Simple Pump Is Now an Authorized WORKHORSE Pumps Distributor

Hey everyone, Steve Schmid here.

Today I want to walk through something I've been working on for a while. Simple Pump is now an authorized distributor for WORKHORSE Pumps Narrow Series solar submersibles. Combined with our new Inline Dual-Pump Valve Assembly, that gives us the Simple Pump Inline Manual-Solar Well Pump System.

This is the replacement for our LBLD motor, which we discontinued for new purchase on March 31, 2026. But it's a real step forward. With the LBLD, you could only run one pumping mode at a time: motor or hand pump. Switching between them took about an hour of physical work. With the Inline Manual-Solar system, the solar submersible and the hand pump both run at the same time, in the same well, sharing the same drop pipe. No swap. No procedure.

First, the channel side

One important thing up front. The Inline Manual-Solar Well Pump System is dealer-installed and professionally configured. This isn't a DIY kit.

Why? Proper installation needs well depth measurement, pump sizing based on your static water level and flow needs, solar array sizing for your latitude and daily use, and correct drop pipe configuration. Our specialists or an authorized WORKHORSE Pumps installer will size the full system for your specific well.

You can buy the Inline Dual-Pump Valve Assembly on its own if you already have a Simple Pump and a supported WORKHORSE submersible. But the complete system goes through our dealer network and authorized WORKHORSE Pumps professional installers.

Why we moved on from the LBLD motor

The LBLD was a DC motor that replaced the Simple Pump's hand pump lever arm. It shared the drop pipes, the cylinder, and the pump head. Good engineering in a lot of ways. Lots of customers have them and still love them, and we'll keep supporting existing LBLD installations with parts and service for at least 10 years.

But the LBLD had a limitation I've wanted to solve for a while. Only one pumping mode works at a time. If the LBLD was installed and running, you couldn't hand pump. To switch to manual, you physically removed the LBLD and put the handle back on. About an hour of work. That's not ideal when you actually need water.

The Inline Dual-Pump Valve Assembly is how we solved it. The valve sits inline in the drop pipe between the WORKHORSE solar submersible at the bottom and the Simple Pump cylinder above it. When the WORKHORSE runs, pressure closes the valve. When you grab the Simple Pump lever, the vacuum from pumping opens the valve. Both operations are always available. No swap needed.

What WORKHORSE Pumps brings

WORKHORSE Pumps makes purpose-built solar DC submersibles for residential and agricultural wells. The Narrow Series (W2H-5-200 and W3H-6-500) is built for the kind of installation our customers build. Rural properties. Off-grid homesteads. Agricultural operations where reliable water isn't optional.

Narrow Series highlights:

• DC solar-powered through the included PSC100 controller. No inverter required.
• W3H-6-500: about 425 ft max TDH, about 10 GPM max flow. CE and TUV certified.
• W2H-5-200: about 320 ft max TDH, about 7 GPM max flow. CE certified.
• Both models meet NRCS requirements.

These are professional-grade pumps. They're the right match for our customer base. People who treat their water system as infrastructure, not a convenience.

Which WORKHORSE model fits which well?

Sizing depends on your well's total dynamic head (TDH) and daily water demand. Your dealer or authorized installer will work through the sizing with you. The short version:

• W2H-5-200 (2.01" diameter, 3" minimum casing): shallow-to-mid-depth wells. Good for homes with lower daily demand, or wells with TDH under about 320 ft at optimal solar input.
• W3H-6-500 (3.01" diameter, 4" minimum casing): deeper wells or higher daily demand. Handles sandy or abrasive water. Good for wells with TDH up to about 425 ft at optimal solar input.

TDH values are at optimal rated solar input power. Actual achievable depth and flow depend on well conditions, drawdown, pipe configuration, and available solar input. That's why professional sizing matters.

Solar-direct, battery-free

Here's something I like about the WORKHORSE approach. The PSC100 controller runs the submersible directly off solar panels with no battery bank required. When the sun's on the panels, the pump runs. You set the timer dial on the PSC100 for the daylight hours you want pumping, and that's it.

Compare that to our old LBLD setup. That was a DC motor, so you needed a DC power source. Usually a battery bank, kept charged by solar or a generator. The Inline Manual-Solar system simplifies that. For off-grid homes that were fighting battery maintenance and generator fuel, the move to direct solar is a real improvement.

You can add battery backup if you want to run the WORKHORSE before sunrise or after sunset (48V recommended, customer-supplied). But you don't need it for the system to work.

The Simple Pump is always ready

Battery capacity is finite. A properly sized solar array runs your submersible through most normal days, but multi-day cloudy weather, unusually high demand, or battery age can all reduce what solar covers.

That's where the Simple Pump hand pump comes in. It's mechanical. It doesn't need power. It doesn't need batteries. You walk up, you grab the lever, you get water.

With the Inline Manual-Solar system, the hand pump is always ready. It isn't blocked by the motor like the LBLD was. You don't have to swap anything out first. The valve below it opens under vacuum the moment you start pumping.

That's the preparedness principle we've built Simple Pump around. Redundancy that doesn't require you to do anything to activate it.

Installation scenarios

A few setups we see most often:

You have an existing Simple Pump and want to add solar automation. Your Simple Pump keeps working exactly as it does now. We add a WORKHORSE Narrow Series solar submersible with the inline valve between it and your existing Simple Pump cylinder. Now you've got automated solar pumping AND your manual backup.

You're off-grid running a generator to power your pumps. Generators work, but you're stocking fuel and maintaining equipment. A WORKHORSE solar submersible paired with your Simple Pump gets you off the generator. Manual backup is always there through the hand pump.

You have an electric submersible and a Simple Pump already. Your electric submersible stays where it is, with its own drop pipe. The WORKHORSE solar + inline valve adds a second automated pumping option, sharing the Simple Pump's drop pipe. Three pumps in one well using two drop pipes. Above-ground plumbing to your pressure tank stays the same.

You're starting from scratch. New well or new system. WORKHORSE solar submersible + Simple Pump + inline valve gives you automated daily water and always-ready manual backup from day one. For homes with modest water needs, the solar submersible may be all the automated pumping you need. No separate electric submersible required.

Retrofit compatible with existing Simple Pumps

If you already have a Simple Pump, you can add a WORKHORSE Narrow Series solar submersible through the Inline Dual-Pump Valve Assembly. The valve fits every Simple Pump cylinder we've made since 1999 (100CA, 125CA, or 200CA) with the right valve size. Your drop pipes, pump head, and pressure connections stay the same. Your manual pumping depth doesn't change.

Ready to talk about your well?

Give us a call at (877) 492-8711 or request a quote. Tell us about your existing setup (Simple Pump, electric submersible, generator, nothing yet) and what your daily water needs look like. We'll help you figure out what fits, and we'll connect you with a dealer or authorized WORKHORSE Pumps installer in your area.

Public pricing isn't published for the complete system per the distributor agreement. Your dealer will prepare a quote based on your well and daily water needs.

Find a dealer near you | Learn more about the Inline Manual-Solar Well Pump System