L/min with a maximum head of 17.5 metres.
Rated duty is 400 L/min at 10.8 metres. It is a 1500W surface pump with a cast iron casing, brass impeller, a controller with a live display, automatic start and stop with the sun, and a powder coated roll frame. Note the price is pump and controller only: it needs five 440W panels, which you supply. Do not use it on a bore. It is a surface pump for dams, creeks and tank to tank work.
Best solar pressure pump: Tuhorse surface jet 500W package
The Tuhorse 500W solar surface jet pump is the pick for pressurising a house or shed line from a tank, dam or shallow bore, with up to 35 metres of head and 3,200 litres an hour.
Flow drops as head rises: 50 L/min at 5m, 40 L/min at 14m and 15 L/min at 25m. Suction lift is 5 metres maximum, so the pump has to sit close to the water. The package includes four 200W panels and the MPPT control box, with a 24 month warranty.
View the Tuhorse surface jet package →
Best solar pool pump: Tuhorse 600W package
The Tuhorse 600W solar pool pump runs pool filtration straight off four 200W panels, with up to 15,000 litres an hour and 14 metres of head.
It has a DC brushless motor, 2 inch (40mm) inlet and outlet, 3 metre maximum suction and an MPPT control box that also accepts battery or generator input. Pool pumps run for hours every day, which is exactly the load solar handles best. It filters in daylight, which is when you swim anyway.
View the Tuhorse solar pool pump →
Best solar pond pump: REEFE RSFB1600 and RSF980
The REEFE RSFB1600 is the best solar pond pump if you want the fountain to keep running after sunset, because it carries a 12V 7Ah battery charged by two 20W panels.
It moves up to 1,560 L/hr to a 3.2 metre head, is salt water compatible, and has flow adjustment and run dry protection. If the pond only needs to move in full sun, the REEFE RSF980 at $363 does 980 L/hr to 1.0 metre from a single 8W panel. Budget versions from the hardware store work until the first summer kills them. These have spare impellers in the box.
For a whole farm dam, a fountain pump is the wrong tool. The REEFE RSA750.SP floating dam aerator ($5,999) moves 25,000 litres an hour through a diffuser to put oxygen back into still water.
View the REEFE RSFB1600 → or see all pond and water feature pumps.
How to pick the right solar water pump
The right solar water pump is set by three numbers: where the water is, how high it has to go, and how many litres a day you need.
1. Where the water is
A bore needs a submersible pump that fits the casing. A dam, creek or tank needs a surface pump, and surface pumps can only suck water up a few metres. Pond and pool pumps are their own category. Get this wrong and no amount of panel will fix it.
2. Total head
Total head for a solar bore pump is the pumping water level, plus the height from the bore head up to the top of the tank, plus pipe friction. A bore with water standing at 40 metres, feeding a tank 8 metres above the bore head, through a long run of poly, is roughly a 50 metre job. Pick a pump whose flow is still useful at that head, not its headline maximum.
3. Litres per day
A rule of thumb, not gospel: cattle drink around 50 to 100 litres a head a day in summer, sheep around 5 to 10. Multiply by the mob, then by about 6 hours of useful sun in winter. A pump doing 20 L/min for 6 hours moves about 7,200 litres a day. Always size for winter.
Helical or centrifugal
Helical rotor pumps suit deep bores and lower flow because they hold pressure at low speed. Centrifugal pumps suit shallow bores and higher flow. Tuhorse sells both, for example the 4S1000C centrifugal package next to the helical 4S1000.
Prefer a mains or generator bore pump instead? Our submersible bore pumps run from 240V or 415V.
What about Grundfos and Lorentz
Grundfos SQFlex and Lorentz are excellent solar pumps and the names most farmers already know, and they are priced like it.
We do not stock them. For a house tank or a stock trough, a complete kit from Tuhorse, REEFE or Outback with a 2 year warranty gets the same water out of the ground for a fraction of a premium system. For a large commercial irrigation job, get it engineered properly whichever brand you pick, and we can quote that.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best solar water pump in Australia?
For most bores, the best solar water pump is the Tuhorse 4S1000 package with 1600W of panels at $4,993, because it covers 10 to 120 metre bores at up to 45 L/min as a complete kit. For ponds, the REEFE RSFB1600 with battery backup is the pick, and for pools the Tuhorse 600W solar pool pump.
Do solar water pumps work on cloudy days?
Solar water pumps keep working on cloudy days but at reduced flow, and they stop at night unless they have a battery or an AC backup. An oversized panel array, a helical rotor pump and a storage tank cover most cloudy spells, and an AC/DC hybrid like the Tuhorse 4H2200 can switch to a generator or mains.
How deep can a solar bore pump pump from?
Solar bore pumps sold in Australia lift water from about 70 metres on entry kits to 150 to 220 metres on larger helical rotor kits. The Outback Scout is rated to 70m, the REEFE RS3S2.0-150.SP to 150m and the Tuhorse 4H2200 to 220m.
How many solar panels do I need for a solar water pump?
Most solar water pumps need between 1.5 and 2 times the pump wattage in panels to run well through the day. The Tuhorse 4S1000 pairs a 1000W pump with 1600W of panels, and the REEFE STP1500 transfer pump needs five 440W panels.
How much does a solar water pump cost in Australia?
A solar water pump in Australia costs from about $139 for a small fountain kit to $2,500 to $10,000 for a complete solar bore pump kit with panels, as of October 2026. Most farm and house bore kits land between $3,400 and $7,000.
Still not sure which one fits? Ask us
Send us your bore depth, standing water level, casing size, tank height and how many litres a day you need, and we will match the pump and panel array. It takes a few minutes and saves you buying the wrong kit.
Get a solar pump recommendation →
Prefer a single brand? Browse the full REEFE range.
This guide is general information for Australian property owners and is not a substitute for advice on your specific bore and site. Electrical work must be done by a licensed electrician, and bore work by a licensed driller where your state requires it. Confirm final sizing with us before you buy.